a story from summer

Since it's dark and raining today, a story from summer instead:

Tonight they told me they wanted to have a “hot dog stand.” They were doing things with the couch in the family room, pillows, etc. I asked if this going to be with pretend hot dogs or real. He said real. I didn’t know what they were doing and asked how they’d keep the dogs Sam and possibly Sidney from invading the stand? He said they had built a wall of pillows. I said, “Hmm. I don’t know if that will work.” Then I went back to what I was doing.

About half an hour later, I looked out the kitchen window and there in the middle of the yard, Tim and Julia were with a cardboard box upside down, ketchup, mustard, buns, cans of pop, a chair, all set up. The hot dogs were cooking in the microwave. My mouth hung open and I went to the back door and he ordered me, “Don’t think you’re getting a hot dog without money! Bring your money!” Good Lord. I had to go get Jay where he was washing the van because who else is game to eat a hot dog for no reason? We went out there and he served Jay several hot dogs. I paid Tim a dollar. James and Kari brought coins and we sat in the grass while they all ate.

Earlier he was in a Cat in the Hat striped hat, wearing a cape with a purple bat on it and a red Power Ranger glove… and get this: carrying a babydoll. We laughed when he went past, no idea what the meaning of it could be. He went into the dollhouse in the back yard and neither Kari or Julia seemed the least bit surprised by how he was dressed.

Last night right before supper Julia came in the kitchen with no pants—bare old butt. I said, “What’s going on? Where are your pants?” She said they had sand in them and itched, so she’d taken them off. I told her she had to get some new ones and bring the others in to the laundry. It’s true they make me laugh. love, Val