News of the Boys: August 2008

Tommy toes

P's learning the fine art of vegetable gardening - in containers, since the dirt in our backyard is pretty much definitely contaminated with lead and asbestos and all kinds of similarly yummy stuff. And technically the landlords own that dirt anyhow (and grow gorgeous flowers in it). Most of the dirt in Brooklyn back yards is pretty bad for growing edibles. But set up some pots, buy some organic potting soil, transplant the tomato plants that you've lovingly raised from seed under lights set up on your bookshelves, feed with worm compost every once in a while, teach your two-year-old how to point a hose at the pots, figure out how to chase the thieving squirrels off (P and I lie in wait with water guns on some afternoons) and shazam: organic tomatoes. Organic salsa, here we come.

(PS: notice how a blog supplies the appropriate medium for selectively publishing your own successes. Do you see pictures of our other vegetable pots or community garden "herb" garden here? No. Would that have anything to do with slugs having eaten the other veggies and weeds having invaded our community garden plot? Possibly, but you can't prove a thing as long as I don't supply the pictures. I'm just happy to have a few tomatoes, ok?)

Camping in upstate New York: a monologue by P-rock

"We going campin', Mama? We going onna train? Why we are ridin' on a train? Onna outside train? It not a subway train, it's an outside train that goes outside? We lookin' at the river? Oh, I like the river. I like the - look! A boat! I like boats! I like boats! We jes' ridin' onna train, lookin' at the boats..." etc.

"We hikin', Mama? We hikin now? Why we hikin'? I like hikin'. We not walkin'? We jes' hikin'? Oh, I like hikin'. Look, a stick! I pick it up. I like sticks. I like this big stwong stick. I poke things with it? I can poke that mushroom? I poked it. It fall down? Look, anudder stick! I pick it up too. I like this stick. It's pofect. I like sticks. I pick up anudder stick and anudder stick, an so many sticks. Here Mama, this stick is for you. You carry these sticks so I can pick up this udder stick. I not like this stick, this stick is fuzzy. There some fuzzy stuff on this stick. I pwetendin' it's an ant. It's not an ant? Do ants pee? Do mooses pee? I pwetendin' this stick is a moose. Hey guys, wait up, I hafta let my moose pee. He needsa pee now. Pee, pee pee. Ok. Look, what's that? What's that, Matt? That a toad? Why that toad hoppin', Matt? I think that toad supposed ta be hoppin'. He not hikin'...." etc.

"Woah, look at the tent! I like tents! I like gettin' in tents! I can get in that tent, Mama? I can get in that tent and take off my shoes? Take my shoes off! I gettin' in the tent. I like gettin' in the tent. I can stay wite heah? I can stay in dis tent and not take a nap? I can not take a nap and I can stay in this tent and stay and stay in it? What's this? This a landerin?" (a lantern) "I can use this landerin? I can push the button and turn it on? I like this landerin. I like pushin' the button. Who gave this landerin to me? The campsite man? The campsite man gave me this landerin? Oh, that was nice of him. I can turn it on." etc.

"I can have some marshmallows? Oh, I like marshmallows. I can cook it? I can cook it wif this stick? Why I can cook it wif this stick, Dada? Can I cook it? Is it cooked? Is it onna stick next to the fire? Oh, I like the fire. I can put my marshmallow next to the fire and not on the fire so I can jes' cook it. I can eat it? It not hot? Can you blow on it, Mama? It not hot? Why it not hot? I can eat it. Mmm, that's alicious. I LIKE marshmallows. It taste like chocolate." etc.

Verbiosity

P's coined a new word. He uses it when he really, really wants something that I won't give to him. I say "You can't have it today." And he says "I can have it some day?" And I say yes. And he says "I can have it nexterday?"

Part tres: on the road: Lianh's wedding in Massachusetts! Furrs in Maine!

(ps: if anyone has any actual pictures of the wedding, and not just the beach that provided the backdrop for it, feel free to pass them on, we forgot to bring our camera to the actual event...)