Busy

What an incredibly busy weekend. Kids have friends; they like to spend time with their friends. It started with BK asking if she could go to her GF's house to do homework. I said yes. LK then wanted to have his BF over to see a movie. Could not squeeze both of those in on Friday. But Saturday is the practice for LK and the game for BK. Girls played hard. Beat by an older team playing in the lower division. It really was not fair, but a good exercise in how coaches like to stack the odds. Our coach is a blessing. She makes sure all the girls get some play time and she always finds a positive to tell the girls about how they played. This team has a couple of hotshots though. Inner city park board team and the abilities vary greatly. Two of these girls told the coach in front of the other less-skilled girls that they want to play on another team. I explained to BK that the world is full of blowhards and she should listen to the coach instead of the bag of wind. Apparently that motivational speech worked as she was definitely more engaged on Monday in practice.

LK had his buddy over for a movie. Val took the boys to see Eight Below. Apparently one of them was more interested than the other. I think I know that JT was bored. He has a bit of attitude and ADD (my semi-professional opinion). He and LK trashed the TV room (uncharacteristic of LK) and I had to re-fold the laundry that was waiting to be put away. I told JT that he was given a freebie as I know his dad would not be pleased to hear what had happened here. Same drill for LK. I told him I was shocked that he would let his friend do this to his own house. They left here and went to see Pink Panther with MCJ (my ex-wife). Apparently this one went over bigger. Lots of laughs and a less complicated plot.

Monday...we slept late. We ate late - pancakes and syrup. We picked up SK and headed off to the Conservatory at the Como Park Zoo. The moisture in the air there is well worth the trip in. Beautiful orchids. Kids played with koi in the two ponds. We looked at flowers and felt the warming sun. Lunch with Val at Annie's Parlour, by the U of M. Hamburgers for everyone except the old guy with high cholesterol...I had the chicken noodle soup and we split some fries. They were not quite as good as I remember, but they were crispy. Maybe if we had not been there at lunchtime or if it had been a late night after some serious carousing and tippling. We cruised on over to the Weissman, only to find it closed. Monday is a holiday at most museums. I just forgot. Home to some goofy silliness and a movie and drop SK off in time to rush home and get BK ready for basketball practice. Val ran in the door just as the kids were finishing up chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese on pancetta sandwiches. Val took BK; I dropped to watched toob with LK and he fell asleep from exhaustion. I think he is having a growth spurt again.

In between all this I shot a few patriotic images. One of them I call Trail of Tears; another is Internment. It was just one of those days when I had to think about what US Presidents have done. Not to ignore the good, but to add some reality to what our usual perspective is.