Monday, May 15, 2006

The perfect post for insomniacs. It's that boring.

After THAT ringing endorsement, really, how could you NOT want to read this post? Hey, at least it's not about the cats.

Sometimes I miss being a kid. I was driving past my old elementary school the other day, and they were having Field Day. Remember Field Day? Being outside all day and competing in contests. Parents came and watched – my dad would even take off work at least part of the day to come and cheer my friends and I on. This was back before all of the concern about political correctness. We got ribbons for first, second and third place. Sometimes for fourth and fifth place. We didn’t get a ribbon just for showing up. Such bullshit. Perpetuating pansy kids. Anyway. Field Day. Good times.

The other thing that made me miss being a kid is the way that everything is SUPER EXCITING and TOTALLY NEW to them. I was babysitting the other day and I asked the baby (he’s 1 and a half) if he wanted to go for a walk. His face lit up and he’s like “yeeeeeeaaAAAAAYYYYYYY!!” When we got home, I asked him if he wanted to eat lunch outside. His face lit up and he’s like “yeeeeeeaaAAAAAYYYYYYY!!” When we were walking, he and his brother (who is 3) were totally quiet, chillin’ in the stroller, and then when the playground came into view, they started clapping their hands and saying “Playground!” like it was the best thing ever. Because at that minute? It WAS the best thing ever.

Kids are awesome. They’re not worried what people think of them. They’re going to swing and play on the slides and it’s going to be the highlight of their day. Until the next highlight, which could be the puppies we saw on the way home, or when I’d run down the hills pushing the stroller fast. They don’t care about what they look like or whether or not what they’re doing is silly – it’s fun, and really, that’s the whole point.

I also like to babysit because I can spend time with kids and then give them back. I love the giving them back. Although there was the little moment when the 3 year old kissed his finger, buzzed it over like it was a bee and touched the tip of my nose. Oh. Melty heart.

Besides the fact that I love kids, I was babysitting to get some extra cash to finance my new addiction. No, not crack. For obvious reasons. Not daytime t.v. Booooring. Not scrapbooking. Um, just no. It’s Whole Foods, people. I just didn’t think it was possible to love a grocery store so much. Yeah, I know. It’s like the saddest thing ever. I’ve developed said addiction since being unemployed, because I used to hate going to the grocery store. I'd go on the way home and it was always crowded and who wants to cook after their job sucked their soul out of them for the past 8 hours? Anyway. If I can’t find it at Whole Foods, apparently I’m not meant to eat it. Everything there is so GOOD. Bad Cop and I ate six chocolate covered strawberries from there in about 10 seconds flat last weekend. I’m pretty sure there were angels singing. P.I.C. and I got some tasty bbq from there the other day as well. DE-licious. Crab cakes, buffalo burgers, spinach and mushroom pizza. Yum. Peaches, cherries, rhubarb. Perfect. I’ll stop now. Because I need to go make my list for my trip there tomorrow. And also drum up some more odd jobs to PAY for this addiction. Ha. I’m like half-kidding there.

In other news. I was walking up the stairs to my house today, and I saw that there was a cooler sitting outside one of my neighbors’ doors. Is it weird that the first thing I wondered was if there was a severed head in there?

11 comments:

Okie said...

Yes, that is very weird.

Furtheron said...

Given that was the first thing that came to your head it does seem weird...... Then again I've never met your neighbours have I.

Leesa said...

Okay, if that was the first thing you thought of when seeing the cooler, I might suggest moving. I can see it now when they interview you on local news; "No surprise at all when I learned my neighbors were dismembering people from the neighborhood. I sort of expected it."

Cheryl said...

not too weird. It'd be even more weird if you were right.

I love Whole Foods too. Although not so much their marinara sauce.

Whinger said...

Sister-in-law and her husband recently had a phone conversation of how HAPPY kids are.
Husband could hear Niece laughing uproariously in the background about something that anyone else would deem as not-so-great and he became wistful about the highs of childhood.
S-i-l called him back five minutes later so he could hear Niece crying hysterically about something not-that-awful. The lows are also lower.

Carl Spackler said...

1- i used to love field day. i stil have ribbons from winning stuff like the 3 legged race, water balloon toss, and other fun relays.

2- great comment about the youngsters. so true.

3- i would have wondered if a head or heart was in the cooler.

Sass said...

Tic toc tic toc.

sorry is this what happens when you turn 30? Great i have 10 more months to look forward to this.

dasi said...

Whinger is right - the highs are higher, but the lows ARE lower!!! But I have to admit, there is nothing better than a happy kid. I wouldn't worry about the cooler, unless it starts to smell. But I hear that in a cooler a head can stay fresh for a while... ;)

Adam said...

Wait, you didn't check an unattended cooler? Sure, there could have been a head in there...But there also could have been "free" beer!

Marissa said...

I LOVE your take on little kids and how they're just so fascinated by everything - the other day I was thinking how important it is to "play" everyday in life and how I've totally forgotten to do that now that I'm no longer a kid.

As for Whole Foods - I share your obsession! And I too go during the day when there are NO lines. Love it!

Janet said...

You are not alone in your addiction. I was weaned on organic peanut butter and homemade bread... and now I just can't stop.

Children are adorable, and every once in a while, you met a little one that is knock-your-socks-off smart.

And the cooler? My first vision would involve chicken giblets.