Sunday, June 15, 2008

Happy Father's Day

Rob was visiting our friends in Chicago this weekend and I decided the rest of us would stay home, as much as I wanted to spend the weekend in the city. I tried to get things done around the house with three kids. I decided for Father's Day we should surprise Rob and walk down to the train station to pick him up and then have lunch. The train was to arrive around noon or so and it was a beautiful day. Then, I decided a surprise was not the best thing to do when you have three kids walking a mile in the hot sun so I arranged it with Rob, but it was still fun.

Dema was going to ride his bike, but his darn pedal fell off AGAIN (keeps happening, but it is a secondhand bike so I shouldn't complain). It took me a second to figure out why he was riding so slow (he stopped to pick up the pedal and kept going, albeit not his usual speed demon self) and luckily we were close to home. Rob had warned me that he was laden with gifts (he spent the weekend at Todd's and although his wife, Katherine, was out of town she still hooked up the kids with some cool toys...gotta love a generous toy store owner!) so I brought the Chariot. Parker and Dema rode in the Chariot and Josie was on my back in the Didymos wrap on the walk to the train station.
Rob was not joking about the gifts. There was barely room for Dema to ride and he reminded me of scene in ET where he blends in with all the stuffed animals.

We walked to Aroma for lunch. We were going to sit outside in the back area in the shade of an umbrella since the Chariot won't fit in the door and it was full of cargo to have a nice bite to eat outside away from the multitude of people working on their laptops and drinking their coffee, but no...this B-yatch was sitting reading a book by herself taking up on entire table for four (or five) with (get this) her feet on the table...yes, you heard me right. The woman was sitting at a restaurant with her freakin' feet on the table, not eating, but annoying the heck out of this tired and hot family. She didn't move or even take her feet off the table even after I sat down right next to her (the only shade) to nurse my baby and take this opportunity to explain to my eight year old when he looked at the obvious faux pas that this is exactly why I ask him not to stand on the picnic tables at the park because at some point someone is going to want to eat at the table and that is just rude. Yes, she could hear me, no she did not take her feet off the table. Rob was inside ordering and I told the kids to go ahead and eat inside out of the sun and that I would just sit there until they were done so I could watch the Chariot. Nothing, nada from little "Miss I Own the Damn World and I'm not even spending money at this place, but I will take up more than my share of space because that is who I am".

Rob decided we could just move everything to the front and get a table close to the window and all would be well. The funny thing is that I hate to go inside there because it is mostly people sitting along trying to concentrate and I don't like to bug them with our family of five. It also means we have to move tables together and I would like to leave the A/C to the people who are used to it/need it. I was trying to be respectful of others. So, we sit and we eat and have a nice time and then little "Feet on the Table girl" comes in to check on her boyfriend who is sitting a table away from us. Her boyfriend was there...would it have killed her to move and sit inside with him? I said a few choice words which I'm pretty sure she could hear and promised Rob I would take a picture next time (leaving out the face when I posted in my blog) if this type of thing happens again. Rob is one of those live and let live kind of people and doesn't get his dander up, but this chick bugged him just as much as she bugged me. He guesses she is a "suburb girl" (sorry to all of you from the Chicago 'burbs). Grrr.

The lunch was nice anyhow and we trekked home with Parker on his Razor, Dema amongst the loot in the Chariot, and Josie on my front in the Didymos wrap. I got to hear about Rob's weekend with Todd and his dinner with Mike and Alison. He got to hear about the craziness which is our children. A block or so from our house, I spotted a snake skin. Dema got out to inspect it and he picked it up to take it home (and we thought for a second about taking it as a gift for Cynthia...just joking!), but he decided it was best to leave it where he found it...if it was an actual snake it would have been harder to for him to make that decision.

The boys have now entered the Land of Lego (against my better judgment) and we could barely drag them away from building to go swimming at Vicky and Greg's pool. It was so nice to cool off in the pool until the thunder and then we were back inside building away.

Rob said he wanted to make dinner so he made tomato risotto with some kale we had leftover and kalamata olives. Everyone loved it! What is not to love about risotto, kale, and olives? (Believe it me it was much more appetizing than this silly picture from my phone.) I did the dishes...have I mentioned we still don't have a dishwasher. All weekend I've been trying to do dishes with one hand while holding Josie in the other or sneaking in some dishes while she sleeps.

I wish I'd had a chance to have my own dad over today, but all in all I think it was a nice Father's Day for Rob. Happy Father's Day, Dad!

4 comments:

Lisa -- Cravin' Veggies said...

Happy Father's Day Rob! Sounds like you all had a great time - even with the likes of "herself" at the restaurant. People like that drive me nuts. It's just the "sense of entitlement" that many younger people have these days... sheesh!! (Another thing that irritates me is when people don't hold doors open for the next person, or say thank you if you hold it for them...

My son absolutely loved Legos when he was younger. You can usually find them at tag sales pretty cheap (the sets are quite expensive in stores.) That is what he got for gifts for several years, so he has quite a collection. He had a town set up (like some people have train platforms... his was Legos...even a train!) They really help develop motor skills and enhance creativity/imagination. You can even tie them in to homeschooling lessons. My son would build things we saw on hikes, at the museum, from a movie or book, etc.

OK... sorry... long post. Have a terrific week! Hope your weather stays nice. We are in for some cool, rainy days. Ick...

Lisa

the sandwich life said...

OHHHHHHHHHHHH.....

VeganLinda said...

CV,

It was a very nice day and I'm glad I'm not the only one who has noticed the entitlement syndrome. I'm a Lego convert. It is amazing what the boys can build with those things and they enjoy them for hours at a time. Hope your weather turns nice soon!

Cynthia,

LOL, Sorry I shouldn't tease you!

the sandwich life said...

No, no....it's good for me. I'm TRYING to get better and honestly I make fun of myself too...