Peaches

Thanks, blog-buddies, for your excellent insights regarding my cousin. Now, I'm just waiting for her to call and say she's on her way. I'm thinking (at least this is my thought at the moment), that I won't call her. She knows where to find me.

In the meantime, other things are competing for my attention, as usual. Peaches are getting ripe, so the peach processing plant has opened for business. This essay is entitled, "How I Spent My Labor Day Weekend".



In spite of losing a big bough a few weeks ago, the tree is loaded with an overwhelming amount of fruit; some of it is pristine, some bird-pecked, some crawling with earwigs. I'm not afraid of earwigs per se, but they scuttle onto my hand and startle me and I scream and drop the peach. Ooof.




Luckily, they don't all ripen at once, so every day, I go out and pick the ones that are ready. This was Sunday's haul.

In clear violation of child labor laws, Nate and Sara work in the peach processing plant, slipping the skins off the scalded peaches. Fine, call OSHA.

Yum! Pies, crisps, cobblers, chutneys, salsas...Cool, but I have to keep this up for a week or so. I have another date with the "Fruit Fresh" bottle late tonight after work.

In other news, I put Nathan on the bus to Kindergarten this morning. He's ready: he's been cramming "Hop on Pop" all weekend. But when I went in to wake him up this morning, his little eyes popped open and he said, "I don't wanna ride the bus! Please, Mommy, don't put me on the bus! What if I can't find my teacher?" I reminded him that we've practiced going to the right place, and that Sara would help him. RIGHT, Sara!?! She promised she would, in her most cloying and patronizing tone. For once, Nate didn't whack her for it. ("Don't worry, Sweetie!" [she strokes his hair] "I'll show you exactly what to do, 'kay?") Oh, gack. This, from the girl who just last night wanted Nate evicted permanently from her room because he kept farting and she didn't want the smell to contaminate her stuffed animals.

So, good luck today, Nate! And remember:

1. Go potty! Don't stand there clutching your crotch until it's too late.

2. Your "get to know me" Show & Tell bag is in your backpack, with the 5 objects that you chose: the petroglyph fridge magnet; the magic wand made out of a peeled stick; the transformer; the octopus finger-puppet and the bolo tie. WHAT they tell about you is a little bit of a mystery to me, but hey, you'll come up with something, I'm sure.

3. The wand needs to stay in the bag after Show & Tell. No "unforgivable curses", please.

4. "CUP. PUP. Cup on pup." Words to live by.

5. You're brilliant! I love you! (Sniff! Sniff!) (I wave my imaginary handkerchief at your receding form...)