Vennie's AdVenture, Day 4

Good Morning! Vennie's cooking early!!!!!
Bon Appetit!

Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato, Onion, Broccoli, Carrots, and Celery.

Vennie hugs her first man of the day. She likes them with hairy backs.

And then she found herself another lawyer. Unlike day 1, this one has a small practice. But he advertises on TV with the moniker "We are here to serve you."

Back home, and Vennie receives Ian, a Gentleman Caller.

However, Ian quickly deserted her in lieu of the dogs. Here, he's trying to teach Sunny how to use the dog stairs, aka "Stairway to Heaven."

And, unlike Laura, he is successful in the venture! From this point forward, Ian is to be known as "The Stairmaster!"

Happy smiles all around signifies a job well done.

Come evening, and Vennie is at Slimmons, exercising her heart out.

She insists that it's only water in the bottle.

Look at this! Dana's "Exit" sign has not been replaced. Slimmons. You can check in but you can't check out.

And once again, happy smiles all around signifies a job well done.

Thirty posts in thirty days. This is day 19.

Nine

On Sunday, I had the joy of attending Ian's 9th birthday party.

We started out at the AMC Woodland Hills movies, where I believe about 15 of us viewed Madagascar 2. For what it is, it is not a bad movie. Bearable. For those of you without children, however, I would advise to steer clear.




After the movie was over, we head down to U-Wink for snacks,




a restaurant that, according to Eric, was developed by the same people that brought us all Chuck E Cheese. Shame on them - lol!

U-Wink is known for computer terminals on the tables themselves. Instead of ordering your meal through a waiter or waitress, you place it on line. Then hope that the waiter brings you what you ordered.

Eric & I split a Black & White Hummus platter. (no picture, sorry) It was ok. I lived. But I also feel really good about not taking in an extra 500 to 750 calories worth of sugar distributed via dessert - aka empty calories - at a time when I am struggling with weight.

I can hardly believe that Ian is 9! In one year, he will leave single-digit ages behind him forever. He is an amazing boy - smart, kind, compassionate, beautiful - and I expect that he will do great things in this world. How lucky am I to be related to such a child?

---

Even in his old age, Cosmos remains quite interested in the news and politics. I am learning how to upload video to Youtube now; I hope to bring the animated version of his TV watching to you in the near future.


Thirty posts in thirty days. This is day 11.

Beans

Beans! Beans!
The magical fruit.
The more you eat them
The more you Toot.

The more you toot
The better you feel
So eat your Beans
at every meal.



I taught that rhyme to Miles - age 6 - a little over a week ago. When I helped him to school this morning, I tested his memory. It's fully intact. He may have translated my "front seat in the car" declaration from 'not before 8 years and 80 pounds' to '100 years and 100 pounds,' but he remembered every word of the jingle. Clearly he was impressed.



However, there is apparently a big difference between being six and eight years of age. Since Miles was so excited that I should know such a song, I mentioned the same to Ian after his awards ceremony last Monday. Rather than finding it amusing, he looked at me with a very slight tinge of condescention. "Oh Aunt Laura," he said. "That's an old one. I heard it on The Simpsons years ago."

Award!

As it happens on a regular basis, Adele called me last Friday to let me know that Ian was selected to win an award at his school. The presentation ceremony was the following Monday and I quickly committed to going. We didn't know if he had been selected to win an Academic award or one for Citizenship, but it mattered not. We were proud.

As it turns out, Ian won both awards! Adele now has a "Proud Parent" bumper sticker to give to Daddy (she already had one on her car) as well as more to post on the refrigerator.

We went outside of Ian's classroom to await his release from class. Once he came out, we talked to him about a number of things and while in earnest discussion, another teacher came by and sharply addressed one of the many students in Spanish.

Ian was impressed. "That teacher is very smart because he knows how to speak in two languages," he said. "He sounds like he must have come from Mexico."

Adele looked at Ian. She quickly told him that he could speak more than one language if he wanted to, too. "Why don't you take a Spanish Class when you get into middle school?" she asked.

"I'd rather take French." he replied. "I've wanted to go to France for my entire life." Ian is eight.

"French? France?!?!" Adele retorted. "Why do you want to go there? The people smell because they don't take regular baths."

And then she looked Ian up and down. Shook her head. And sadly stated, "Ah, but yes. You don't like to take baths either."