The Boy Teacher and the Father Student 40; A Season For Everything

Pre-Thanksgiving dinner “Your Choice”. So coming back from our hike we swing by to get freshy foods for spaghetti. Ok we cheat on the sauce and meatballs. I do not make my own tomato paste. And I get bland meatballs and spice them up. Well I also buy my noodles, whole wheat angle hair.

On this occasion the boy graduated to slicing the chives. If you need a good anxiety cause watch a young one wield a knife. All proper form and a good job, but I lost a year of life.

I have a hard and fast rule in my home and especially the kitchen. “This home is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy”.

B: Dad why don’t you just buy all this stuff in a can?

F: Good question but you know the answer.

B: So you don’t have to read all the labels?

F: And?

B: Because that stuff they put in it?

F: And?

B: Don’t know.

F: Do you like using the electric whisk and using knives and shaking frying pans on the stove?

B: Oh now I get it. Because we have fun cooking!

F: Duh.

Breaking a Few Eggs

B: Dad I want to mix the eggs more for the omelet. That is fun.

F: Son you do not beat a dead horse. You get that?

B: Yea but the eggs are dead, right?

F: What a good point.

B: See I know almost as much as you.

F: No son I was referring to the point on your head. Don’t get all cocky like a know it all.

B: You said that I should show people how good I am. So they can do it too.

F: Fair enough but nobody like a bragger. You show and not announce right? Here is a good one; “self aggrandizement”. If that sounds bad it is because it is.

B: I think I will go play my twenty minutes on my tablet because you are just to weird. Call me when you are done with my breakfast.

F: Son why do you like going to restaurants? You have a cook, a waiter and a dishwasher right here. The food is cooked to order and everything is just the way you like it.

B: Dad if you don’t know I am not going to tell you. So there.

B: Dad I lost a whole pound. So do I get candy today?

F: Why did you lose a pound? Just think about it. You are not obese but you have a little too much fat. And we know that is not cool at all.

B: But you are fat. We call you a whale.

F: And how many pounds have I lost?

B: A whole bunch. But you said it was good for a small kid to have some fat in case they get real sick.

F: Hmm. When did I say that to you?

B: A long time ago. But see I remembered.

F: You only remembered so you could argue about it.

B: So.

F: Well smarty pants if I told you a long time ago how old were you? Do you still use a sippy cup, diapers and suck your thumb?

B: So?

F: I told you that when you were five.

B: Oh now I get it. Now I am a big boy so I don’t need the fat. Don’t worry I will not get fat like you. And exercise and diet. See I remembered your question, do I get some candy for being so smart. In Sunday school Mrs. Mai gives us a treat if we do real well. But I know you think that is wrong. So never mind. I like blueberries just as much, can I have some? I know I know I never have to ask to eat berries or fruit.

F: Cool dude. OK you can have the candy in your snack time snackables that are so wrong. And I know you think they are good for you because mom buys them. And you get that.

Getting Your Just Deserts

If you eat healthy you live healthy. Processed foods are never as good as fresh unprocessed foods. Most cereals have too much sugar. But they also are like a bowl of vitamins. And you can get whole grain ones. Plus kids just love cereal which with skimmed milk gives a great punch. Of course you add a good dose of fruit. So you just erase sugar from other foods. Raw is better than white.

F: What are you doing?

B: I can pronounce all the words on this label. But I don’t get the percentage symbols.

F: You need a certain amount of different stuff a day. So if it says 100% it means you got enough of that. Good idea but kind of full of it.

B: Almost said it. Hihihi. Oh and I don’t care.

F: Well at least you are reading the label. Good enough for me.

B: Sometimes when I don’t do something just right you say OK. And sometimes you look mad. Is it really most important to try and not win?

F: It is most important not to be lazy. Maybe one of those thing by thing things.

Oh my we have some love.

Activity

Golf: putting, chipper, and the hard one, stick

Football: The most ridiculous thing that has us laughing too hard. I throw it a bit to his side. With absolutely no reason he does a sliding in the grass catch. Way funny.

Basketball: We do not have a chimney but a good place to dribble and hit selected bricks. Again more giggles than should be allowed and he likes to change the rules. L

Hiking: Every weekend into nature. And several times a week urban walking. The conversations overflow. Maybe throwing rocks is his favorite. He insists on picnics no matter. Very fun.

Balloon Volleyball: Otherwise known as Vollball. A rug for inbounds, a blanket for the net and Dad gets to sit in his easy chair. No spikes on the first volley for either and out of bounds is no score. No need to state the obvious of just plain hilarity.

Standing flash cards and chess: Dancing on the side and distractions are the real art of the game. Funny one there is the aggravation/irritation. You just have to laugh at yourself when you get serious.

Baseball catch: The boy is right handed so that is the mitt catching arm. And he can go all ambidextrous on me. Whoa and I understand really good for your brain. I try.

Crawling: Nose on the ball backwards and forward. Again the shrinks say it is good for you. It for sure is a great body core workout. And you guessed it, more fun is not had eating cake.

Washing the Car: aerobic to the max. Have we ever done it without soaking each other? You know the answer.

B: Dad you are a wimp for taking breaks. And don’t give me that lame surgery excuse. Mom says it has been a month and that you are milking it. What does that mean?

F: Like you pretending to still be a baby I think. That one is a weird one. Remind me to look it up like we like to about word origins.

B: Dad you need to get a life. You think too much.

Have a great day. Around here we like to claim at nightfall that it was “the best day ever”. Oh my what will we do tomorrow?