Braving Boys

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” … Greenhorn couldn’t handle this,” is what I heard my OB say as he was attempting to deliver the six-day-late baby who kept “turtling” and would not emerge from my body.

“Who is Dr. Greenhorn?,” I kept thinking.

OK, OK, now I know he meant not a specific doctor, just an inexperienced one, and I think he was probably right, because it was kinda complicated pushing into the world that 10-pound, 9-ounce boy and his Superman-like placenta cape. But he arrived, he was healthy, and that was 11 years ago! Happy Birthday to my now 114-pound Joey!

The glasses are plastic, and they serve absolutely no function, but Danny loves them, and, so, we have grand plans for building a Halloween costume around them! Stay tuned.

Joey’s gift to his dad is this photo that was chosen to be published in today’s Father’s Day issue of The Gainesville Sun. It also appears in an online gallery at http://bit.ly/ihyotS — slide #22.

Danny’s gift is a mug, featuring John’s all-time-favorite Danny artwork.

Plus, a special message.

And because a celebration for John would not be complete without some chocolate, well, he’s getting some of that, too!

Happy Father’s day, John!

Love,

Your boys

(and their mom)

Pretzels for later

The University of Florida Men’s basketball team, ranked ninth in the first Associated Press men’s basketball poll on Thursday, scored a 92-58 win against Florida Tech last night. It was exciting, but not near as thrilling for Danny as it was to snuggle up next to mascot Albert the Alligator.

Quote: Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

We planted a garden last summer, and while it looked promising for a good long time, ultimately, it failed. I think we got one pepper. And a few small tomatoes. But our corn never materialized. And cucumbers never surfaced. And. Wait. We had sunflowers. Yes, sunflowers.

We’re trying again this year. Actually, we are not trying. Joey is. He’s done it all — prepped the soil, dug little trenches for seeds, sprinkled them into the dirt, covered them, mulched walkways between rows, labeled and placed sticks near their respective fruits and veggies, and now, we wait. and water. and wait. and hope like heck that small animals and bugs don’t tear the whole thing apart, because Joey will just be overjoyed if his garden grows. And so will his great grandma, all the way up in Heaven, probably wearing her own straw gardening hat and admiring the work of the boy she knew for only two years.