We're back from spring break, and not a day too soon - we sure were tired of the drudgery of cloudless skies, baseball games, golf cart rides, and four-hour cocktail hours. Feels good to be huddled back in front of my space heater in my windowless cubicle.
Our flight home from Phoenix was thankfully not as adventuresome as our outbound flights (nor as lonesome - our gracious hosts at American Airlines were kind enough to grant us seats together this time - on the same plane, even). There is one final spring break incident to log, however, and one that wasn't nearly as much fun as pizza and Michelob in front of a warehouse-sized old-timey Wurlitzer.
We decided on Saturday morning to book our last spring break lunch as a picnic in scenic White Tank Mountain Regional Park, a short drive past dozens of 'Homes By Towne' signs west of Grandma and Grandpa's soon-to-be-former duplex. Sandwiches and wheels were consumed, gossip was shared, and a wonderful time was had by all. After the meal, Mabel and her parents embarked on a quick stroll around the picnic grounds to have one last look at the local flora and to snap a picture or two. Cue ominous music.
Pops and Mabel settled in front of a cholla cactus while the Mama took a few snaps. In between shots, while Pops fussed with his hair and makeup and the Mama monkeyed with the camera, Mabel reached out and took a great big grab out of the business end of the cactus. Her hand emerged from the plant with a good seven or eight 3" pickers stuck right in the fleshy part of her hand. We could tell right away that her ensuing cries weren't a request for a bottle or diaper change.
But that's not all. As her parents began pulling the pickers out (a dangerous task unto itself), either the wind, stupidity, or just plain karma pushed another, bigger, pickier round chunk of cactus right into Pops' ankle. With this piece covered with spiky pickers on all sides, Pops ripped off his shirt and shoes trying to pull the cactus out of his leg, with varying degrees of success. The Mama continued to care for the subject of this blog, while foolishly neglecting to roll some video on the scene that no doubt would have won us the $10,000 grand prize on ABC's America's Goofiest Injuries.
Thankfully, all of the wounded were restored to full health later that day after some rest, some trappist ale, and some pureed berries.
With our return home, Mabel and I decided to make a clean break with the winter of a thousand snotsicles, dozens of man hours lost to illness, two pink eyes, and one chronically sick family. Part of our spring cleaning was to cast aside (for now) the songs we've enjoyed on our daily trips to and from daycare. There ended up being a few dozen tunes on the playlist that provided the soundtrack not only to our daily commute but to Mabel's freshman semester of daycare, Pops' return to work, and the highs and lows of the Packers' playoff run. I'll list a memorable handful for the historical record and for those of you creating your own Mabel Celebrity Playlists at home.
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking
The Left Banke - She May Call You Up Tonight
Loudon Wainwright III - Be Careful, There's A Baby In The House
Boz Scaggs - Lowdown
Pink Floyd - Matilda Mother (original lyrics version)
Lizzard - Milk and Honey
Joe Maneri - Paniots Nine
Steel Pulse - Ku Klux Klan
Alan O'Day - Undercover Angel
Lee 'Scratch' Perry - Roast Fish and Corn Bread
John Lennon - Whatever Gets You Through The Night
I Roy - Space Flight (To Venus and Mars)
Liz Carroll - The Diplodocus/The Gandy Dancer/The New Leaf
Sister Nancy - Bam Bam
Marlee MacLeod - Just Like Geronimo
Our flight home from Phoenix was thankfully not as adventuresome as our outbound flights (nor as lonesome - our gracious hosts at American Airlines were kind enough to grant us seats together this time - on the same plane, even). There is one final spring break incident to log, however, and one that wasn't nearly as much fun as pizza and Michelob in front of a warehouse-sized old-timey Wurlitzer.
We decided on Saturday morning to book our last spring break lunch as a picnic in scenic White Tank Mountain Regional Park, a short drive past dozens of 'Homes By Towne' signs west of Grandma and Grandpa's soon-to-be-former duplex. Sandwiches and wheels were consumed, gossip was shared, and a wonderful time was had by all. After the meal, Mabel and her parents embarked on a quick stroll around the picnic grounds to have one last look at the local flora and to snap a picture or two. Cue ominous music.
Pops and Mabel settled in front of a cholla cactus while the Mama took a few snaps. In between shots, while Pops fussed with his hair and makeup and the Mama monkeyed with the camera, Mabel reached out and took a great big grab out of the business end of the cactus. Her hand emerged from the plant with a good seven or eight 3" pickers stuck right in the fleshy part of her hand. We could tell right away that her ensuing cries weren't a request for a bottle or diaper change.
But that's not all. As her parents began pulling the pickers out (a dangerous task unto itself), either the wind, stupidity, or just plain karma pushed another, bigger, pickier round chunk of cactus right into Pops' ankle. With this piece covered with spiky pickers on all sides, Pops ripped off his shirt and shoes trying to pull the cactus out of his leg, with varying degrees of success. The Mama continued to care for the subject of this blog, while foolishly neglecting to roll some video on the scene that no doubt would have won us the $10,000 grand prize on ABC's America's Goofiest Injuries.
Thankfully, all of the wounded were restored to full health later that day after some rest, some trappist ale, and some pureed berries.
With our return home, Mabel and I decided to make a clean break with the winter of a thousand snotsicles, dozens of man hours lost to illness, two pink eyes, and one chronically sick family. Part of our spring cleaning was to cast aside (for now) the songs we've enjoyed on our daily trips to and from daycare. There ended up being a few dozen tunes on the playlist that provided the soundtrack not only to our daily commute but to Mabel's freshman semester of daycare, Pops' return to work, and the highs and lows of the Packers' playoff run. I'll list a memorable handful for the historical record and for those of you creating your own Mabel Celebrity Playlists at home.
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking
The Left Banke - She May Call You Up Tonight
Loudon Wainwright III - Be Careful, There's A Baby In The House
Boz Scaggs - Lowdown
Pink Floyd - Matilda Mother (original lyrics version)
Lizzard - Milk and Honey
Joe Maneri - Paniots Nine
Steel Pulse - Ku Klux Klan
Alan O'Day - Undercover Angel
Lee 'Scratch' Perry - Roast Fish and Corn Bread
John Lennon - Whatever Gets You Through The Night
I Roy - Space Flight (To Venus and Mars)
Liz Carroll - The Diplodocus/The Gandy Dancer/The New Leaf
Sister Nancy - Bam Bam
Marlee MacLeod - Just Like Geronimo
2 comments:
Nora Kleis saying "hi" to my friend Mabel. I'm glad you are feeling better after the cactus incident. I also noticed you and I have the same pants from Gap. The pink and navy flowered pants are in my closet for when I'm closer to a year of age. Probably the same size as the ones you are wearing. Can't wait to meet you soon.
Hi Nora! I'm happy to lend you coordinating pieces to this outfit. In addition to my flower pants, I have a flower sweatshirt, pink pants, a blouse, a sweatshirt dress, a diaper cover, and two pair socks that all coordinate. My Aunt Meagan went a little crazy! She has great taste. Plus, my mom tells me that your mom and my mom used to share clothes all the time, so maybe we could do the same thing. :)
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