No Readmittance Without Handstamp (HOL 71)

House of Laughter 71

It is not uncommon for my day to start around 6:45. The first thing I see is a two year old child staring me in the face, waiting for my eyes to open so he can ask the most important question one can be asked before 7:00 in the morning.

“ You want two stamps Daddy?”

In one of Halloween goody bags, he received a small inkpad and stamp of a skeleton. When I first wake up or get home from work, I usually get a small smeared image of skeleton on the back of either hand. He then carefully recaps the stamp, and the puts it into a small metal lunchbox that Nancy bought him. Although people tell me all the time that he looks like me, this behavior is clearly inherited from his mother.

Now every day at work, it looks like I’ve been out at a club the night before because of the two stamps.

Last time I was in Florida, I bought a DVD of four episodes of “Pee Wee’s Playhouse”. Isaac and I love it. Every episode has music, dancing, cartoons, puppets and characters addressing the audience directly. Another huge plus is that they aren’t selling anything to Isaac. “Pee Wee” has now passed “Dragon Donkey” on Isaac’s top movie picks.

Nancy can’t stand it. I guess it is like the “Three Stooges” you either get it or you don’t.

Just to be clear, Nancy doesn’t hate it because of Reuben’s run in with the law. To be clear, there is none of “that” on the show. If we abandon art, music, or theater because of objectionable behavior by the artist, there isn’t going to be much art left. (We will leave the debate as to whether or not a man in bad make up and tight suit having an argument with a life size cow puppet is “art” for another time.)

We went to Florida at the beginning of November so Nancy and her sister could run in the “Gator Gallop”, an annual footrace that precedes the homecoming parade. (It wasn’t a marathon, but I am still proud of them for doing it. Athletic competitions aren’t particularly frequent in our family). The trip was a lot of fun. We saw Lynard Skynard, and got to yell a request for “Freebird” without looking like total dorks. We had great seats for the concert and for the next day’s football game against Vanderbilt thanks to my brother in law John…so Thanks John!

The highlight of the trip was a chance encounter with Gator quarterback Tim Tebow. I waved to him briefly, and he waved back. I’m pretty sure it was that wave that inspired him to win the game the next day.

One last brief note, we still haven’t sold our house. If you know someone who is looking, please let me know.
Since we had two recent trips to Florida, we are staying home for Thanksgiving. If you are in Greensboro give us a call. We can all get together and play Monopoly or Scrabble. If you do come over, please get your hand stamped at the door.

Strength and Honor,
Big Matt