Cleaning up the Counter (HOL 103)

House of Laughter 103

I can’t tell you how many times in the last 12 years of marriage I have had to dig through the recycle bin or the trash looking for one of the hundreds of scraps of paper that I write myself notes on through the day. Nancy seems to think that a torn edged piece of paper with a hastily scrawled list like: 1) Alligator 2) Batman 3) Coffee 4) Anteater 5) Gun 6) Zookeeper along with a half dozen other scraps of paper with similar seemingly unrelated words stacked in the middle of the kitchen counter are garbage.

Most of the time they are, but the ones with kernels of stories about Isaac are the ones I will dig through the trash to find.

I’ve recently read some of my old blogs and realize how many little moments I have forgotten, so I want to get as many in writing as possible.

1) I’ve written before about Isaac and my arriving home from work ritual, “Playing Alligator”. I change clothes, we make the bed, and then wrestle. Alligator has now evolved into a scripted play every afternoon.

Isaac: “Daddy Alligator, I’m Hungry! What is in the refrigerator?”

I look under the pillow and can’t seem to find anything.

Isaac: “Let’s go to the store!”

We then drive motorcycles, fire trucks, or trash trucks to the store where we “Shop” for all of the food we need. (Cookies, Peppers, Milk, Cheese, Dragonflies, Hamburger.) We then “Drive” back home, “Fill” the refrigerator, and I “Feed” him. Only then can the wrestling commence.

2) After much debate, we have decided that Isaac will be Batman for Halloween. I will play the Joker. Isaac and I are trying to convince Nancy that she pretty much has to dress up as Catwoman or Halloween will be ruined for everyone.

(As far as the Joker Costume goes, the makeup is fairly inexpensive, but finding a purple shirt and green vest is a little tricky, I have decided that a nurse is outfit will probably be easier to find, funnier, and let’s face it…..pretty terrifying.).

3) Nancy has mentioned Isaac’s love of Curious George on her blog. Isaac loves it when I read about how George was a “good little anteater and always very curious”. “NO!”, Isaac yells through laughter, “He is a monkey!” I think all kids love having a chance to correct an adult. I’m sure his teachers will adore this quality later on.

4) Isaac has also decided what he wants to be when he grows up. After he plays football and baseball, he is going to be a zookeeper, and Nancy and I can work at his zoo through our retirement. Luckily his old man is an alumnus from a prestigious zookeeper school. I may be able to pull some strings.

5) We drove past a wooded area near my office the other day, and I told Isaac that I sometimes walk through the woods on my lunch breaks. He asked if I carried a gun for bears. I told him, “No.” He told me, “You should go to Hollywood and buy a gun. That is where Holly lives.” I have no idea what that means either, buy it made me laugh.

6) This summer when Isaac was staying with my folks, Nancy got busted by the boy. My mother was making Isaac some chocolate milk, when he said, “Mom makes chocolate milk for herself every morning, but she calls it coffee. I know its chocolate milk though.” I guess the cartoon rabbit on the label was a tip off as well.

Strength and Honor
Big Matt