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First of all, Happy Birthday to Lloyd’s Mom! Here’s a picture of your oldest – he took me out to dinner and a movie! (Hence the lemon. We’re not nearly that fancy around here.)

Speaking of the movie, we went to see The Avengers. For the most part, I liked it quite a bit. The only problem was that we were sitting so close I had trouble watching the whole screen, and during the New-York-is-getting-attacked sequence, I fell asleep during the explosions. Me getting tired in theaters – what can you do?

After the movie was over some ushers handed out treats. Awesome! It was like trick-or-treating! They were granola bars, and it was part of a promotion. On the way to the car I looked at it, and let’s see if you see what I see.

See?!? I’m not crazy! What is up with the first unnecessary ‘flavor’? We had a guess that the typo was the reason that these were being given away.

Worker: “Somebody put too many adjectives on the wrapper.”
Supervisor: “Dang. How many did we print?”
Worker: “Ten thousand.”
Supervisor: “Double Dang. Let’s bag ’em up and give them out as incentives – but not to smart people who will catch it, pass them out at superhero movies. Those kids can’t read.”

We also had a good laugh about how they were made in Canada, so that’s probably where the goof-up came from. Knowing no Canadian accents besides Bob & Doug MacKenzie, Lloyd and I reverted to our worst Sven & Olie impressions.

Lauren (as Sven): “Hey, did you finish those wrappers?”
Lloyd (As Olie): “Yep.”
Sven: “Did you mention the flavor?”
Olie: “Oh, yeah. There’s flavor.”
Sven: “Maybe you better write it again. Make sure they know there’s flavor.”

It really doesn’t take much to entertain us.

As I sit here on the couch watching Episode Four of Star Wars, I am reminded of the Brown Robe of my childhood.

It was a nondescript homemade robe -I’m fairly sure my mom made it. (She and my sister have sewing akilz.) Anyway, it was an important staple to many costumes, though I can only remember three: Christmas shepherd, of course / some Planet of the Apes costume for one of my brothers / and the most special in my eyes – my Jawa costume. I don’t remember how old I was, but I remember that it was a group effort, with the older crew helping to come up with some glowing eye rig. Were we successful?

I don’t know. In my mind we were, but I have a bad memory and a rich inner world, so who’s to say?

Happy Saturday!

On Saturday Lloyd had a bunch of graduation parties to attend in Lincoln, and I had some things I wanted to get done in Lincoln, so we shared a ride.

“Why didn’t you just go to the parties?” I hear some of you ask, to which I answer, “Social Avoidance Syndrome.” Going to a social event is akin to punishment for me. Uncomfortableness, fidgeting, and the-mumbling-of-stupid-things-followed-by-awkward-silence are the main symptoms of my attending social functions, so I prefer to just not go.

Most of his parties synced up with places I wanted to go (Kohl’s, Southpointe Mall), but one was in the middle of town where there are no stores. It was, however, close to the zoo, which has some gardens all around. We have lived here….. 17 years? and I have never gone here. It was beautiful!

I was only there about a half-hour, but I took a ton of photos.

I walked through all the roses and flowers. They had several statues and nice benches to relax on. At one of the bench areas I looked over and there was a labyrinth! I walked it.

There is a big fountain thing that looks like buildings with water spewing from the top. Two girls had just ridden their bikes there and looked at me cautiously. I said, “You’re going to put your feet in there, aren’t you? It’s hot today.” What do I care? It’s the cops’ job to keep their feet out.

Walking back I saw a giant bicycle sculpture. Lincoln has art-inspired bicycles all over town, similar to the cows in Chicago, but this one was different. I went over to explore.

Hey! It’s a pic-a-nic spot! With a place for three friends to park their bikes and sit for a spell.

And also to plan their next place to go. This is the tabletop:

I have more photos, but I’ll stop now. This would be a nice spot to visit on a warm (not hot and muggy) spring/summer day. (*cough* Lloyd *cough* hint *cough*)

I have fallen asleep on the couch watching television Friday night.

Bliss. Bliss, I say.

Ah, nature.

At school today we set up a low table on the concrete (A tabletop on some blocks) with some toys for the kids. While I was at the door waiting for a child to finish in the bathroom, Emma (a young four) was at the little table and started screaming bloody murder, and by the frozen way she was holding her arm, I thought, “NO! Her hand is pinned under the tabletop! Crushed bones! Crushed bones!”

I couldn’t leave the door and frantically shouted to other staff to please go help her. Donna did, and walked her over to me, saying something quietly that I completely missed in the panic. (I found out later.) Emma was still holding her arm stiffly and I said, “Where does it hurt?” She vaguely pointed, which I thought was weird, so I had her go and get a paper towel (the first step in preschool first aid). She returned holding the towel in her hand. I again inquired where it hurt and she replied in terror, “It’s still there.”

She pointed at the ladybug on her shoulder. (That’s what Donna had said. I missed it.)

Good grief. I thought she was dying.

I put the ladybug on her paper towel and told her, “There! Now you can take him outside and shake him onto a plant where he’ll be happy.” Instead she took him back over to the table where he watched her play.

Later in the day one of the aides was reading a story about animals and Emma piped up, “Ladybugs are very nice.”

What a one-eighty.