Exercise And Fresh Air

To my son Tommy,

We obviously don't get enough exercise or fresh air. It seems when we do that it just knocks us out at night, thus the missed blog from yesterday.

We were entertaining your cousin Gabe while the rest of the family went and volunteered at Honestly Autism day. I was determined not to let the day end up as couch sitting and TV watching and iPad playing as so many days off do.

Our first outing was to Five And Below where we each could buy a toy. After about four switches from one toy to another, you ended up with a Yoda figurine. This is odd because you have not seen nary a one of the Star Wars movies, but I guess you recognize a muppet like character and were drawn to it. Gabe got a couple packs of Angry Birds Star Wars characters. He was pretty excited that one of them was the Hans Solo angry bird. I was tempted at their little joke section to buy eyebrow and large nose glasses or fake poop or snapping gum, but then realized I will be turning 39 this year and resisted my immature urges.

After the mighty hunters had captured their prey (Is it a stretch to liken shopping to caveman mastodon hunts?) we needed sustenance. The drive-thru at the McDonalds ended up topping the list and we loaded up with fries and nuggets. I always hope that as much as you idolize your cousin Gabe that you will be influenced by him to try the nuggets, but peer pressure lost it again.

With bellies over-laden by calories, we had to head out and get some exercise. We started just walking without any destination but ended up at the St Agnes playground and slides. A good long walk to be sure and only once did you try the "I'm tired. Carry me." scam. We played on the slides for over an hour. I only know this because the one-o-clock bell rang after we had been there for a bit. I sat there thinking that a single bell is so anti dramatic. Then I watched your cousin and you evolve your slide play with your imaginations. One of you would lie on the slide saying "Save me! Save me!" And the other would rush over to grab the hand of the victim.

I thought to myself how this is such a metaphor for the world today. Everywhere we look we see hands trusted forward asking for another one to reach out and touch them and save them. Of course as your kids game evolved further you guys started letting each other slide down instead of pulling them safely. It was completed with a long drawn out "Noooooooo" from the rescuer who failed and an occasional "I will always remember you" from the rescuee sliding to his doom. This kind of killed the metaphor for me.

Gabe then discovered a lady bug on one of the slides and we all sat and gazed in amazement. The church bells rang two and prompted me to say time to go. Unbeknownst to me you had your Yoda figurine's jacket in your pocket and it either fell out in the playground or on our trip home. We might be able to find it after mass today but needles and haystacks fill my mind. On the trip home you got to running ahead of your cousin and I and had a little spill. Skinned knees and skinned palms, but honestly for a kid who is all boy you could have done worse.

So that is all it took for us to be as tired as the volunteers and get it to the point that blogs were of no concern last night as sleep dominated our focus. Now we are headed out to confession and church and perhaps a hunt for Yoda's jacket in which you might learn a prayer to St Anthony for lost items.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo