As I lay in bed trying to digest another Thanksgiving dinner, sweating out the gravy literally oozing from my pours, I felt grateful not only for the family and close friends willing to drive 160 km north to share it with us, but for the unique and memorable moments that came this weekend courtesy of neighbouring cottage kids.
With a stove full of food, a house full of guests and seven kids running underfoot, admittedly my attention was somewhat scattered. I didn’t really notice the tub of Glow In The Dark Mars Mud that had come back from the kids’ trip to the town store (a Thanksgiving “Must Have” according to Delia and the Pilgrims). I lost track of it after she, Bodie and a friend did their requisite nasal gag, each with a strand of green goo stuck to their upper lip, the pre-Thanksgiving dinner floor show. But when I heard their friend say “Ooo, it’s a facial!” while slapping a wad of chemically engineered putty onto her cheek, I should have known it was only a matter of time before …
As close as I’ll ever come to the ancestral harvesting of the wheat field, I spent the next hour and a half pulling her mangled crop of hair from the goo’s gluey grip.
But beyond the festivities, I was especially thankful for the conversation I got to have with my neighbour’s five-year old grandson when he showed up at our door to see the bunny.
“Hey Owen, happy Thanksgiving!”
“My dad had ball surgery.”
“Oh, my. Well … wow.”
“Yeah.”
Blank stare. From both of us.
“Our bunny had surgery too.”
“Oh.”
“So if you pick him up, be really gentle, okay?”
“Why?”
“Cuz’ he’s still a little tender.”
Plastic arrow smacking against plastic bow. Over. And over. And over.
“My dad says he’s gonna sit on peas all weekend.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
“Does your bunny have peas?”
“No, no peas for Winnie. Hey, how’s your new baby brother?”
“Good. My dad says he’s the last one, so we’d better like him.”
“Ah … I see.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I hope you guys have a nice dinner! What are you having?”
“Turkey. And stuff. Probably peas.”
“Ooo … nice.”
Andie Duncan 
Great post!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. So glad I found yours – you are so funny and your Thanksgiving sounds way more entertaining than ours!
I should have said, that I empathize with your putty moment and it made me cringe and smile at the same time.
Sadly, her dad eventually showed up with scissors, and that was that.
That was fantastic! Not the putty part….but the peas. Oh my. That’s a good punch line 🙂
Thanks Marcy! That kid is such a hoot … always tells it like it is.
Great story, great conversation!
My 3-year-old just heard me singing ‘What a Wonderful World’ as it should be sung, and asked me if I was the Cookie Monster. You never know what’s going to come out next! 🙂
Nothing like being compared to a monster to bolster artistic confidence! 🙂
Got a real kick (er, some loud laughs) from this post. What is it about kids named Owen? Thanks for liking my post, Old Sol and Mommy Earth! Looking forward to reading more of your stuff. Great style.
Thanks Bob … love your blog and writing style as well! I know a few Owens and they’re all pretty unique. That said, my sister said every Jason she ever taught was a handful, but I’ll stick to my unique theory here as well, being shamelessly PC for all the potential Owens and Jasons that might stumble upon my blog. YOU ARE ALL SAINTS, AND DELIGHTFUL TO BE AROUND, THE LOT OF YOU. 😉
Same here. In fact, the Owens and Jasons will get a special discount for reading MY blog 😉
Sounds like a good time was had by all! The conversation with your neighbour is just another reminder that parents should be careful about what they tell their children…. 😀
Well, with 4 kids underfoot, it’s probably a challenge to find a private moment in their household, but point well made! Thanks Tina! 🙂
Kids say the funniest things!
… and parents THINK the funniest things, but keep their mouths shut in the moment. Thanks Denise! 🙂
OMG! I was laughing so hard at the peas conversation. Your telling was perfect and I’m still snorting. Peas be with you.
Hey Barb! Thanks so much … glad I got to your sinuses. 🙂
Love the dinner conversation! I had a hard time deciding whether to celebrate Canadian thanksgiving or Columbus Day yesterday… I chose Columbus Day, because I didnt have to make all of that food, however I did let the kids have ham for lunch…so… May e we celebrated a little of both :). Glad your thanksgiving was fabulous!
Thanks Tia – hope you and your family enjoyed yours too! 🙂
Love it-too funny!
Thanks Mommy (okay, that sounded weird … but thanks anyway!) 🙂
How lovely to end me holiday weekend laughing at you. Okay, not AT you, but…BECAUSE of you. Thanks, Sweetie.
Give Peas A Chance,
Susie
Thanks honey! As always, love your poetic sign-offs … xo
Probably peas. XD
Thanks Stephanie! (Also, thanks for introducing me to “XD”!) 🙂
Oh the wonderful world of emoticons. 🙂
Love, love, love it!!!! Where to begin….the casual mention of the “ball surgery”, the disgusting goop in the hair, the deadpan comment about the peas…….you’ve got to love the honesty of children!!!!! As always Andie, you made me laugh out loud! Happy Turkey Day!!!
Thanks Ad! You’d have loved his emphasis on the word ‘ball’ … like a little shotgun went off!
So funny! And don’t eat the peas! We had a practice run last night – a stomach expanding roast turkey dinner in readiness for next month down here. Happy Thanksgiving up there!
I’m told American Thanksgiving is almost as big a deal (and meal) as Christmas, and so close together … better get the elastic waist pants out! Happy holidays to you too! 🙂
always great to read your blog kiddo… Love YA !!!
ball surgery……. gotta love it
Thanks Pen’! XO
Ha-ha! You’ve just got to love how kids just tell it like it is – no filter 🙂
I totally relate to that kid … my own filter gets a bit clogged sometimes myself. Thanks Mike! 🙂
That’s absolutely brilliant. Nearly fell over laughing so hard.
Then my work here is done. Thanks so much, beer hounds! 🙂
The laughs you provide are greatly appreciated…especially on a Monday!
Thanks Nancy – glad it helped!
Always a good post when you repeat a conversation you had with a kid!
I’ve got a million of ’em … thanks Randee!