Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Ridiculous

:: Do you see the blue ball in Karis' hand? Look really close. No? Well, I didn't see it either. In fact, I only "noticed" it while trying to wash her hands a few days ago. She had her fingers clenched into a ball, and when I asked her to open up her hand, she matter-of-factly replied, "I can't. Pluto's ball." She informed me it is blue. So after allowing me to wash one open hand and one clenched fist, she stepped off the stool, headed for the door, and then turned around and said in a high pitched voice, "Come on, Pluto. Let's go." I guess imaginary friends Marko and Blue are out and Disney's Pluto is in. And, apparently, she's his caddie.

:: While driving around town yesterday, a decal on the back of a minivan caught my eye. As I drove past, I read the words "Drop 3 sizes in 10 minutes". 10 minutes! TEN MINUTES, PEOPLE! Really??? So, in the same amount of time it takes you to walk the dog, make some toast, or check your email...3 dress sizes lost? Are we talking limb amputation or organ removal?? I've got no other words. Just ridiculous.

:: Yesterday's trip proved to be quite ridiculous all around. On my way back home from running errands, I passed a dog on the side of the highway with an alligator in it's mouth!!! An alligator!! I was driving at highway speeds so I didn't get a chance to safely ogle the spectacle, but it was a medium-build dog with a small, dead alligator in it's mouth!!

It immediately reminded me of the times as a kid spent looking for alligators on the side of alligator alley, the road we traveled to visit family in Miami. The road is aptly named as we often played the game of craning our necks to see who could count the most alligator heads floating above the surface of the canal that ran along the side of the road. So yesterday I smiled to myself thinking of some unsuspecting northerner who had just driven over the Florida state line a few miles away or flew into the airport mere minutes away. They have, of course, heard of the infamous Florida alligators, but they catch a sight of this and seriously contemplate turning right back around. Not the "Welcome to the Sunshine State" they were expecting.

8 comments:

Jessica said...

H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!!! Not a chance of spotting alligators here in Verona, unless ladies over 70 trying to pass for 50 count.. (we call them mummies...) Ha Ha Ha!!!

Unknown said...

Oh, how I love to read your blog. Isn't it wonderful to watch their imagination develop? I had imaginary friends and an imaginary dog. They were so real to me that I cried when someone sat on my dog. This is such a fun age.

Yes, grace does abound. It is precious to see it and experience it.

Lots of love,

Alina said...

Jessica- Your description cracks me up! My grandfather loved alligator skins and had stuffed alligators throughout his home, though fortunately for us he never wore any of them. I'm curious...what is a "50 count?"

Alyce- Thank you, faithful blog reader. Matt asked me tonight if I thought she can actually see her imaginary characters. He asked me this after I had told him how Karis was carrying two balls in her hand today and how I had to literally act out the actions of taking the balls from her hand and putting them on the counter in order to get her to open up her hands to be washed. Your comment makes me think she probably can. It fascinates me to no end...and sometimes drives me c-r-a-z-y. :-)

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of the day I saw a man in our neighborhood walking his dog...holding onto to leash out of his truck window.

Julie

Jessica said...

Old alligator ladies who camouflage like youngsters, do they count as 'gators? there should be a coma between 50 and count ; )

kate ortiz said...

alligator in a dog's mouth? creepy. i was once driving in orange park and pulled up to a red light. i looked over and there was a volkswagon rabbit next to me with a calf inside pressed up against the window. maybe it's a jacksonville thing, all this animal craziness...

andrés miguel said...

nice piece. i'd be interested to read a series of childhood memoirs as you remember them...

andrés miguel said...

nice piece. i'd be interested to read a series of childhood memoirs as you remember them...