Two-Three

Notice what is missing?  That's right - a female member to the cast.  She (me) took the pic.  People think we have crossed the line to crazy for having five boys in our care.  But, as most parents of kids past Ian's age, having a comrade makes things more enjoyable - for ALL!

Matthew joined us for church and then Andrew joined us for a jaunt to Mikasa Park and an afternoon of play.  A Farmer's Market Festival (perhaps?) was happening this weekend.  We got some really great, local honey last year and wanted some more.  We could have set up our own apiary for the cost of that honey - the sting will fade over time ;)

We each picked something to eat: roasted corn on the cob for Stefan and Matthew.  Andrew had yakisoba.  Ian ate some tempura veggie fritter thing.  Dougie had takoyaki, aka: Octopus Balls.  (Get your head out of the gutter!  That is not even physiologically possible...)  Think savory donut holes with octopus chunks.  Eric and I had:

A deep fried potato.

A baked potato is drown in tempura batter and dumped into a deep fat fryer

About a pound of butter/margarine is scraped inside, along with some spicy mayonnaise-y sauce and topped with corn.  The mayo and corn automatically make it Japanese...  Same on pizza...

We chose not to have the barbecued fishies...

Though, I was given one and I politely too a bite - out of the flank, in order to miss all the other "parts" that weren't, well, missing...  Even I have some really strict boundaries I don't like to cross when it comes to eating!

Dougie managed to find all handouts, samples and strange-ers.  Here he has a sampling of all:  Popcorn that the popcorn people gave to us as a "gift for mammy" (how could I say NO?!?), green tea sample, a handful of tiny white fish (that taste and feel quite buttery) and the strange-er ("Japanese beer is BEST!" - the guy had clearly been taste-testing). 

We actually managed to leave the festival before anyone had a meltdown (that includes Eric and myself - perhaps more than the kids).  They were still having a jolly time being boys all the way down the parkway.

We got back to the house, the "big kids" (Stefan, Andrew & Matthew) went to the park (just behind the house) - as did Eric (or so I thought...).  Stefan ran home to inform me that Audrey II had spit out Andrew and he hurt his back.   EEEEEK!!!!  Where was your father?!?

Andrew was shaken (and who wouldn't be?  Many a child has been lured in to this tree - and more than a few have been rejected...), but relatively unscathed.  Phew!  Eric, it turns out, was "there" but not "there" - he was at the Paluszek's (their front yard looks into the park) where some work compatriots were on a house-scouting mission.  He came out relatively unscathed too :)

Ian, who had been at home when I came trotting to the park, is not one to miss out on a good time - so he had put his shoes on and came trotting over to the park too.  I went back home to make sure Dougie was not burning down the house.

Apparently Ian then disappeared.  When Eric called him, he responded with,

"Daddy!  I in the street!" (it is really just a driveway/dead end to the park)

"Why are you in the street, Ian?!?"

"Because I throwing up!"

yeah...

Well, we are grateful he has become so competent about this recently finely-tuned gag-reflex.  Now, we are praying it does not become habit...  So, we started the antibiotics this afternoon to try and kick the sinusitis, and subsequent coughing/gagging...  awesome.   : /

We enjoyed the chili spread that Eileen made, and intended, for the visiting PSNS folks.  They had another meeting - so we "helped" them eat it!  It was great food and great company!

Eric put Ian to bed, I got a sitter (thanks Erin!) and Eric and I took the train to base to go see the new James Bond movie, Skyfall.  It was raining, we were pretty wet from legs to feet.  Got in the theater and...  the A/C was on!!!  Autumn has definitely set in here.  It was cold.  I was freezing!

We had the good fortune to see some friends there and Paula & Mike gave us a ride back to the station. What a blessing that was!  Thank you, Espasitos!

I was wishing I had the coffee we bought on our way TO the movies, AFTER.  I think I would have poured it into my boots...

Eric - thank you for the fun date!

Daniel Craig - thank you for being James Bond!!!