Bacon on a stick in the mud

It’s melt-me hot today. I love summer. I love cardboard kid books, and I love the Minnesota State Fair. I think it’s the bread stuff that surrounds that pronto pup thing that really got me whistling Dixie about this state fair business. I mean really, when I stop to think about the goodness that seeps from the deep-fried, on-a-stick, fresh-from-the-husk, hot-and-sticky-and-all-you-can eat options that run amok within this great-get-together 1.5 mile radius, I am simply overwhelmed by the gluttonous glory that ensues. Good thing it only happens once a year. Because I’m hooked. Sign me up for next year, Dad: I call front seat of the inevitable two-kid stroller.

I crawl. It’s what I do. This week I figured out how to pull myself into a standing position. It’s just the getting down again that’s got me stuck. At first I just let out an ear-splitting scream: short, piercing, and just the right octave to get the attention of any near-by caregiver. Although the vocal outburst accomplishes my objective (ahh … thanks for easing me back into my sitting position), this attention-getter really doesn’t go over so well with the surrounding adults. I must work on remembering how to de-elevate myself from the vertical position. (Note to self: Taking a nose-dive into the toy bin whilst reaching for the singing cow toy doesn’t count.)

Yesterday Dad and I followed our typical routine of carting Mom to work. It’s really quite relaxing. On the radio, the MPR guy spoke of New Orleans, oil spills, a reputation mess for Toyota, a potential double-dip recession, and the mildly increased rate of consumer spending. While I typically enjoy news radio, the experience makes me wonder whether the whole country simply needs a bout of refreshment: time to think about something besides stock prices, postponed retirement plans and oily gulf coasts. Perhaps we all need a nose-dive into a toy bin or a walk to the nearest Pronto Pup stand.

I digress. As we watch our summer turn into fall, let’s keep it keep it real and remember the simple pleasures throughout our days. While the world’s events may not be as straightforward as my cardboard kid books, the month of September promises a few more simple stories worth sharing.

Until next time,

Ken