Sunglasses, Turtles, Vegetarians
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Thursday morning, Puck was pulling off the dude-look, complete with striped green pants from his Aunt Rose, the also-green top from the Peppers reading: “If I’m not Happy, Nobody’s Happy”, white high-tops, sunglasses (from Mrs. Lord-Welches), and a brown ball cap (also from his Aunt Rose). He looked quite smashing.
Come early evening, after Carrie and Rose had had a tremendous argument over something about billionaires, the British Virgin Islands, Mr. Rogers, the rainforest, and other “stupid-ness”, Joe and Rose drove off to Six Flags with Wallace, Curly, Lolli, and Starr (Tor still being out of town) for a few hours of fun before the park closed.
Meanwhile, Dad and Francis were leaving for summer camp on Father’s Day. For some reason, the Boy Scouts of both Joe’s and Francis’ troops seemed to depart for summer camps on Father’s Day most years. And, as usual, all luggage was to be packed several days in advance and loaded into the vans. This year, Francis’ pack almost engulfed himself. He hopped around the kitchen with it strapped to his back, covered in an elastic-rimmed blue tarp. As he ran down the front sidewalk to the van, Mom laughed.
“He looks like a giant blue turtle.”
While he and Dad were up at the Boy Scout church loading up their things, Mom, Collette, Carrie-Bri, Linnea, and Puck headed over to Weldon Spring Park until OLeif would return. Carrie rollerbladed in her usual “slouching” attire, zebra scarf headband in her wild blond hair, and iPod attached.
After a swing by Dairy Queen, they hit the road back to the house.
In random news, Carrie was an official half-vegetarian (no sugar or red meat; she dominated her meals chiefly with Caesar salad and the occasional fish), Joe would begin full-time work the following week, and Rose was a hair away from receiving her drivers’ license; (the understaffed license bureau no longer administered driving exams without appointments).
Come nine o’clock or so that night, OLeif returned. His baldness was slightly less glaring due to a little hair growth and some fun in the sun. He talked to Puck on the couch for a little while before they headed out for the evening.
While in Nashville, he had picked up an anthology of children’s literature for Puck at a rare and used bookstore. And he gave some more details on the trip over giving Puck his bottle, which he scarfed down in minutes.