Bananas trump cowboys as pumpkins tout gatorade Jack-o-Lantern
“… It’s because I love you, Dan.” Nazy concluded.
“Thanks.” I muttered sardonically. “But a colonoscopy is not the most romantic gift.”
“We’re doing it together, Dan.” Nazy continued.
“Great.” I replied. “Some things are best done alone.” I thought. “I see you got the ‘day before’ elixir.” I continued.
“Yes, we will each drink a glass of this stuff every 15 minutes until we’ve had 16 glasses.”
“Can’t wait.”
“I got the lemon flavored version.”
“Whoopee!”
“You can also drink Gatorade.”
“Wonderful!” I replied before recalling that Gatorade tasted like bottled sweat.
Nazy hated the pre-procedure fruit and vegetable dietary restrictions. Because I like to eat, I was dismayed by any dietary restrictions. Melika, picking us up after the successful procedures, arrived with culinary gifts …
“I bought two donuts for you, Dad. But Tiger ate one of them.”
I glared at my grandson. “Did you bring a stalk of broccoli and a head of romaine for Nazy?”
“We got yoghurt and a banana.” Melika replied.
There was good news in addition to the clean bill of health:
“We’ve completed the training regime needed to watch the final Presidential debate.” I stated.
In last week’s letter, I wrote about traditional autumn events and festivities. I also recounted our purchase of The Martin Family Pumpkin. Getting the pumpkin is, of course, only the first, of many steps, in the Halloween Preparation Process that culminates when Nazy carves a spectacular Jack-o-Lantern. This year she had help. Tiger sketched the initial design on The Martin Family pumpkin:
You’ll probably notice that he’s not far from his cars. (He’s never far from his cars.)
One the pumpkin process is complete, Nazy and I will need to decide on our Halloween costumes — and advise on Tiger’s choice.
Tiger has been (somewhat incongruously) a baby lion, a cow boy and, last year, a clown.
“He wasn’t a clown, Dan…” Nazy interjected.
“I stand corrected, Nazy. But I was close: last year he was ‘Donald Trump’, So, if not a clown, he was depicting a joke.”
“Wrong!” Nazy interjected. “It’s no laughing matter. He’s a nasty man.”
Nazy is, of course, right. But, we’e not costume directors for ‘Tiger and Arrow’; we have to think about our own appearance. I thought back to..
“I don’t want to be a banana this year.” I announced as I contemplated and changed subjects.
While Tiger was sketching and parking his cars, Young Arrow bravely faced a vaccination appointment at the pediatrician.
“Bravely?” Nazy asked.
“By ‘bravely’, I mean he didn’t cry.”
“But he did cry, Dan.”
“I guess I mean ‘politely’ dealt with the appointment.”
“I think you mean ‘loudly’.” Nazy concluded.
More unambiguously, Arrow astounded everyone with a newfound ability to turn over from his back to his tummy. It was not only newfound, it was unexpected and very fast. Arrow is now very interested in the world around him. He likes to see things. He likes to move. And, not especially fond of lying on his back looking at the ceiling, he has figured out myriad ways — all of them loud — to make sure that he’s carried around with his head held high.
Layla, Tiger, Melika, Arrow, Dan
Zaytoon in Santa Barbara
This week, Cousin Layla was in California for business. With Mitra, she drove up from Los Angeles. With Tiger, we visited a Winery in Lompoc, the shops in Solvang (where Tiger got a model Bugatti Atlantic) and dinner at Cold Spring Tavern (located in an 1800’s stage coach station).
Last Year's Costumes