Remember remember the 1st of November
Nothing screams November 1st in New England like 68 degree weather. With all of the talk of late about how the climate (and environment in general) is going to hell, it's just not as nice a surprise to be able to sit outside at ten in the morning in only your pj's with a glass of iced water next to you. November is for bundling up, for tossing aside the light sweaters of early Fall and snuggling into a big coat, pulling on a cozy hat, and sitting on a bench somewhere downing hot cocoa while watching the last of the leaves fall to the ground. Not that I've ever done that, but, you know, it's a fine idea isn't it?
Not that we didn't wake advantage of the nice weather. My mom, myself, and Henry all headed out to the local park to get in some serious playtime. The park is divided into two sections, one for older kids and one for the 0-5 years set. The part dedicated to the younger crowd is gated off and has swings and a playset that has a slide and bells and all sorts of fun stuff. Underneath it there's a big sandbox that's full of plastic toys that have been left behind or donated by the many kids who have played there in years past. There are shovels and rakes, a plastic stove, a playhouse. Basically a kid magnet.
When we first arrived no one was there. Within twenty minutes, the place was packed. I fought my usual urge to pick up Henry and run away when the first few kids trickled in, remembering item three on my list of birthday resolutions. As it turns out it was a lot of fun. Henry had the toy he was playing with stolen by a young lady (~ his age) who came up and grabbed it from him. He briefly wondered what had happened and then made his way over to her to take it back but she was not giving it up. Her mom made her give it back to Henry and she burst into tears. Henry didn't seemed bothered by it, probably because he's seen this behavior in his own mother when she has to give back something she's taken from Dave. There was another little boy there who was Henry's age judging from how they both stared with wonder at all the activity of the older kids who were running around and wreaking general havoc. Eventually he came over to Henry and handed him his truck. Henry dropped his rake and took it, and they both stared at each other. Finally I leaned over and picked up Henry's rake asking him if he'd like to let the other boy play with it since he'd been so kind as to give Henry his truck. Silence and more staring. I handed the rake to other kid and he took it. More silence. More staring. It was really cute.
When we got home Henry was completely wiped out and ready for his nap. I took his shoes off and each one had about a gallon of sand in them, surprising considering they're only size fours.