Is Enough Ever Enough to a Kid?

Last night Ty and I took the kids to the Cedars for supper rather than blacken another pizza.

<Old Family Legend On>
When Tyler was in his first year at Interlochen Arts Academy, his sophomore year, I went up for parents' weekend and stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast a short distance from the campus. My hosts generously invited Ty to join us for breakfast on Sunday morning. As we were sitting down to a sumptuous breakfast of warm muffins and local buffalo cherry sausage, the hostess said to my fifteen-year-old son, "Oh Tyler, you must miss your mom's cooking, having to eat in the cafeteria every day." With dimples ablaze, Ty responded, "You mean Mom's microwave pizza?" (Luckily my ready laughter put them at ease and they understood Ty and I both knew cooking was not my thing.)
<Old Family Legend Off>

The Cedars is an odd combination of cafe, bar, club, lovely outdoor patio, and—just generally—gathering spot. It reminds me very much of the Javalina Coffee House in Silver City, New Mexico, a place I adore. Bookcases filled with books, games around to pass the time, WiFi available. art on the walls to admire. (I even wondered if I could pull The King and The Queen of the Prom out of storage and hang it on their wall until I get a home of my own.) We had fabulous panini for supper and enjoyed the early fall evening.

After we placed our order and found a table, Tyler went inside to the bookcase to find something to occupy les bebes until our order arrived. Aha! A Magic 8 Ball. Remember those toys from our youth? You ask it a yes-or-no question, turn it over, and wait for the answer to appear?

We had difficulty getting Ridley to understand how to ask a question that needed a yes-or-no answer. She's very good at either-or, but not so good with yes-or-no.

Boston and Ridley took turns asking questions and passing the ball back and forth between them. When they ran out of questions I had Boston ask "Will Grandma get married again?" The answer came back, "Yes." Oooh. That's nice. Ridley had her turn, then passed the ball back to Boston. I had him ask, "Will Grandma live with us forEVER?" The ball answered, "It is decidedly so." Tyler and I laughed. I think I just lost that purported husband from the previous question.

As Tyler and I were finishing our sandwiches, we told Ridley to go over and look at the deer [statue] on the other side of the patio. She wanted to know if it was real. That child will believe anything! She's decided the tree outside her window is a fire-breathing dragon. We really must cut down on the amount of television she watches! We were ready to go and Tyler told her, "Tell the deer 'goodbye' for me." She walked up to the deer and said, "goodbye for me." Too cute!

Boston picked up the Magic 8 Ball and said, "Will you go home with me?" The ball responded, "You may rely on it." Boston was very happy. When we said he could not take it home, he asked if we couldn't get a Magic 8 Ball at home. He said when he woke up in the middle of the night and Ridley was asleep, he could pick up the Magic 8 Ball and talk to it.

He really does have a life. Honest! And enough toys. Please do NOT send him a Magic 8 Ball.