The imaginary restaurant

Kindergarten kids often have a chance to 'play' at centers. I said 'play' because each station is stocked with academic games and learning things, but they think it is play. Some of the centers are academic in nature and others seem social but are actually teaching skills and imagination. Once per week they get to play in the Kitchen center, which is very enriching in terms of imagination. The kids love the Kitchen Center.

There was one little boy who was having a good time back there. He was banging pots and pans, dressed in a diner type apron, and was taking orders from the other kids sprinkled around the room at their centers and then bringing them the food.

He came over to me. He had his hand ready in a taking orders on a pad pose, and he said "What would you like to eat?"

I made a show of thinking for a moment, and then I said "I'd like a grilled cheese please."

Pause.

"We're out of that."

I burst out laughing. I said "You're out of imaginary grilled cheese?"

"We don't have that. What else would you like?"

"I'd like a hamburger. And a Coke."

"No Coke. We have Dr Pepper today".

I thought to myself, "Is this the Olympia Diner?"

Anyway, the boy was cute as a button and eventually I got my hamburger and Dr Pepper. It 'cost' $4, which I thought was totally reasonable. For imaginary food, that is.



This is a video of the real diner SNL got the idea from, the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago.

Toonces she ain't

My landlord's cat Portia likes to get into cars when you're not looking. I found this out when she jumped into my back seat as I'd left the door open to unload groceries. I finished, shut the door and Portia was MIA until the landlord went looking for her at 11 pm. and sweeping the flashlight across my windshield saw eyes staring back, from behind the glass.

This morning the farm hand showed up to move horses from one pasture to another. She left her car window open and sure enough, big ole Portia leaped off the porch and nonchalantly moseyed up to the tire and sniffed it. I had a vantage point from my second floor window and was enjoying the show. Standing on her hind legs Portia scoped out the situation. Yup, Farm Hand does not notice so Portia hopped onto the car hood, and then leaped through the passenger window. I laughed, and snapped a couple of pictures.

Portia scooted to the driver's seat and at one point stood on her hind legs and putting her paws on the driver's wheel looked uncannily like Toonces the Driving Cat. Remember him from Saturday Night Live when SNL was good?

Anyway, soon enough, Portia heard the tell-tale crunch of gravel and knew the Farm Hand was coming back. Ever cautious kitty, she glanced out the window first, before making her move.



Getting out was not as easy as getting in, big Ole Portia discovered! A tight squeeze, a few kitty-groans, and she popped out.

Just a moment in the life of this farm.