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Scoopie can dance!
Sep. 6th, 2005 11:03 pmWe got more summer stuff cleaned and put away today. I used the vacuum to suck all the air out of the swimming pool and the three Slip 'n Slides, and by doing so, I was able to squeeze all four things into the blue summer tub in the shed (whereas last year, by pressing the air out by hand, we could only fit the pool - nothing else). I was happy about that. I will pull all of the stuff out of the shed sometime in the next few days and hose it down - there's cricket poop and various webs and things inside, and I'd like to have it all clean again before I head into the time of year where I'm in there every month for a different holiday's decorations.
I asked A.J. what he would like with chicken for dinner tonight, whether he would rather I make barbecued chicken or chicken stuffing bake. He surprised me by asking if we could go to Culvers for the PTA's "Cook's Night Out" instead. We have only been to Culvers one time before, and that was sometime last fall, long before
Philip was gone, even. It sounded good to me, so A.J. grabbed the coupon we needed to take so that it would benefit the school, and then we were off. We were stuck in traffic for a good while due to a car wreck on our way, but we finally made it.
The boys ran inside the first door and then stopped abruptly. I thought maybe the door was just too heavy to open, and I was talking to them as I pulled it open for them. They still didn't budge, and I was saying, "Come on, guys. Come on in." Nothing. I looked up to make sure we weren't going to blocking anyone else trying to leave, and I saw the reason they had stopped dead in their tracks: the Culvers' mascot, Scoopie - a giant ice cream cone - was standing just in front of us, just waiting for the boys to come in. I finally prodded them through the doorway, and then I walked over and gave Scoopie a hug, showing them that he was friendly, and it was fine to come on in the restaurant.
Jack timidly stepped forward, and Scoopie squatted down and held out his hands in a welcoming hug gesture. Jack jumped back, and A.J. grinned and blushed and looked at the floor. Scoopie then walked up to Jack, pointed at him and then pointed at himself, and then he walked away from Jack using a funny swaggering step. He stopped, turned around and pointed at Jack to imitate what he'd just done. Jack looked at me, grinning like crazy, and then he took several short, clippy "penguin"-style steps toward Scoopie. Scoopie picked right up on it, and he penguin-stepped back to Jack. From that point on, they were old friends. :-)
We ordered our food, and A.J. picked out our table. Within 10 minutes of our sitting down, four of A.J.'s classmates entered the restaurant as well. I swear, it was like we were in the middle of a Ft. Crook 2nd grade reunion! I was happy to meet so many of his friends, and it was great to see him goofing off with these boys the way they probably do during school lunchtime. Jack was still enamored with Scoopie, and he kept hopping up to dance with him between bites.
We finished our meals and then ordered our desserts. The boys had ice creams with their meals, and I ordered myself a sundae topped with hot fudge and caramel sauce. A.J. and his friends were being silly together, making up funny dances for poor Scoopie to attempt in his cone costume. After Jack finished up his cone, Scoopie motioned to me that he'd like to pick Jack up (Scoopie never speaks, apparently, even though he does have a mouth drawn on his costume). I gave him permission, and then he marched Jack outside the dining area, and the two of them entertained the guests dining outside and coming through the drive-through. Finally, it really was time to come home.
I'm so glad A.J. suggested dinner out. I never dreamed we'd have so much fun!
I asked A.J. what he would like with chicken for dinner tonight, whether he would rather I make barbecued chicken or chicken stuffing bake. He surprised me by asking if we could go to Culvers for the PTA's "Cook's Night Out" instead. We have only been to Culvers one time before, and that was sometime last fall, long before
Philip was gone, even. It sounded good to me, so A.J. grabbed the coupon we needed to take so that it would benefit the school, and then we were off. We were stuck in traffic for a good while due to a car wreck on our way, but we finally made it.The boys ran inside the first door and then stopped abruptly. I thought maybe the door was just too heavy to open, and I was talking to them as I pulled it open for them. They still didn't budge, and I was saying, "Come on, guys. Come on in." Nothing. I looked up to make sure we weren't going to blocking anyone else trying to leave, and I saw the reason they had stopped dead in their tracks: the Culvers' mascot, Scoopie - a giant ice cream cone - was standing just in front of us, just waiting for the boys to come in. I finally prodded them through the doorway, and then I walked over and gave Scoopie a hug, showing them that he was friendly, and it was fine to come on in the restaurant.
Jack timidly stepped forward, and Scoopie squatted down and held out his hands in a welcoming hug gesture. Jack jumped back, and A.J. grinned and blushed and looked at the floor. Scoopie then walked up to Jack, pointed at him and then pointed at himself, and then he walked away from Jack using a funny swaggering step. He stopped, turned around and pointed at Jack to imitate what he'd just done. Jack looked at me, grinning like crazy, and then he took several short, clippy "penguin"-style steps toward Scoopie. Scoopie picked right up on it, and he penguin-stepped back to Jack. From that point on, they were old friends. :-)
We ordered our food, and A.J. picked out our table. Within 10 minutes of our sitting down, four of A.J.'s classmates entered the restaurant as well. I swear, it was like we were in the middle of a Ft. Crook 2nd grade reunion! I was happy to meet so many of his friends, and it was great to see him goofing off with these boys the way they probably do during school lunchtime. Jack was still enamored with Scoopie, and he kept hopping up to dance with him between bites.
We finished our meals and then ordered our desserts. The boys had ice creams with their meals, and I ordered myself a sundae topped with hot fudge and caramel sauce. A.J. and his friends were being silly together, making up funny dances for poor Scoopie to attempt in his cone costume. After Jack finished up his cone, Scoopie motioned to me that he'd like to pick Jack up (Scoopie never speaks, apparently, even though he does have a mouth drawn on his costume). I gave him permission, and then he marched Jack outside the dining area, and the two of them entertained the guests dining outside and coming through the drive-through. Finally, it really was time to come home.
I'm so glad A.J. suggested dinner out. I never dreamed we'd have so much fun!
