Checking on the Kids

Me: Honey, I dropped by the kids’ dorm to see how they’re doing.
My Wife:
Well, at least they had one week on their own without daddy fussing over them.  Honestly, you need to give them a little space.
Me:
I s’pose.  They seemed glad to see me, though.  Really, they did.
MW:
O.K.  If you say so.  So how were they?
Me:
Actually they were o.k.  A few looked a little peaked but most were healthy and happy.
MW:
Well that’s a mercy.
Me:
No kidding.  I have to say I was a little worried about them.  I think they had a rough week of it.
MW: Really?  What happened?
Me:
Well, none of us expected the cold, cruel world to have gotten quite so cold.  They had several very chilly nights this past week.
MW: Any worse for the wear?
Me:
Don’t think so.  A couple looked a little pale from the cold, but no damage done.
MW:
Anything else?
Me:
Oh my yes.  Two straight days of heavy rains really waterlogged their dorm room.  They’ve set everything out so it dries faster.  Nothing a couple days of sunshine can’t cure.  Still, all that water was far more than they expected and more than they had ever experienced.
MW:
Poor things.
Me:
No kidding.  Also the winds.  It’s been a very windy week which, frankly, was what worried me the most.  Even with the necessary few days to adjust to the mean ole world, last week was tough.  Honestly, they looked amazingly good.
MW: I’m glad to hear it.  Did you do anything for them while you were there?
Me: We talked for awhile.  Got ’em laughing.  Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, I cultivated the soil between their rows and planted some onion sets.  They said they wanted a little diversity.  All lettuce, all the time, even with three varieties, red leaf, Bibb, and Spotted Trout, gets old.  Soon, they’ll have friends from a different culture.
MW: That’ll be good for them.  College is supposed to broaden your horizons.  What about the spinach down the hall with their parties at all hours of the night?  Are they keeping our dear ones up past their bedtime?
Me: Nope.  They’ve settled down.  Same with the radishes next door.  Too much homework.  Besides, they’re not the babies they once were.  Many of them, radishes and spinach, are starting to get their first true leaves.  You know, moving beyond the cotyledon stage.  With leaves come responsibilities.
MW: O.K.  You know, I’m glad you went there.  Glad our little ones have an attentive father.
Me: And I’m glad they’re doing o.k.

Some of our little ones in their dorm room

The first true leaves on the spinach seedlings

Spotted Trout Neighbors

About literarylee

I sling words for a living. Always have, always will. Some have been interesting and fun; most not. These days, I write the fun words early in the morning before the adults are up and make me eat my Cream of Wheat.
This entry was posted in Garden: A Love Story and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply