Never Judge A Book.....

Remember what I said yesterday about "the plan" to get flowers planted? Well, I went to 4 stores and no one had impatiens. I ran out of patiences and went home .

This morning the kids and I took a lemonade bundt cake (one of Bill's favorite sweets I make) and an orange pineapple one to his work. Bill's boss and co-workers have been so kind and understanding through all our trials and tribulations with the kids this first year so I thought I'd make them a little "birthday" cake of their own.

Icing for the lemon:

Icing for the orange pineapple:

On the way home I stopped at a garden center I had never been to before, near the railroad tracks in downtown Willoughby, Willoughby Coal & Garden. I pulled in and there was a surly looking man standing at the front entrance. Long grey hair in a pony tail, lots of ink, scowling. I'm just setting the stage. Those of you that knew me 15 years ago know the crowd I ran with and this guy was probably one of my friends fathers, so I didn't really think twice about him.

He watched me get the stroller out and then the kids. He asked me if it was worth all that hassle. I told him of course. The kids are well traveled and enjoy seeing new things. All of a sudden they start laughing at him, showing him that they are going to be 1, putting on the full show. He looked at me and said, "Wow, usually kids cry and run when they see me, these guys are special."

He spent a lot of time talking to me about our landscaping challenges at the new house (lack of sun in the front where there is a large bed.) I ended up buying some dirt and some annuals (I don't enjoy annuals, but don't want to sink a bunch of money into perennials without doing more research.)

He helped me carry our purchases to the minivan and included where two pots of plants I didn't buy. As he put them in the car he said, "I's an old superstition to not thank someone for giving them flowers on their birthday." Awww, almost wanted to hug the big biker guy. I hadn't judged him at first, but I wonder how many others have and walked the other way?

Their loss.

Can't have a post without a pic of the kids. Here they are enjoying their first Cooper's ice cream. They tried the Grandpap's favorite; a black raspberry sundae. They loved it. He would have been grinning ear to ear watching them. You know that is probably him grinning through the sunlight behind Reagan.