Fun with Pictures: A conversation with Speckles

This is Speckles. Speckles is my surrogate rabbit that resulted from the famed SJ's experiment with animal husbandry.

Speckles may look a little on edge in this picture.

There's good reason for that. Meet "Good Reason."


We also like to call him E. He's the son of my oldest sister JAL who often likes to comment on our blog but should obviously have her own.

I was able to catch up with Speckles recently when we were all gathered at my parents' house celebrating my birthday this past week.

Me: Speckles, what's up? You look a little on edge.

Speckles: Where's the kid?

Me: What kid? Do you mean E?

Speckles: Don't toy with me. You know the one. I'm going to look for him under this rocking chair.

Me: Well, honestly, Speckles, I don't think that's your wisest choice.

Speckles: What do you me--.... AAAAAAAAH! DEAR GOD WHY IS THE CEILING FALLING?!

Me: That's not the ceiling. It's the chair. I told you that wasn't a smart choice.

E: Who you talking to, Auntie SJ?

Speckles (sotto voice): Do...Not...Tell...Him...I'm...Under...Here.

Me: I was just talking to... Uncle J.

Speckles: Thanks, lady. I owe you one. Now, can you excuse me? You're kind of in my bathroom.

My sister and I: 0 Pickerel: 4

Just so it's clear, my sister and I are not huge fans of fish that have teeth. So when it comes to things like pickerel and pike, we are, frankly, scared of them.

So you can just imagine how much fun it was to see just the two of us catch not one but five toothy creatures.

The first one took us both by surprise. It hit my lure particularly hard.

JAL: What is it?
me: I don't know! You tell me! (I was, at the time, fighting to bring it up to the surface, and it happen to be right in front of her.

We both saw the long skinny belly at the same time.

JAL and Me (together): Oh, crap.

That began a string of expletives not fit for electronic publication. It also began a streak of us catching things that could bite our fingers off. Or mangle them, at minimum.

But today was practice, really. Because tomorrow, my sister and I will be joined by a certain four year old who thinks all fish are cute, and likes to pet them.

Tomorrow should be fun.

you know, you'd think 3 weekends at the ren faire would give me more material...

sorry. i have been so behind the times this weekend. i really embraced my role as "pirate wench girl who sings" and did not take the time to blog or even read the blog since Friday.

i totally suck. but i will come by and visit tonight and tomorrow. i promise.

in the meantime, i'm stealing my sister's adorable child for blog fodder. as we know, my grams has been failing for some time. she's 94 and we're tight. and it hurts like hell.

but little e (jal's little one. my 3.5 year old nephew) was feeding gram soup a couple of weeks ago. she took a few bites -- more than we've gotten her to eat in a while. after she had some sips, he went downstairs and brought back brownies. after giving them out, someone asked why he didn't give one to gramma.

"she didn't eat all her soup," he responded.

well, duh.

ah, family.

well, i'm sure you're all curious about a few things (and by all, i mean you, our loyal lurkers who read and don't post comments and work at large insurance companies named for a state capitol... that's right, sunshine. i know all about you...) so let me just start by saying:

holy crap. driving with a canoe on top of your car is LOUD.

we managed to get everything done that would have enabled us to leave remotely on time on Saturday for the five hour drive (four and a half if you're my speed race BIL and 6 and a half if you're my parents who stop at tag sales.. unless they're on their way home, in which case, don't drink any coffee because they stop for NOTHING).

we arrived on the islands of Lake Champlain around 2, and at the cottage (read: beautiful lakehouse on a private road because that's just how we roll) just before 3. we started fishing at 3:01.

well not really, but that's a pretty good indication of how itching my dad was for us to get on the boat and catch the first big fish.

which i did! the first day i caught a 6.5 pound northern pike. i know! right! big toothy creature!

but overall the fishing was less important for stories than just the general idea of spending a week with parents, anonymous and family. there was a song involved: "auntie sj's here today... auntie sj's here today...." and for some reason, my nephew hasn't exactly nailed the proper gender prefix for my husband. so all week long, j was known as "auntie j". it was "auntie sj and auntie j!"

j tried to um... get back at my THREE YEAR OLD nephew by calling him his niece. ("honey, i don't think he realizes what he's saying...."

silly boys.

but really the highlight of the entire week (not the night in montreal, although that was lovely) was the time spent on the boat on friday night with my sister, my husband and my dad. i laughed so hard i nearly peed a few times. i mean. i laughed so many times so hard that i felt like i had to.. oh you know what i mean.

after watching us, j mentioned that perhaps anonymous and i should get our own show on ESPN. i could just see it now. my sister casts a good 80 yards out... reels in maybe 20 yards or so and then yanks the lure back into the boat (because she doesn't like it when they hit close to the boat.) and then there's me. who caught two large toothy creatures on top water (which is fishing lingo for when a fish jumps at your lure as you drag it across the surface to resemble a frog or bug) and a) shrieked like a girl and b) thought that the fish snapped its teeth at my sister when i heard metal snap.

and i also got bit by a largemouth bass (they don't bite, and don't have teeth really) when i lipped it and didn't paralyze it -- it closed its large mouth (because it was.. you know... a largemouth ba- oh you get it) on my finger. i may have panicked a little. and i may have dropped the fish. in the boat. you know. stuff like that.

but really, the week was great. and e was adorable what with his fantastic following of protocol during our 6 a.m. carbon monoxide alarm, and his ability to fish just like mommy. (and no long cries when we throw the fish over board, so that's good.)

and we DID canoe. and we did NOT tip.

so those are the highlights and *that* is what i've been up to.

i think there may have been some stories that i missed, but hopefully, my sister will pipe up with some comments...

since i don't have my own funny child, i stole this from my sister.

anonymous im'd me yesterday at work. apparently, e saw his first "person of restricted size." which is kind of surprising, because in our town, there actually are quite a few "little persons."

in fact, i've had a lot of interesting stories surrounding people of restricted size or vertically challenged. but that's a blog entry for a different day.

apparently e saw this man at a small distance. walking towards a store, and was curious. so he asked the man:

"Hey MISTER, are you a PUPPET?"

presumably, he didn't hear. but i can only imagine the confusion when e watches Star Wars for the first time.