Joseph wanted to make corn chowder. By himself… I walked him through the steps. Chopping, stirring…

Me: So the next step is to taste and adjust the seasoning. So have a taste.

J: Well, let me see… (tastes). Yep, well it tastes a little like the countryside and I want it to taste more like the seaside. I think a little salt will do it. (Adds a pinch of salt and stirs. Tastes.) Mmmmm. Yep, now it reminds me of the seaside. The fresh ocean air.

Me: Ok then. Do you want to add any pepper?

J: No! (Laughs) I don’t want it to taste like an execution chamber! (Rolls eyes)

(We let it simmer a bit.)

J: Can we have a candlelit dinner? For a nice, gourmet experience? And I’ll get napkins, and roll them up with the utensils like they do in restaurants. I think we should have a side meal too. What can we have for a side meal?

Me: A side dish, you mean? I don’t know, what goes with corn chowder?

J: Applesauce, yeah, your homemade applesauce!

Me: Ok, applesauce it is. What kind of music do you want to have?

J: Some nice jazz. One with a saxophone.

Me: How about Coltrane?

J: Sure.

Dinner is served!

"Mom, the world isn't so bad if you just get out into it." (Joseph)

“So, I get there, put my backpack away,  take down my chair and sit at my desk. Get out my morning work.  It just feels good, you know, to be combobulated.”

“My mom told me, ‘Don’t try to please everyone’ at a dinner party when everyone kept asking me to pass things. I couldn’t keep up and everyone got agitated.” 

Such demands placed on a wee dinner party attendee! It’s a good thing he has my sage advice to guide him through trying times.

Me: Maddie, you still have candy from Easter?

Joseph: Maddie’s eating radius is 10 years.

Joseph has always eaten the treats out of the plastic eggs as he finds them. Maddie, on the other hand, can stretch her cache clear through to that same holiday the next year.

Joseph, you look older today, more grown up!

Well, yeah I guess, except for the fact that I’m wearing a t-shirt with a robot riding a dinosaur. 

Me: Joseph, you can’t wear that green Minecraft shirt again.

Joseph: No problem, that’s why I brought down a backup! (He takes off the green shirt and unfolds the yellow one he knows will pass.) I know you too well, mom.