Day 43: Gardening Constituency

Each TroyBoy thinks he has a vote, and they cast them readily, and usually, opposingly. Their votes on the land were no different.

We closed on a sunny, warmish February day, and celebrated by taking the boys to walk around the property. Jesse took to it immediately. He saw potential forts everywhere, as well as what has the appearance of a hobbit hole in the ravine in the cedar grove. When we move there, he plans to create his own place on the other side of the property where he will hole up until he runs out of supplies (orange juice, jerky, and tortilla chips).

Tommy alternated between screams and “I want to go home” for most of the visit. The land is pretty overgrown and sets off a multitude of his sensory alarms. We’ve since cleared about a half acre of undergrowth where he’s slightly more okay to hang for short periods of time, but it takes some pizza and popsicle bribery.

Ezra declared on the ride over that if we built a house on the property, he would burn it down. He does not like change. But then he found a stick and a mole lying on its back.

“I think it’s sleeping,” he said, poking it with the stick.

“I think it’s dead,” I responded.

“Can I take it home?”

“You cannot.”

“But it’s so squishy!”

“It’s about to get squishier.”

“That’s good because I want its bones.”

I smiled. “For what?”

“To sell. I think I can get about $250 for them.”

If anyone is in the market for some animal bones, I’ve got a guy.