Thoughts to keep me in the swing of things

Benjamin, who turns nine this Saturday (!!), is a creature of habit.  Particularly when it comes to his clothes.  He keeps his belongings neat as a pin and rotates the same two to three outfits through his closet.  His favourite go-to's are a black and red Underarmour t-shirt and an orange hooded sweatshirt.   Hannah actually asked me if I could hide these two items so that Ben would be forced to wear something other than his 'uniform'.

The other day, when out on a walk into town with Sarah, I discovered just how emblematic Ben's outfits have become.  The church that we pass on our way into town is in the process of acquiring a new roof.  Two twenty-something men were working on the initial stages of the massive project.  One of them was wearing a bright orange hooded sweatshirt.  When Sarah caught sight of the worker, she yelled, "It's Benjamin!"  We got a little closer and she screwed up her eyes and said, "Oh, that's not my Benjamin."  Perhaps in another few years, Sarah.

Hmmm, what else?  Yesterday I attended the May Tea at our parish.  It was a decidedly female event. In fact, 90% of the attendees were female.  Lots of women sitting at tables trying to restrain themselves from eating too many tiny sandwiches and squares.  In fact, the whole church basement was one big exercise in self-control, at which, by the way, I failed miserably.  There is something about sandwiches made by other people that make it absolutely essential to try one of each.  Each table also had a sampling of squares.  Normally, I am not much of a sweet tooth.  However, someone had made those mini-marshmallow mixed with Kraft peanut butter squares and I was done for.  Is it OK to gain a pound for every week of pregnancy?  Anyway, the most humorous part of the afternoon was when I was setting off to leave.

Jacob asked me where I was going.
I responded, "The May Tea."
To which Jacob replied, "The Metis?"
About which Ben asked, "Who are the Metis?"
To which I replied, "A mix of French-Canadian settlers crossed with Native Indians.  Their populations are mainly found in Manitoba."
To which Jacob said, "They're coming to our church?"
To which Dave commented, "I teach a unit on them in grade seven history."
To which Hannah, in exasperation, corrected, "She's going to the MAY TEA.  The TEA in MAY.   The MONTH of MAY!! And you (glaring at her brothers) are not coming.  It's for the ladies."