BOWL OF LOVE

It was first thing in the morning and I was still in my robe when my son Alex came into the kitchen. “How’d you sleep?” I asked as I put water in the kettle for my tea.

“Not great.” Alex said as he went and got a tissue. “I think I’m coming down with something.”

“Oh, no.” I said as I put the kettle on the burner. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just achy, my throats a little sore, and I didn’t sleep very well.”

“I can fix that!” I said as I went to the refrigerator and began pulling out carrots, celery, and some scallions. I opened the freezer and pulled out some already cooked frozen chicken. “I’ll make you a pot of chicken soup! I’ll have it ready by lunchtime!”

I happily began cutting up the vegetables when my husband Steven came into the kitchen.

“What are you making?” He asked looking over my shoulder.

“Alex doesn’t feel good so I’m making some homemade chicken soup for him.”

“Are you making enough for all of us?” Steven laughed.

“Why? Are you feeling sick, too?” I stopped cutting and looked over at him with a concerned look on my face.

“No.” Steven said as he shook his head. “But do you have to be feeling sick to get some soup?”

I looked out the kitchen window at the rainy morning we were having. “I guess it’s a good day for soup for all of us.” I decided. “I’ll make some grilled cheese sandwiches to go with it.”

“Sounds like a plan to me!” Steven looked over at Alex. “Sorry you’re not feeling great, but Mom’s chicken soup will fix you right up.”

“Will it?” Alex laughed. “I’m feeling pretty crummy.”

I stopped slicing the carrots and looked over at him. “Homemade chicken soup is scientifically proven to help with cold or flu symptoms!” I stated. “It’s not like I’m popping open a can of this stuff and saying that’s going to help.”

“Really?” Alex looked confused. “What’s the difference?”

“Homemade soup helps reduce congestion and hydrates you while the chicken adds protein, the vegetables give you vitamins and antioxidants and because I’m making it a little extra love is added to each bowl!”

Steven smiled as he pointed to me. “Exactly what she says.”

I began cutting the vegetables again while Alex went over to the tea kettle. “Your water’s ready do you want me to pour yours?”

“NO!” I cried. “You’re sick. Don’t touch anything!” I scooped up the cut up vegetables and placed them in the pot. “Go get the Lysol out of the linen closet and spray anything you’ve touched in the last 24 hours so the rest of us don’t get sick.”

Alex looked over at Steven. “How am I suppose to remember what I’ve touch in the last 24 hours?”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “Beats me.”

“I’d start with spraying every light switch, doorknob, cabinet handle and any chair you’ve been sitting in lately.” I suggested as I put the frozen chicken on the cutting board and began slicing it into bite size pieces.

Alex headed for the linen closet while Steven looked over my shoulder again. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Absolutely!” I said as I tossed the sliced chicken into the pot and wiped my hands on a paper towel. “Can you go to the pantry and get some chicken bone broth?”

“Sure.” Steven headed to the pantry.

“Bone broth!” I called again. “Not chicken stock. There’s a difference!” I went over to the tea kettle and poured the hot water into my cup as I looked at the clock on the stove. “Not bad for only being up for 20 minutes.”

PUMPKIN SPICE

My husband Steven came into our bedroom with his hands up to his nose. “Why do my hands smell like pumpkins?” He asked with a confused look on his face.

I started to laugh. “Did you just wash them at the kitchen sink?” I asked him as I pulled our comforter up on the bed and smoothed it out.

“I did.” He smelled the back of his hand again.

“That’s because I’m not wasting anything anymore.” I tossed the throw pillows up by the head of the bed.

“What?”

“We’d run out of soap in the kitchen dispenser and when I went to the pantry to get the refill I noticed a container of pumpkin spice soap that someone gave us as a gift a while ago and I thought…” I shrugged my shoulders. “Why not?”

“So now we’re all going to smell like this for the next few months?” Steven didn’t look thrilled.

“Yup!” I folded the blanket and placed it at the end of the bed. “My new motto is, waste not, want not!”

“But I’m not a big fan of the smell.” Steven argued as he scrunched up his nose.

“Me either.” I agreed. “But it’s pumpkin spice season everywhere!” I headed out of the bedroom and went into the kitchen. Our son Alex was washing his hands at the kitchen sink. “Why do I smell pumpkin spice?” He asked as he turned off the water and reached for the towel.

“It’s the soap you’re using.” I pointed to the dispenser.

“Why?” Alex smelled the back of his hand. “Is it even anti-bacterial?”

“Of course!” I made a mental note to check the container I’d thrown out to see if that was even true. “It’s still soap! It just has a scent!”

Steven and Alex looked at one another.

“I guess it’s only for a month or two until we use it up.” Steven said.

“Exactly!” I confirmed.

“Then we’re going back to our usual, non-scented kind?” Alex asked.

“Well…” I sighed.

“Well, what?”

“I don’t think we’re going back to our regular soap anytime soon because when I was in the pantry I noticed that there’s a peppermint and pine soap that we’ll be using next.” I looked at them and smiled, clapping my hands together. “Just in time for the holidays!”

“Why?” Alex asked.

“Because your Mom’s new motto is ‘waste not, want not’.” Steven looked over at me. “Isn’t that right?” He asked.

“That’s right!” I agreed.

Alex smelled the back of his hand again before looking over at his Dad. “Sounds like you and I need to get in the pantry before Mom does and make a few things disappear!”

“Hey!” I cried. “That’s not fair!”

“Neither is this.” Alex turned the water back on and held his hands under the stream.

HURRICANE HAIR

I was grabbing my car keys out of the basket on the kitchen counter when my husband Steven came into the kitchen.

“Are you going somewhere?” He asked.

“I’m going to get my hair done.” I answered as I went to the sink to fill my water bottle.

“But we’re in the middle of a hurricane!” He cried.

“It’s a nor’easter.” I corrected him as I turned off the water, putting the top on my now filled water bottle.

“It’s still a storm!”

“It’s some rain and wind.” I said as I shrugged my shoulders. “I should be fine.”

“I’ve been watching the local news and all they’re talking about are the flooded roads and all the trees that are down.”

“I’m sure that’s true but the roads I’m going on shouldn’t be flooded so again, I should be fine.” With my water bottle tucked under my arm I grabbed my purse and headed for the front door. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Okay, I’ll admit the wind was a bit much as I opened my car door and had to hold on tightly as the wind wanted to pull the door out of my hands.

Once I was on the road… sure maybe my car was rocking a bit with the gusts of wind but I was still determined to get to the salon. It was only two towns over with a straight line down the highway. “What could possibly go wrong?” I said out-loud.

That’s when I saw the police lights flashing ahead with a barrier up and all the cars on the highway being directed to the detour.

I looked at my watch. “Okay. This is why I left a little early.” I said to myself. “Even with the detour I’ll still make it on time.”

Several detours later I was pulling into the parking lot of my salon. “Well, that was an adventure.” I said as I turned my car off and let the wind blow me toward the door.

“I’m here!” I announced as I walked in the salon. “Steven wasn’t thrilled I was going out in this weather.” I said as I sat down on a bench. “But look at me!” I pointed to my roots. “My hair has grown out so much it looks like I’m wearing a gray hat!”

My hairdresser, Denise, started to laugh. “Maybe if you came in more often it wouldn’t look like that!”

“Ah, what fun would that be?” I sighed.

Denise just shook her head as she finished with the customer that was in the chair.

“Alright!” Denise said as she held a cape out for me. “Let’s take your hoodie off so I don’t get any color on it.”

“Let’s not.” I said as I tucked the hood in the back of my sweatshirt. “It’s cold in here.”

Denise just shook her head as she placed the cape around me.

“You wish I came in more often don’t you?” I laughed as I let her snap the cape closed at the back of my neck.

She looked at the top of my head seeing how far my roots had grown out. “Oh, for so many reasons!” She laughed.

NOT FEELING THE BENEFITS

“Oh, man.” I moaned as I walked into the kitchen holding my stomach. “My belly isn’t feeling so good.”

My son Alex took a step back. “Are you sick?” He asked with a concerned look on his face.

“No. I just took a fistful of vitamins a while ago and they’re not sitting well.” I grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and went to the sink to get some water.

“Did you take them on an empty stomach?” He asked as he leaned against the counter top.

“No.” I said taking a sip. “I’d just had some breakfast. I thought I’d be safe.”

“Well, what did you take?”

“A multivitamin, some B-12, fish oil, zinc…” I thought about it for a second. “Oh, and I started the turmeric again.”

“That explains it.” He said with a knowing look. “It’s the turmeric.”

“It is?”

“Didn’t we discuss this the last time you took it?”

I shook my head as I took another sip of water. “I can’t remember.” I looked over at him and smiled. “Turmeric is suppose to be good for the brain.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s why I started taking it again!”

“Let me remind you what we talked about the last time you took it and the same thing happened.”

“Okay.” I sighed putting the glass down on the counter.

“Turmeric is fine as a spice when you add it in your food but it’s too strong when you take it in a capsule.”

“So why do they sell it!” I cried.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “It doesn’t bother some people.” He looked over at me still holding my stomach. “Clearly you or I aren’t one of those people.”

“It’s suppose to be anti-inflammatory.” I looked down at my stomach. “I’m going to say I’m feeling pretty inflamed right now!”

Alex laughed. “It shouldn’t last too long.” He looked over at my glass. “Try drinking some more water.”

I reached over to pick up my glass when I cringed.

“What’s wrong?” Alex asked sounding a bit alarmed.

“I was doing some stretches this morning and I twisted my back.” I took another sip of water. “I’m telling you this whole trying to stay healthy is killing me!” I laughed.

“Maybe you should just go a little slower on your stretches?”

“You know what I’m going to do instead?” I dumped the rest of my water in the sink and headed for the living room. “I’m going to lay on this couch and read until I feel better.” I picked up my book from the coffee table. “How much trouble could I get into doing that?” I laughed as I grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over my legs as I laid down.

Alex shook his head as he turned the light on next to me. “Lets turn this on so you avoid eye strain. We don’t need any reading related injuries, too!”

PROTECTIVE MAMA

I’ve been trying to squeeze in every last second of porch time while the weather is still warm. But while I was trying to read my book the sound of a bird squawking incessantly was breaking my concentration.

I looked around and saw it was a Mama cardinal who was doing the squawking and she seemed to be staring right at me. She was pumping her tail aggressively while her piercing chirps were not to be overlooked.

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked.

My husband Steven came out on the porch just as I asked my question. “What’s wrong with who?” He asked.

“Mama cardinal over there!” I sighed. “She’s driving me nuts!”

“Maybe she’s protecting her nest?” Steven suggested.

“In September?” I didn’t looked convinced. “Seems a little late to me.”

Steven took out his phone. “Well, let’s see.” He began typing. A few seconds later he nodded his head. “It says here that this could be her last brood of the season and she’s watching over her fledglings while they learn to fly.”

I sat up and looked under the tree she was in. “Do you think one of her babies is on the ground?” I asked now feeling concerned.

“Maybe.” Steven agreed. “But the last thing we need to do is go over there and see.”

While Steven and I were having our discussion the Mama bird wasn’t letting up. If anything she was getting more agitated.

“So, what are we suppose to do about it?” I looked over at Steven, who was still reading his phone.

“It says the best way to tell if she’s upset because you’re out is to just go in the house and see if she stops.”

We looked over at Mama cardinal whose tail flicking and manic call were somehow getting louder.

“Okay, fine.” I sighed as I took my book and got up from my chair. “Let’s see if that’s what’s bothering her.”

We went back in the house and went to the dining room window to watch her. She continued her frantic calls for a few more minutes and then abruptly stopped and flew back into the cover of the tree.

“Are you kidding me?” I cried as I looked over at Steven.

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “Well, at least you know it was you upsetting her.”

Our son Alex walked into the dining room. “Who are you upsetting?” He asked.

I pointed out the window. “A bird!” I cried.

Alex looked confused.

“Your Mom was sitting out on the back porch…”

I couldn’t help but interject. “Trying to enjoy the last of this beautiful weather!”

Steven nodded. “And it seems a cardinal is watching over her babies leaving the nest and your Mom is scaring her.”

Alex laughed. “So now what are you going to do?”

I looked over at Steven shaking my head. “I guess if I’m going to be a good neighbor I’ll sit somewhere else for the next few days.” I sighed.

“It might not be that long.” Steven tried to reassure me. “We can always try again tonight when we eat dinner out there.”

I looked back out the window and still couldn’t see her. “You going to be alright with that?” I called out to her.

“I guess we’ll find out tonight.” Alex said.

RACCOON FAMILY

It was early evening and I was sitting on our back porch when my husband Steven came out the back door.

“Beautiful night.” He said as he sat down next to me.

“It really is.” I couldn’t help but sigh. “I’m sorry to see the summer end.”

We sat there quietly listening to the thrum of the crickets.

“They’re loud tonight.” I said as I reached over to the side table to get my glass of water.

“Listening to them always reminds me that fall is on its way.” Steven said.

I nodded my head in agreement. “It’s funny because I was sitting out here this morning and the cicadas were still calling out to each other.” I took a sip from my glass and put it back down. “That’s a sound that means summer to me.”

We heard the squeaking of two hummingbirds as they darted around the feeder.

“Those two will be heading south pretty soon.” I said as one of them chased the other away. “But I’ll keep the feeder up for a few more weeks just in case.”

Our son Alex came out on the porch. “It’s beautiful out.” He said standing next to us.

“That’s what we were just saying.” I leaned back in my rocking chair.

“Hey!” Alex said pointing over to the neighbors oak tree. “There’s a raccoon climbing up their tree!”

We looked to where he was pointing and sure enough it wasn’t just one raccoon that was climbing up the tree but five of them.

“It must be a Mama and her babies!” I cried as we watched them all slowly make their way into the crown of the tree.

“Our neighbor’s not going to be too happy she has a raccoon family hanging out in her backyard.” Alex said shaking his head.

“I should probably give them a heads up.” Steven reasoned as he picked up his phone and began to text our neighbor.

While Steven was doing that, Alex and I watched as all five of them made their way out onto a limb.

“I guess they’ll stay up there until it gets dark, then come down to see what they can find to eat.”

Alex looked over where we kept our garbage cans. “Hopefully they stay in their yard tonight and skip a visit to us.”

Just then the neighbor came out of her back door, holding her phone, and looking up in the tree.

“Do you see them?” Steven called over to her.

“I do!” She cried. “Now I know why I found everything knocked off my patio furniture when I got up this morning!” She put her hands on her hips and looked over at us. “How am I supposed to get them to leave?”

Steven, Alex, and I looked at each other shrugging our shoulders and shaking our heads.

After a few seconds I finally answered for all of us, “I really have no idea.”

She looked up in the tree one more time before sighing and heading back into the house.

Once I knew she was out of earshot I couldn’t help look over at Steven. “I hate saying it but I’m kind of glad they like it over at her yard better than ours.”

CROCKTEMBER

My son Alex came into the kitchen while I was plugging in the crock pot. “What’s that going to be?” He asked.

“Dinner.” I said as I moved the dial to eight hours low.

“I kind of thought it was going to be dinner.” He laughed as he shook his head. “But what are we going to be eating?”

“Beef stew.” I said as I grabbed the tea kettle and went to the sink to fill it up. “I was watching some videos on my phone where you make a crock pot dinner every night for the whole month! It’s called Crocktember! You have to see all the different recipes I’ve saved.”

“Crock pot dinners all month!” Alex cried.

“Yeah. It’s super easy and it’s just the one pot!” I put the kettle on the stove and went to get my tea cup. “I’m super excited!” I looked over at him. “Aren’t you?”

“Crock pot dinners for thirty days.” Alex sighed as he held up his arm halfway. “Yeah.”

“Oh, come on!” I laughed as I took a tea bag out of the canister. “You’re going to love it. I promise.”

Alex didn’t look convinced.

That’s when my husband Steven came into the kitchen. He walked over to the crock pot and peeked through the glass lid. “What’s this going to be?” He asked.

“Beef stew.” I took the kettle off the stove and poured the boiling water into my cup.

“That sounds good.”

I looked over at Alex. “See? Your Dad’s excited.”

“That’s because he doesn’t know we’re having crock pot meal everyday this month.” Alex reminded me.

“What?” Steven looked confused.

“It’s called Crocktember. Where you only cook in your crock pot for the whole month.” I explained.

“Do you have that many crock pot recipes?” Steven asked as he leaned against the counter top.

“I’m working on it.” I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and began scrolling. “Every time I see one that looks good I take a screenshot of it and save it.” I held up my phone. “I’ve got them all right here.”

Steven began shaking his head. “I’m not going to lie. I like a good crock pot meal every now and then but 30 days straight? I’m not so sure about that.”

“What are you talking about?” I took the teabag out of my cup and threw it in the trash.

“Not everything tastes better in the crock pot.” Steven said.

“I never said it did.” I took sip of my tea before putting it down. “It’s just an easier way to cook and now that school is starting up again I’m all about making things easier.”

“What if I grilled a few nights a week?” He asked. “Would that help?”

I thought about it for a second. “Well…” I tapped my finger against my chin pretending I was deep in thought. “If you insist. I guess we could cut back on the crock pot meals this month.”

“Yes.” Alex said with a sigh.

“Pork chops are defrosting in the fridge. You feel like grilling them tomorrow?” I asked as I picked up my cup and headed for the back porch.

“Sounds good to me.” He said.

“Me too.” I couldn’t help but smile as I headed out to the back deck. “That was easy.” I whispered to myself.

DOOMSCROLLING

I was sitting on my couch, scrolling through my phone, when I heard my son Alex in the kitchen making his lunch.

“Did you hear Tim Curry passed away?” I called to him.

“Who?”

“Tim Curry.”

Alex came around the corner from the kitchen. “Never heard of him.”

“What?” I shook my head. “He starred in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

“Oh, yeah.” He nodded his head. “I heard about that movie.”

“Dolly Parton passed away, too.” I sighed as I kept scrolling. “I liked her music.”

“Why are you doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“Doomscrolling.” He came over to me and held out his hand. “How about I take that for now and maybe you could do something else?”

I held my phone closer to my chest. “I don’t want to give you my phone.”

“You know it’s already noon.” He pointed to my pj’s. “You’ve been on the couch looking through your phone since you got up.”

“It’s my day off.” I argued. “I don’t feel like doing anything right now.”

“I’m making some chicken salad.” He said as he walked back toward the kitchen. “How about I make both of us a sandwich and we can eat out on the back deck.”

I looked out the window. It was a beautiful day out. “Okay. That sounds nice.”

I got up and plugged my phone into the charger then headed for the kitchen. “What can I do to help?”

Alex was cutting up the chicken. “You can get me the mayo out of the fridge.”

“Sounds good.” I opened the refrigerator and pulled out the jar of mayo. “Here you go.” I set it on the counter top.

As I watched him add the mayo I began drumming my fingers on the toaster in front of me.

“What are you doing?” He asked pointing the spoon he was holding at my fingers.

“Oh.” I looked down at my hands and stopping.

Alex eyes got big. “You’re going through phone withdrawal aren’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You want to go get your phone, don’t you?”

“Well…” I sighed. “Maybe.”

“You still don’t think you have a problem?” He laughed.

“I didn’t say that.” I countered. “I’m just not sure I want to do anything about it right now.”

Alex handed me a plate with the sandwich on it. He then reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone and placed it on the counter top. “How about we both eat without our phones.”

I looked over my shoulder to where my phone was in the living room and sighed. “I guess I can give it a shot.”

GHOST TOWN

I was sitting on my back deck, leaning forward in my chair and scanning our back yard, when my husband Steven came outside. “What are you looking for?” He asked.

I pointed to the bird feeders. “I filled them two days ago and I haven’t seen a bird, chipmunk, squirrel, or even a rabbit for the past few days.”

Steven looked confused. “That’s strange.” He went down the steps to the feeders. “They’re completely full!” He called back to me.

Just then our son Alex came outside. “What are you guys up to?”

“Your Mom’s worried that no ones been visiting her bird feeders the last few days.” Steven answered as he came back up the stairs to the deck.

“That’s probably because the Cooper hawk has been sitting on the railing of our deck for the last few days.” He said.

“What?” I cried.

“Yeah, he was perched on the railing yesterday checking out your bird feeders.”

“Well, that answers that question.” Steven said as he sat down next to me.

“Great.” I sighed. “He’s chased all my little friends away.”

“They’ll come back once he’s out of the area.” Steven reassured me.

“Maybe.” I leaned back in my chair. “But right now he’s making my back yard into a ghost town.”

Just then we heard the sharp, rapid call of the Cooper hawk. All three of us looked up in the trees.

“There he is!” Alex called as he pointed at the top of one of our pines.

“Go away!” I called up to him.

Steven and Alex both looked at me.

“What?” I shrugged my shoulders. “He’s messing with my bird and small critter guests.”

We watched as he swooped down from the tree. His coppery brown feathers mixed with the white of his chest flew past our porch and up over the roof of our house.

“You have to admit he’s a beautiful bird.” Steven said as he leaned back in his chair.

“Pretty or not I just want him to find another hunting area.”

A few seconds later our pair of hummingbirds whizzed by our deck and headed for their feeder. “At least those two aren’t afraid of the hawk.”

Alex laugh. “I’m pretty sure they’re too fast for the hawk.”

“And definitely not worth the effort for such a tiny snack.” Steven added.

“Hey!” I cried.

“What?” Steven laughed as he shook his head. “I’m just stating the obvious.”

“You two still need to be careful.” I called to the hummingbirds as they were busy chasing each other away from the feeder. “Hawks can be tricky and you two are distracted with fighting over who’s going to get a drink first.” I shook my head.

We heard the sharp call of the hawk again and both hummingbirds quickly flew into the woods.

I nodded my head as I looked over at Alex and Steven. “See? They were listening.”

SPOON PLEASE

My husband Steven and our son Alex and I were at one of our favorite summer dinner spots, the boardwalk.

We were walking along the boardwalk, watching the seagulls swoop down looking for any food left unattended, when we stopped for a slice of pizza. Sitting down at a table we watched as the last of the beach visitors were leaving the sand. Once we were done it was time to walk off dinner with a stroll to the end of the boardwalk where the Inlet cut in between the beaches. We found an empty bench and sat down. We love watching the boats try and navigate the rough waters as they leave the Ocean and enter the inlet heading for their boat slips further inland.

We saw a large commercial fishing boat, with a seasoned crew on board, that may have been out for several days making its way back to the inlet along with daily charter boats filled with clients that were out for a six hour adventure.

The tide was changing and the water was especially unpredictable. “You’ll never see me out on a boat in that kind of water.” I said as we watched a wave swamp the back of a boat.

Alex laughed. “You don’t like being on a boat in the middle of a lake with no waves, either”

I nodded in agreement. “That’s true.” I shrugged my shoulders. “What can I say? I’m not a fan of dark water.”

“Well, you know what I’m a fan of?” Steven said.

I looked over at him. “What?”

“Ice cream!” He laughed as he got up from the bench.

“That sounds like a good idea.” I agreed.

Strolling back the way we came we stopped at an old fashioned ice cream shop. “I’ll grab a seat while you guys get your ice cream.”

“Don’t you want anything?” Steven asked.

I shook my head. “No thanks. I’m still full from the pizza.”

Once I was seated I couldn’t help but admire the little ice cream/candy store. It had been on the boardwalk for close to 100 years, weathering hurricanes and nor’easters and yet was still standing.

Steven and Alex came over to the table.

“Dad got you mint chocolate chip.” Alex said as he handed me a napkin.

I looked over at Steven as he placed the cup of ice cream in front of me. “But I said I didn’t want any.”

“You know you didn’t mean it.” He laughed as he handed me a plastic spoon. “You almost had to eat it with your fingers though.”

“What?” I was confused as I took the spoon and dipped it into my ice cream.

“The new law went into affect.” Steven looked over at Alex. “What’s it called again?”

“’Skip the stuff ‘ law. You don’t automatically get plastic silverware anymore. You have to ask for it.”

“Well…” I sighed as I ate a spoonful of ice cream. “I guess we could always go back to what this store did a hundred years ago and use the little wooden spoons again.”

“Or just get a cone.” Alex added.

“Maybe we could just do what my Dad used to do.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the memory.

“What?” Alex asked.

“My Dad always had a metal spoon in his shirt pocket!”

Steven was laughing, too. “I remember that!” He looked over at Alex. “When I asked him why he carried one he said, ‘You never know when someone’s going to offer you a bite of their food.’”

“Are you serious?” Alex laughed.

I nodded. “Totally! We used to laugh about it!” I looked over at Steven and shook my head. “Now, I’m beginning to think he was just ahead of his time.”