Screaming Moms

 So when the Ds were probably 8 and 5, we took them to Philly, so see the historic American stuff and spend a nice weekend in the City of Brotherly Shove, as late Herald sports editor Ed Pope called the place.

We had a great time seeing the Liberty Bell, and Constitutional Hall, and the Art Museum, but were also told to visit the city's small but bustling Chinatown. We went to a restaurant, which had a tank with large carp diners could chose for their dinner, and Wifey was more fascinated than the Ds.

An Asian family next to us chose one, and he waiter brought it over in a plastic pail to see. Wifey peered inside, and as she did, the fish jumped out, not hitting her, but nearly. Wifey let out a shriek that literally stopped the restaurant -- was someone stabbed? Everyone chuckled, and it went into the large bank of funny Wifey lore.

Well, like daughter, like mother...

Sunday afternoon, Little Man and I swam in the ocean, and played on the sand, and a woman was there -- clearly from the Midwest, based on her accent. She was showing her middle school aged daughters the hermit crabs -- Little Man, no shy 4 year old, walked right up to her for the lesson, and indeed it turned out she was a Science teacher, and knew her stuff. She explained how the crabs detected motion, and would stop when someone walked near. She also showed us tiny ones that there is no way I would have noticed.

There was one pretty shell, about 2 inches, and it had a crab -- scuttled along the shore. A few feet away, I spotted another shell -- also prettty -- and I picked it up and checked it out. Nope -- no hermit crab there -- just a pretty shell to have Little Man give his Mom for their collection at home.

He did, proudly, and D1 put the shell in her purse. 

That was Sunday. Wifey and I left Tuesday, and D1 and men stayed an extra day. Wednesday afternoon they arrived home, and D1 set about making dinner -- the boys and Joey were outside.

D1 reported she heard what sounded like metal nails on her counter top, and she looked around. The shell was there, and as she picked it up, a small claw came out -- there WAS indeed a hermit crab, and it somehow survived 3 days in a purse!

D1 let go a scream that rivalled her Mom years before. Joey came running in, D1 was on the floor, laughing that she wasn't going to be killed by a more formidable intruder. The whole episode was captured on their home security camera.

Joey and Little Man got on their bike, and rode the 2 blocks to Biscayne Bay, where the Marathon crab was not to become a City of Miami crab. Hopefully he enjoys his new, hipper and more woke, crab friends.

But I watched the video over and over. It was indeed hilarious, and so charming how D1 had, in many ways, become her mother after all.

So today is Good Friday, the most ironically named Christian holiday -- it sure wasn't very good for Jesus. Allison is here for more decorating and decluttering. I plan to do little but walk for miles around the 'hood, and then Happy Hour after 6. We have a Zoom with Eric, Dana, Barry, and Donna off camera -- I'm guessing Allison will enjoy their virtual company.

Zero Easter plans, just as I like it, but D1 and her men are going to an egg hunt with their English friends.

And then, just like that, Monday is April. The second quarter of 2024 has arrived on winged feet, as Andrew Marvell wrote.

I hope for more belly laughs as the year goes on -- they are truly the hot fudge sundaes of life. Somehow, when they involve sea creatures, the laughs are even deeper.