Smolaks

Smolaks is the farm where we went apple and pumpkin picking last month. Click on the Elmo boy to get the bigger photo.

We went on the hay ride, had ice cream, fed the swans, toured the petting zoo (Purell® dispensers at every corner), watched the older kids riding the pony, and walked through the pumpkin patch to find the couple o' beauties that we took with us.

Wednesday was Henry's 18 month check-up. He cranked above the 50th percentile on everything. He is right between 50 - 60 on weight and a bit more on height. And that cranium is still off the chart, around 110 percentile. Fortunately the hockey-stick line dropped its angle. If he had continued at his old growth rate, his head would have been in the 150 percentile this visit. That's a lot of noggin.

He behaved very differently during this visit. He started crying when we were getting him undressed for the weight and measurement. He stopped after the nurse left. When doc Baumel came in, he asked if Henry had cried and we answered in the affirmative. He explained that Henry's long term memory has developed to the point where he could recall his last visit (and the array of inoculations). He (Henry, not doctor Baumel) started crying again as the exam started. He was not scheduled for any shots, but the flu vaccine was ready and there is also now a recommendation for Hep-A (thanks to the dearth of fast food infections), so he got one in each little arm. Poor fellow - I can see that long term memory can be a blessing and a curse. Since mine is starting to fade as his as starting to develop, I guess it balances out.

We have a fellow from H*me Dep*t coming tomorrow to measure the kitchen and dining areas in Reading. This is the start of the kitchen planning process. We need to start looking at layout and function. We kind of know what we want to be able to do (an area to pay bills and keep recipes, be able to fit a large table for extended family gatherings, have a door from the kitchen into the garage, a comfortable sitting area for coffee & tea & reading, a work area or island) but we need help firming these things into a vision. We will probably take down the wall between the dining room and kitchen. I already took out the swinging door, which Henry used to pinch his fingers.

I worked in Ashland yesterday evening, putting the wainscoting along the base wall of the tub. Then I did a dry-fitting of the floor tiles to see how much cutting would have to be done. Fortunately the width from the tub wall to the entry wall is perfect for 3 uncut tiles. The only cutting will be done behind the toilet and in front of the wall closet. Plus the nipping around the drains and sink pipes. I will probably take a day off to do this work as I have to pull the sink and toilet. I should also plan on putting the wainscoting on the wall behind the toilet as long as the toilet is out.

Joni and Henry are up in Newburyport today. I spoke to them mid-morning and they were on the way to Stephen's restaurant.

Here are more Smolak Farms photos. Pop - I hope you don't have tractor envy - the McCormick Super-M Farm-All is a new addition this year and had just been painted. And just so you know we are bringing the boy up right, he has 2 tractor books, one of which is shaped like a tractor and has rolling wheels.