Sooner Or Later We All Knock Over The Jenga Tower

This word of wisdom came to mind as my son and I did knock over said XXL Jenga tower this morning. Since Friday it's been set up in the lobby of Town and Country Credit Union with customers (and I suppose employees too when it's slow) removing bricks c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y from somewhere low on the tower and stacking them higher up. These aren't wood blocks but rather empty cardboard boxes you have to stack, and let me assure you it's tricky to find them loose. The first day I saw it (last Friday when I had to deposit a check) I couldn't resist finding the brick – or is it the box? – that I could gingerly push out and then raise to the top of the tower. Saturday morning Jeffrey, Sarah, and I each pushed through a brick – I'm astonished especially at Jeffrey's control doing that, for you know his being a boy he is … bouncy. We considered changing his name as we used it so much … Monday both Jeffrey and I pushed a brick and I lifted him up to set his on top.

Then came this morning. The penultimate day to Sarah and Jeffrey starting school this fall (in a byzantine leap of logic, they go to school three days this week, four days next week as Monday is Labor Day, and then a full week), I was in Town and Country to cash in some change and the kids were looking forward to playing again with the Jenga tower. At least Jeffrey was, I think Sarah indulges us … so while I'm getting cash, Jeffrey comes to me with one of the bricks; I love how his self-control improves around it! Then I play that brick on the top of the tower. Then I find a brick. I move it from the tower. I place it on top. The Jenga tower is starting to lean toward Sarah and I ask her to move for in the event it falls I don't want it to fall on top of her. Jeffrey asks if he can move another brick, and since he starts school tomorrow and won't be with me, I say yes. He pushes it out and brings it forth by himself. I get it, I place it on top. And Sarah points out the tower's leaning … And. It. Falls. Over.

So THAT'S how Jeffrey and I both knocked the tower down, for the Jenga tower was stacked twice my son's height! We were told to not worry about picking it up, and we headed on our way. At one today my plan's to meet the kids and Martha and her mom Sharon at Longfellow Elementary for at least part of a two-hour open house. And the school is almost totally new – Longfellow got caught in the flood two years ago – with lockers recessed in the wall for every student, with sinks and water fountains in every classroom, an awesome new playground (I've at least been to that) and I really look forward to seeing it! Of course, I'll see it tomorrow too … Martha and I currently plan to walk the kids in their first day of school but after that let them go on their own. We'd still drive them there, of course; though we are close enough for them to walk or bike it if they start early enough, I'm not sure that is a good idea this year. And especially in winter, when the white fluffy stuff in on the ground and falling!

Stay awesome, David