Visit With Scott, Sarah, Zac, Griffin and Devlin McDougall

Murdoch Playing With His "Toy" Puka 

After a respite at "The Shore" it is time to spend the weekend with the McDougalls in Hampton New Jersey.  First on the agenda is soccer!!!  Griffin and Devlin are playing soccer on Saturday morning.  Since they are on separate teams at two different fields, it will be a balancing act to attend both games.

Griffin's game is first at a park quite close to their house.  The day is crisp and clear and smelling of fall.  The leaves are getting the first tinge of change, but even though the air has a chill the sun is warm.  All in all a perfect day for a game.

Griffin is fast - really fast and he is in there to get the ball and take it down the field.  He is in a forward position.  Which one, I'm not sure, because they are all bunched up with few exceptions.  One of the hardest things to learn is to stay in your position when all the action is elsewhere.  Both teams are like little packs of animals running wherever the ball is located.  It is really cute.

Griffin makes several attempts on goal and comes really close to scoring.  A great effort on his part.  Sarah and I are the yellers on the sideline to "go Finn go" and "stay in your positions", etc.  All of the spectator parents are very supportive of all action on the field.

We have to leave for Devlin's game before Griffin's is over.  Scott is filling in for the coach so he will finish this game and bring Finn to the next game.  Sarah in her effort to watch as much of the game as she can is driving down the road with her head turned to the right.  I have visions of hitting a tree, but she looks around in time to avoid any collision.

Devlin's game is being played on a very sophisticated multi-field soccer complex.  It comes complete with snack bar.  Devlin and his teammates are in the 7 year old division.  After watching 9 year olds this is a whole different game.  They are so cute and really out there trying their best.  Devlin is put in as goalie and the first time he misses the ball which results in a score, he is devastated.  Soon he is in the fray on the field and he is like a little bullet too.

We return home to await the arrival of Zac and his girlfriend Sam.  They live close to New York and are taking the bus.  It is great to see them.  We chat and catch up and then it is time to go to dinner.  after dinner I head back to Marsha and Alan Mufsons where I am staying about an hour away.

Back on Sunday to visit and go on errands with the family.  There are two new additions since my last visit.  A Ridgeback/Beagle mix named Murdoch and an all black cat named Puka.  Puka was found in the A&P parking lot and brought home to be a plaything for Murdoch.

They are hysterical together.  She will leap out of nowhere onto his back and he will get her down on the ground and poke his nose in her belly and act like he is murdering her.  She lets him and then will hiss and run away.  They are always "attacking" each other.  It is so cute.

One other pet rounds out the household.  Nickie, the boa, and I don't mean feathers.  He has grown a lot since I saw him last year.  It is time for his feeding and we will be getting him two mice just for that purpose.  In the meantime Scott brings him to see me.  His warming pad has come undone and he is coiled up tight trying to get warm.  I hold him in one hand and draw my jacket around him to warm him up.  Soon I can feel his little tongue on the palm of my hand as he wakes up and begins to check out who has him.

Once we return from shopping, it is time to feed Nickie.  We troop up to Griffin's room to watch the proceedings.  First one mouse is put into the cage - whap!  He's toast.  Before Nickie is finished with the process of eating the first mouse, Scott dumps the other one in the cage.  Much to our shock and amusement the second mouse runs in, around and over the snake as he is eating the first mouse!  He even sniffs his counterpart.  He continues to check it all out until it is his turn.  Sarah says she has never seen a mouse do that.  Once I do some editing I will post it on UTube and you'll be able to see what I mean.

Devlin gave me the best invitation I have ever had.  He has decided I need to live with them.  When I said he might get tired of having me there all the time he was certain that would not happen.  Then when I mention that his Dad and Mom might get tired of having me around, he was incredulous "But your his MOM!".  When asked where I will sleep he, without hesitation, said "my bed".  Where will you sleep?  "We'll get out the bunk beds and I'll move into Griffin's room".  WOW! he is willing to give up his own room to have me stay there.  That really touched my heart.