Yesterday the fam & I did the March of Dimes Walk America. The weather was perfect-o! We’ve done the walk now for the past three years. The first year was in memory of a friend’s son, James, who was born prematurely & didn’t stay long.
We really enjoyed the first year, even though it snowed & was so cold that we were at risk of losing body parts to hypothermia. Harold had to carry Maddie (who was only 3 at the time) for quite a bit of the way [and frankly, he probably benefited by huddling together for warmth!] We didn’t know what to expect & were overwhelmed by the compassion & dedication of the 10’s of thousands that showed up (in said freezing cold) to ‘walk for babies’ (as Maddie affectionately referred to it & we still do).
Last year didn’t go quite as smoothly. We got downtown, got ready to park & it was only then that I realized that Harold had I’d forgotten our wrist bands! ” Wrist bands?”, you ask. Yes, wrist bands. Only the single most important thing you need to have for your walk! Well, can you walk if you don’t have your wrist band? Yes, you can. Well, can you get your goodie bags & free food & drinks without your wrist band? “No!” So we had to make a decision that day. Did we go ahead & walk (which, truthfully, walking or not, it doesn’t really make a difference — the MoD gets the donations you’ve collected in either case.) & forego the ‘perks’ or do we head back home to get the wrist bands to selfishly indulge ourselves with free products & Macaroni Grill pasta salad cups? So we’re on our way back with our wrist bands … [nuff said]
This year went off without any unsmooth moments. We did register a little later than we usually do, so we didn’t have too much time to raise money – but we raised a modest amount for a family of 4 [thanks to all who donated!] The walk was alot of fun. We were on time, found parking with no problem, got there just as the walk began & the weather was beautiful [sunny, breezy & mid 70's]. As usual we looked forward to the free goodie-bag cinch sacks & food at the finish line (though we do not, however, enjoy that these sacks are filled with full-sized bottles of product – nearly 7 of them – and that the bags are made of light-weight wind breaker material & the straps are made of thin vinyl cords that, when carrying 7 full-sized bottles of product, feel like little serated saws also covered in razor wire that seemingly threaten to cut your arm clean off at the shoulder) – but thanks for the free stuff guys!
Ok, so I’ve never told you about my friend Nick from work. The first time I met Nick I was taken aback by how much he looked like Larry (my brother)! Same round head, goatee, hairline, smile, eyes, build, etc. Of course, neither he nor Larry were as enthused as I about the fact that their likeness to each other was so uncanny. [Guy thing perhaps ... "Show no emotion - grunt & beat chest".] Anyway, so we’re at the Walk yesterday & Maddie & Alexis were playing some games (we took Alexis, Maddie’s BFF, in Ashton’s place - Ashton was in KY), so anyway, I’m watching the girls & Harold says to me, “Big Larry looking guy … !” So I turn around to check out this, “Big Larry looking guy” & lo & behold! Out of 10’s of thousands of people at Sawyer Point I turn around & it’s NICK!!! I couldn’t believe it! All of this time I’ve been telling everyone how much I think they look alike & voila! So Nick’s, obviously, a little amazed that Harold picked him out in a crowd as a Larry look-alike, but then Maddie turns around. She walks up to him like she thinks she knows exactly who he is, then suddenly stops. Dead in her little tracks.
“Hey, Maddie, who does this guy look like?”
Without hesitation, “Uncle Larry”.
“That’s it”, Nick said, ”I’m shaving the goatee.”
[I'm going to track down pictures of these two to post -- maybe tonight -- definitely soon]
