chapter seven: tuskegee, tenda chick and the park

After a morning on the town, we headed to Tuskegee University. Our mission was threefold.

Numero Uno: to see the George Washington Carver Museum.

Numero Dos (and probably the most important reason): to go to the bookstore and buy a pennant for Dan. He's got quite the collection.

Numero Tres: to kill some time on a hot, humid summer day (and maybe the kids would nap in the car on the way there).

We saw the museum (more on that coming up). I can't remember if the kids napped since it was two months ago. I feel like such a crappy mommy blogger sometimes.

The most important thing to know is that we did go to the bookstore. It was closed. No pennant for the collection. The very sad part of all this is that Dan had looked online before we left to find out the hours of operation of the bookstore. Even their summer hours. He really did. For some cockamamy reason, they closed early that day. Earlier than their early closing time for summer. No bueno.

The very very sad part of the closed bookstore is that on our previous trip to the Tuskegee University bookstore (many years ago...maybe it was 2005...I can't remember) in search of the pennant, we found it closed as well. Bummer. Not as big of a bummer as finding it closed this trip though. Major bummer. What are the chances that we find the bookstore closed both times we go there? Seriously.

Almost as sad as when we went all the way to Hawaii and found the BYU Hawaii bookstore had no pennants. Or it was closed too? I can't remember. All I know is that we went and came home with no pennant and a sad Dan.

Dan sat and held a sleeping Cate and maybe shed a tear or two about the elusive Tuskegee University pennant while I went exploring with Danny.



Good thing he's in the dark in that picture. I hate to see a grown man cry.



A short walk down the road and we found the museum. The museum with free admission and nice cool air conditioning.


Danny was a good sport and posed for me a few times. Cate woke up and she and Dan joined us.

Here's Cate and me posing with George Washington Carver. I chose to use this picture instead of the other one where Cate's touching his nose and I'm touching his hand. You know, since the sign clearly states DO NOT TOUCH.



Cate's making a scary face because she thought this was a dinosaur. It's a cow (or something like that) but certainly not a dinosaur.




Dan found a phone next to Booker T. Washington and tried to order a pizza. I can't blame him. He eats when he's sad.



I found this piece of furniture and decided I need to have it when I have my own classroom again. Or maybe in my house. Not sure what I'd use it for but I like it.



Still on the phone. I think he got put on hold.



Then Cate came over to remind him to get extra olives and no pepperoni on hers.



I have to admit that my kids were superb museum patrons. Not too much running around. Very little touching of things that shouldn't be touched. No yelling just to hear their echoes. It helped that we were pretty much the only visitors too.



Then a little posing in front of a big statue on a hot hot hot humid humid hot hot hot summer day.

They were pretty much done at this point. Danny's a trooper. He'll go along mostly nicely with anything. And then there's Cate. When she's done she's really done. I love her anyway (mostly because I can totally relate).



We took a little detour on the way home to at least get Dan a Tuskegee University t-shirt. He found a little shop and stopped for a look. I know he'd prefer to have bought a genuine bookstore t-shirt but he put on a happy face about his $5 cheapo one instead.

And then we got a teeny tiny bit turned around and started driving the wrong direction. We realized we were not headed for home when we didn't see any of the stuff we had seen on the way there. You know, Bubba's tire shop and Daizy's hair salon. I had been passing the time on the way there by reading signs out loud in my best southern accent. It's a good thing too because that's how we were able to recognize the right road when we found it. I saved the day.



We made it home, picked up Grama Bama and Grandpa and headed to Tenda Chick for dinner. I believe it's my dad's favorite eating establishment. I can't say that I blame him. The chicken is quite tasty.



After dinner Grama Bama and Grandpa dragged us kicking and screaming to the park. I think they figured we hadn't had a long enough day so they packed in one more thing.



It was a beautiful park. The kids had fun and I'm pretty sure I sweated off all the calories I had eaten during the day just by sitting on the bench and watching them. Holy cow. Have I mentioned the humidity? Ug.



I love this picture of Dan pushing Cate in the swing.



See that face? That's the sneeze face and this picture makes me laugh. Sorry, Dan.



Fun fun fun. Run around. Play. Run around some more. Fun fun fun.



Grama Bama and Grandpa just watched from afar.



Danny was happy.



And Cate was too.



Don't you love those sweaty curls?

She's a keeper.