I just question our modern needs

Hey, Megan,

Happy Birthday (yesterday)! I hope you had a day befitting the start of your thirty third trip around the sun. I had to tell you about my hilariously odd run-in with Walker. (I thought after I got home that I should have called you and had him wish you a happy birthday. Total waste of a golden opportunity there. I apologize.)

Anyway, I actually saw Walker twice in one week. Lucky me! First time was at the Belcourt for the Loudon Wainwright III show. (A bit of a bummer of a show, to be honest. Loudon had lost his voice and was not in the best of moods. At one point, he even started to stop the show and offer refunds until some yay-hoo told him to keep going. I was thinking, "Zip it, dude. We just got to hear the best of his voice AND he's offering us our money back!" Loved his daughter, though. (This was Lucy, not Martha--I have no knowledge on which to base an opinion of Martha.) She led the theater in a sing-a-long of "Hungry Heart"! It was awesome. I did not look to see if Walker was singing along.

Now, a Loudon Wainwright III show at the Belcourt is a not-atypical place to see Walker. But yesterday? We saw him at the Lawn and Garden Show!! So odd! I had just picked up some free zinnia seeds when I looked up and saw him ambling about. He exchanged pleasantries and made fun of Kevin's beard for a while, and then (sort of) explained his presence there by saying that he had lost his girlfriend. (A collective cry of "Dangit!" could be heard from the heavens!)

Ella with duck. Only $6! (Duck was not purchased.)

We had a fun time at the garden show, though it just further highlighted how much work we have to do to get the yard to look nice. Part of me wants to just give up and turn the whole yard into an Herbal Express Railway, a la the Nashville Garden Railway Society (bonus points if the train can stop by my kitchen window and let me pick fresh herbs). Holy moley, did Luke love that train!

Note: This crappy picture is but a placeholder photo until I can upload a decent pic from my digital camera. Still, can you see the love?

He spent a good twenty minutes running around this display. When they told us he could watch the train through a tunnel at the end? It was all over. Passers-by stopped to watch and listen to his joyous cries of wonderment. It was a sight to behold, and we are all the better for it.

In sum, who would have thought that you could find joy and Walker at the Lawn and Garden Show?

I hope you had a great birthday, Megs! I miss you and I love you!

love, molly

previous post title source: "On the Nickel," Tom Waits