Xavier Allan Poe
Greetings to everyone.
Today's weather had sunny skies and warm (low 60's) temperatures. The snow from the storm two days ago had nearly melted. It was a day to do nothing, or nearly nothing, but enjoy the outdoors.
Xavier started the day as usual: Minecraft, breakfast and chores.
After breakfast, Xavier started asking for more chores. He wanted to get to five dollars instead of four for his weekly chore money.
This led to the desire (really, the opportunity to act on what Rebecca and I have wanted to do for some time) to open a savings account for Xavier where he could deposit some of his cash.
After breakfast, we headed for the bank. The account took some time to set up.
After the bank, Rebecca wanted to treat the family to some confectionery delights.
Xavier wanted to have a marzipan frog, so off to the Taste of Denmark we drove. As usual, the place was packed.
After all three of us had behaved like children in a candy shop (and Xavier giving advice to a couple of parents and a boy who visited the shop for first time today), we bought several choices and found a table outside the shop to eat them.
Afterward, Xavier wanted to walk across the street and play at the park. We thought it a great idea, though with one tiny change.
We decided to walk around the lake first, a decision not well-favored by Xavier. He had little choice in it, however.
Once around the lake and at the play equipment, Xavier made a friend. He and his dad were tossing around a Nerf football and they invited Xavier to join them. Xavier called to me and together the four of us threw and caught the football while Rebecca started around the lake again.
Throwing a football was new to Xavier. I gave him some pointers and he started having better control on his throws. Soon, however, he wanted to climb the equipment and play hide-n-seek. His friend agreed.
The boys headed off to the equipment leaving me and the other dad to sit and enjoy a conversation.
After some 45 minutes of play, a raven or crow (probably a crow) showed up under the play equipment. The bird had no fear of the children. In fact, it followed them up to the higher parts.
The children, of varying ages from about 5 through 10, kept calling to it. All were convinced the bird could speak.
One boy decided to name the bird Jerry because when he asked the bird its name, he thought it answered "Jerry." (The bird was vociferous. If you yelled at it, it squawked back.)
Xavier, also convinced of the bird's ability to speak, concluded that animal must have been raised by humans as that is where it would have learned to talk.
The bird moved to one of the slides. The children ran over to where it landed. One little girl, who did not know the bird was there, came down the slide and stopped mid slide then retreated back up when she saw the bird.
Eventually, several children worked up the courage to slide past the bird, albeit very cautiously.
The bird hung around until the children grew bored with it, then flew off with two others who stayed in the treetops all the time it was with the children on the play equipment.