I am spending my entire day either in the car, waiting rooms, or too-cold doctors’ offices, which I guess I will tell you more about eventually, but there isn’t time right now, so I won’t. (Also, I am rather over the whole scene right now, and would like to go home and crawl under my desk and chant “MY CHILDREN ARE PERFECTLY HEALTHY” until it’s true or until I run out of snacks.)
Anyway. I think I mentioned that my veggies are in for the summer, finally, as part of all the work we’ve been doing killing ourselves landscaping. What I did not tell you is that this year I was so disorganized, I never got around to starting seedlings, so I just caved and bought some plants for the things that needed longer to grow. I thought I bought two heirloom tomato plants, two Early Girl tomato plants, and a grape tomato plant, but it turned out that there was another (regular) tomato variety on the grape tomato shelf, thus: no grape tomato plant.
This was a problem—a big one—because Monkey likes nothing better than to be able to wander out into the garden in the summer and graze, and he loves grape tomatoes. I planted what I bought, and my other plants, and put down seeds, and then my boxes were all full. So then I went out a week later and bought a grape tomato plant and put it in a separate planter and told Monkey, “That’s your tomato plant, right there. I bought it for you.”
I did this because he has unfailingly visited that plant every day since. He waters it and talks to it and checks it for critters and lets me know how George is doing every day. Oh, yeah—he named it George. Because of course he did. And George makes him incredibly happy.
I can think of no other way to get such a massive return on a $3.49 expenditure. Thanks, George. You light up my Monkey’s life!
I think George is a delightful name for a Tomato Plant. Perhaps if I named my garden plants they would live longer and actually produce food. Hmmmmm…….
i <3 monkey… :)
Good call on that $3.49! Sounds like it was needed. And total respect on holding out regarding the health issues. Of course we wonder/pray for ya’ll/feel like we know you and its not at all weird for us to know/….but holding back seems totally appropriate.
That is a BRILLIANT idea. Almost-6yo Bee would eat grape tomatoes for breakfast, lunch & dinner if I let her. And she likes to complain that her big sister gets all the fun. Her big sister, by the way, does not like grape tomatoes. So if a grape tomato plant wandered into the backyard, and Bee was giving the Big Kid responsibility of taking care of it, I might have 5 minutes of peace and tranquility before they found something new to squabble over.
Love it :)
My daughter loves to eat the grape tomatoes as well. We have a very short growing season up here in Canada (Alberta) so we try to make the most of those few months… I have three gardens waiting to go in :)
Does he hug him and kiss him and keep him for his very own? (I don’t want to admit how old I was when I figured out that cartoon was a reference to _Of Mice and Men_)
@ Bryan – well, I was (am, at this very moment) 28…so yours just might not be so bad ;)
Also, I lurrrrrve grape tomatoes and now I really, really want some :P
It’s a beautiful thing. I look forward to a picture of George in all his grape-tomato glory come early summer.
What a delight. I wish there was something that cost $3.49 that would light up my life. Perhaps I should try a grape tomato plant, but I don’t know if it would grow here (too cold, wet, and dark).
…and I will love him and hug him and I will call him George….
Yay for simple pleasures like Monkey’s very own grape tomato plant :)
Dang it – now I have to go make a salad. And for what its worth – your family – your business. We are just along for the entertainment.
Literally the gift that keeps giving. Cheers to Monkey and his future at FFA.
I need to go buy my son his own tomato plant. He generally prefers cherry tomatoes, but we have gotten one with him in mind for years now. Nothing better than seeing a kid eat the produce right out in the yard. My son wants to tell Monkey that the tomatoes are particularly good when wrapped in a basil leaf!
It’s perfectly natural to name a tomato plant! We have a lime tree named Wilson.
Anyone who is a Bugs Bunny fan will know: “I will pet him and love him and call him George!” Your son is amazing!
Monkey is awesome – what a great idea!
I’m moving. I KNOW I’m moving. I’ve known for MONTHS that I’m moving, and I still have to shove my hands in my pockets to keep from buying tomato plants. They are truly lovable – and so is Monkey!
I love it! [and seeing as how my kids are very into curious george, I find the name extra fitting for your precious curious monkey]