All ABOARD!!

Harry and his new friend Eamon (2 1/2) had a blast this morning playing on the caboose outside of the Mt Vernon Elementary School while we waited for Mommy to finish up with her emergency chiropractic visit.

The plan had originally been for H & A to head over to the playgrounds on the other side of the school, but after Harry returned all of his library books and spotted the caboose, we went over for a closer look.

Certainly Harry's favorite story and movie combo this past Christmas season was The Polar Express... hands down. So much so, that it's still in heavy rotation on the bedtime book list. Couple that with the recent Backyardigans episode "The Master of Disguise," which somewhat parallels Murder on the Orient Express (sans murder of course), and it's easy to see why train conductors, brakemen, and engineers are high on the pretending-to-be character list.

After close and through examination of the brake-wheel, the coupler, and various other lever-activated components, he spent the next hour punching tickets, and driving all over the place. Ainsley and I of course waited patiently in the station-house (large concrete benches that curiously resembled a small amphitheater off to the side).

It turns out that Eamon's father had grown up in DelRay, and also played on the very same caboose as a kid. he boys had a great time, and it would seem that both I and Eamon's father were mightily impressed with the turn-taking and sharing of imaginary gear, jobs, and destinations.

Ainsley just loves watching the big kids play... as much as Harry wanted nothing more than to play with her from day one, it would seem that now that she's figured out that the big kids aer having fun, that all she wants to do is to join in.