Continuing Their Excellent Adventure: The Things Come To Rochester, New York
Way back in September, Leanne Shirtliffe (aka: Ironic Mom) asked me when I might want to have the Things make a stop in Rochester on their Excellent Adventure, and I knew I wanted them during the winter. Duh!
There is so much to do here when there is snow. I figured we would go skiing, make snow critters, go sledding and ice-skating, have them help us make snow tunnels, and bring them inside to a roaring fire. You get the idea. When Leanne contacted me in December, I had to decline her offer because there was no snow in Rochester. She asked me again a few weeks later, and while we were still without snow – I figured by the time the Things made it to me, we’d certainly have some white stuff. But as anyone from this part of the United States can tell you, the weather this year has been positively wonky. Here is a pictorial about our time with the Things.
I swear Rochester is usually much more fun than is perhaps depicted here. Maybe.
• • •
In Rochester, this season,
winter’s been strangely mild.
No sledding, no skiing.
for adult or for child.
When one day,
I found I had nothing to do
I opened my door
And found Things 1 and 2.
They were positively chilled
Having spent the night outside
So I brought them in our home
To entertain them, we tried.
We wanted to show the Things
A most wonderful day.
We took off to Great Places
We took off and away.
We drove to Lake Ontario.
We drove with great care.
And though I said, “Pull over carefully!”
Hubby pulled over There.
When he parked There in that spot
Hubby rolled over a bolt.
And when his tire popped,
We felt the horrible jolt.
The Things knew stuff like this happens
As things sometimes do
So they didn’t worry,
No, they didn’t stew.
They played in the tires
That had been stacked, just so.
They played until the people
At the tire shop said, “Go.”
The next morning I found the Things
They were quite a sight.
They’d gotten into some trouble.
(I’d suspected they might.)
They’d found some bracelets from GoGuiltyPleasures
and seemed a little low.
But I untangled them and told them
we’d more places to go.
We took the Things to George Eastman House
Home of Kodak fame
I explained that if it hadn’t been for George
Picture taking wouldn’t be the same.
We all began to shiver
So we drove to our favorite diner.
The Things showed good manners and exclaimed:
“This coffee couldn’t be finer!”
We took the Things to Lock 33
On the Canal called Erie.
We had no mule whose name was Sal
And the Things were mighty weary.
Still, we took them to Wegmans Market
Best grocery store under the sky,
And once inside the Things perked up
There were so many things to try.
Jimmy from Produce loved The Things
They thought the store was swell.
They hid in the red peppers
And in a pile of lobster shells.
We took the Things to temple.
To show them how services were led.
They were very respectful
And wore one yarmulke on top of their heads.
One night the Things seemed homesick.
I saw a tear near Thing 1’s eye.
I pulled out a postcard of the Rockies
and brought out the Canada Dry.
The next day, miraculously
the snow – it had arrived!
And Thing 1 and Thing 2
seemed amazingly revived.
They watched Tech Support at Rochester Fencing Club.
And even took a class.
And while they loved their toothpick sabers
They decided to take a pass.
We took the Things skiing
They liked to go vroom
They liked when I went very fast
So I zigged and zagged and zoomed!
When their stay was over
We said splendiferous goodbyes.
We gave the Things good scrub downs
And gave each other high-fives.
As I shoved placed them in an envelope
addressed for their next temporary stay
We agreed we would miss those Things
and sent them safely on their way!
**NOTE: The snow melted the minute I sent the Things overseas to their next destination. Yup, they are headed to Switzerland to begin the European leg of their Tour! {Watch the news for “global weirding” in Europe.}
To read more about where the Things have been so far, click HERE.
So what would you have liked to have done with me and the Things? In Rochester, New York? In February? With no snow? IYKWIM.
Tweet this Tweet @rasjacobson
That grocery store looks kind of cool…and I’d like to see the Erie Canal….
Have you never heard of Wegmans? *Gasp* The next time you are in Rochester… we can spend the entire weekend — in Wegmans.
We don’t have Wegman’s, but I like them because they sponsor an LPGA tournament every year.
Looks like the Things had tons of fun!
They did. Not so sure about husband. 😉
Oh. My. SUESS. I’m speechless. This is epic. Even slap bracelets aside!!! Wow. Okay. The Produce Guy and the trip to temple…hahahaha!
You are a genius!!!
I knew you’d love to see your uber-cool slap-bracelets in there.
Now I have to get my own picture with them.
Doing something hawt.
I simply LOVE this! I’m thinking the tire store. I want to play on the tires until I’m asked to leave–preferably wearing one, or many Go Guilty Pleasures slap bracelets. And, in the event you are not up for taking a middle-aged woman to the tire store to jump on tires, the lake looked good, too.
Fabulous post–
Seriously, people looked at me like I was loopy.
Playing with dolls in the tires.
Uh, so I thought, when you said Thing 1 and Thing 2 were staying with you, that you were referring to Ironic Mom’s children! LOL! And I thought, wow, how sweet and cute–and yes, this entire story was sweet and cute and brilliant too. Thanks for the Monday morning smiles. xo.
I’m sure Leanne would love for me to take William and Viv for a few days.
Unlimited candy. No definite bedtime. Jousting.
But alas – no. And I would have real people come in the summer! 😉
Yes. Can I send them to Camp Renee?
I will try not to crush them when I put them in my purse. 😉
The liked Wegman’s best, right? I’m sure it was Wegman’s! 🙂
I’m just surprised you didn’t take them for a visit to CSL, followed by a Dead concert. That would have been AWESOME!!
I would have LOVED to take them to CSL (my old summer camp), but the tire fiasco slowed us down.
Aaaaaah! It made me so happy to see that slap bracelet picture! I can’t decide whether it was that one or the yarmulke one that totally won me over. Regardless of that answer, this post ruled. ♥
Thanks Deb.
So much fun hosting those Things.
But they are trouble makers.
Seussian rhyme? How fab is that! Love them all: the tires, the grocers, the fencing, the skiing, the yarmulke! You rock. Can I come for a visit now, possibly without the things?
Please do.
But maybe wait until July.
oh my gosh this is brilliant! ha! I LOVED it. what an awesome rhyme.
And the pictures were terrific. My favorites were the one with the produce man and the yarmulke.
what a great way to start the day. 🙂
Jim, the Produce Guy, is the best. He knows everyone. And he knows everyone’s kids. He has known TechSupport since he was an infant. I adore Jim. Everyone does.
And Carol in Deli.
And Mark in Dairy.
I got there kind like…everyday.
I think your Seussian rhyme solidifies this as my favorite Thing 1 & Thing 2 adventure yet. 🙂
It seemed necessary. 😉
oh my gosh.. this is so awesome! 😀 Thing 1 and Thing @ sure got around!
2. Thing 2. 🙂
They are very slutty that way. IYKWIM.
Brilliantly written! What a fantastic vacation for Thing 1 & 2!!
I’m hope they saw it as a vacation. I thought it was kind of dull. Hence the rhyme to spice things up.
Your poem is amazing.
And Dr. Seuss would agree,
That Thing one and thing two
Had fun with your family!
Why, look at you!
Who knew that you could?
Watch out or @LShirtliffe
Will Send the Things
To Your Neck of the Wood.
sssss. 😉
HA HA! Loved it! The poem…brilliance. And all I kept thinking was…it’s a damn good thing I haven’t hosted The Things, their stay would have been VERY boring compared to that!
Elena: Seriously, we just did our normal stuff. The only thing was I remembered to tote around a good camera. My iPhone takes cruddy pictures.
Except for our very special trip to the lake followed by our very special trip to the tire shop… everything was pretty typical. Seriously. I mean, I brought them to the grocery store.
We just happen to have a really awesome grocery store. 😉
This is an amazing recap, Renee! Truly impressive. Glad the Things made it to you safely and got to enjoy a bit of snow.
Leigh! I meant to tell you the Things had made it. Sorry. The hardest part was finding postcards! It’s like like Rochester, New York is the mecca of the United States. 😉
This is completely freaking adorable!!! I want to visit you 🙂
I want to LIKE this more than once. I just love it. So glad you had fun with Thing 1 and Thing 2. Looks like a great trip to Rochester!
Rochester Rocks; even without snow. I live in the northeast also, and it is practically balmy. Loved your poem.
I love the fencing image with the Things. Very fun:)
Thanks Shannon! I couldn’t have done that without the boy. He is my photoshop whiz.
Extra points for Suessian rhyming. Way to step up the pressure for those of us slotted for the Things in the future!! 🙂 Great post. Good times.
Thanks Misty!
Seussian rhyming is not hard
It’s easy if you try.
It was the flat tire.
That made us want to cry. 😉
I’ll look forward to reading your post in the future!
I’m having a Thing 1 kind of hair day. This post made me feel a little less bummed about that 🙂
I know what you mean.
Thing 2 has way better hair. 😉
Simply Awesome! 🙂 Love that they went to Temple.
As if I haven’t been yelled at enough in temple…
Some thing tells me you’re on to some thing good.
Like your Thing travelling tale.
Thanks Paul! I’m sorry i haven’t been over in a while. Things have been crazy in these parts. How is your book coming?
Think I’ve been to Lock 33. But it was a long time ago. Remember the car. It was my Mazda 323, which means it was about fifteen years ago.
Wayne
I KNEW you’d remember the car. See? I had faith in your memory. 😉
This is EXACTLY what I needed to read today. Oh, I cannot stop laughing. Freaking HILARIOUS! Thank you, Renee…and the Things….
Oh Lizzy: They were fun to have around, but seriously – no snow in Rochester is like… well, no snow in Canada. We’re all a little confused and wondering what to do with ourselves.
At least now it is cold enough to make snow.
Yes, I’m over a week behind on everything but really enjoyed this! Love to see the Things up your way Renee.
Hey Clay: No worries. I know you are working on stuff. I am, too. I’m at 50% with book. I hope you are moving along with your project. So hard to balance it all. Thanks for stopping by, Fryber. 😉