Yesterday I wrote a blog post about juvenile coping mechanisms when coming up against other humans who have a toxic affect on you.

I used the example of a couple in my life who had the uncanny ability to bring any and every topic to a discussion about their own kids, which then pretty much sucked the life out of any and every room.

Even though the column was about a wonderful game – juvenile though it was – that makes it possible to survive people who hijack any and every conversation to the topic of their choice (could be kids, could be their charity work in the Sudan), since I used other people’s’ kids as an example, I got a lot of comments and messages about the agony of being subjected – ad nauseam – to people who incessantly brag about their kids.

I get it.

Totally.

So let me tell you about my kids!

As a refresher, I have three and a half kids: Mac, Sam, and Gabe, plus the half-kid Jack.

Mac and Jack are in their senior year of college and, when they come home, they have many places to be.

This holiday season, Jack gave Mac a ‘day in New York City’ as her Christmas present and he did all sorts of planning and they went and had ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (a bagel in front of Tiffany’s) and they walked around and he shopped with her (hero that he is) and they had dinner at a cool New York Italian restaurant that looked like the one in one of her favorite movies. Great day all around (so I’m told as I have not seen them yet. They are due back in a couple of hours).

The next day was New Year’s Eve, and they met up in the City with friends and crossed the “be in New York City for New Year’s Eve” off of Mac’s bucket list.

Then they headed down to Connecticut so Mac could do some work and catch up with the kids she stayed with over the summer while she did her internship last year.

Isn’t that all wicked interesting to you?

No?

Okay, how about this:

Mac left Cinnamon at home.

Who is Cinnamon?

Cinnamon is a stuffed horse that Mac has had since early childhood.

She sleeps with Cinnamon every night.

She takes Cinnamon everywhere she goes, if she is staying over night.

Cinnamon goes on every sleep over.

Cinnamon went to college.

Cinnamon comes home from college, on the plane. He is not packed away, mind you. she carries him with her.

Cinnamon is never left at home when Mac is not here.

Why?

Mac has brothers.

The following photographic essay does not represent the views of the parental units, nor the staff photographer, in the Dingleville Household. The ‘views’ expressed are those of Mac’s brothers and Mac’s brothers alone. Said brothers shall remain nameless for legal reasons. 

Photographic Description Number One: It is cold.

Photographic Description Number Two: Cinnamon is cold.

Photographic Description Number Three: Zombie Pig takes full advantage of the situation (and also tries to use Cinnamon as a substitute for the Freakin’ Egg Pride Rock Thing)

Photographic Description Number Four: Zombie Pig eventually gives up and a brother who shall not be named loads Cinnamon into the wood ring, thinking he can be warmed up in the fireplace (and that we wouldn’t notice that he is not… a log).

Photographic Description Number Five: Mac’s brothers decide that there are many ways to warm up Cinnamon.

Photographic Description Number Six:  Cinnamon survives the oven…

Photographic Description Number Seven: And the flying test

Photographic Description Number Eight: But will he survive Grampa’s workbench?

 

It would seem that Cinnamon is one tough dude. He survived the cold, the woodpile, the oven, the flying test… this horse has no natural or unnatural enemy who could possibly take him out for good.

But then again…..

Hurry home Mac.

Godspeed, Cinnamon.

Thanks for readin’!

* As always, you can come on over to Just Ponderin’s facebook page to comment or just hang out.