GMK and the CQ are GLUTTONS for Punishment. GLUTTONS, I say.

GMK and I set out with ALL FIVE (including the sick lassie) to attend the Autism Society's monthly Pool-Pizza Party at the Boys' and Girls' Club. Tim was committed to meeting staff and pals from CCC Kids so we went.

Those Autism people are my people. We arrived about 6 minutes after the start time and had to park down the block on the street. Getting Tim out of the front passenger seat involved that horrific scraping sound of the door on the sidewalk. Wah!

Those Autism people are my people. The three packages of Von's cookies were gone by 6:23 p.m., when we made our way to the food table. GMK would hold that bait-and-switch ("there will be cookies") promise against me for the remainder of the outing.

Charlie-boy in-pool supervision by me (in street clothes) was a true lark. The J-crabs were, shockingly, no help whatsoever in that regard. They did do locker room accompaniment (for Tim) duty, which was of marginal benefit.

Of special agony was sending Jack to find a free chair for GMK and it taking him multiple, specific prompts from GMK and me only to return WITHOUT a CHAIR and report "it's not being used" and watch him return to find it subsequently taken. (There were about 5 standing people for every available seat). Finally, GMK hauled out the Verbal Great Wooden Spoon and told him, "If GMK isn't in a chair, you aren't in the pool." Ta-DA, Jack scuttles back post haste with a chair.

Mercifully, LLGA after watching for about 45 minutes, slept in the high-humidity for the remainder of our outing...right until she was put in the van and then WAHHHHH!

..............

Highlight was GMK walking poolside barefoot. Not sure why she took off her sandals, but her tootsies were painted a fetching color.

Lowlight was Charlie's FREAKING-OUT at the orange fluorescent lighting visible through the top of the pool that he noticed only after his 4th or 5th near-drowning pluck-out-by-mom, when he was removed from the fun. Hysterics so we had to fetch the van and GMK waited with him, sobbing, there whilst I conducted an extraction maneuver that any SEAL team would be proud to call their own.

.......................

Concrete beach BBQ.

Poor baby.

Where did all these ribs come from?

Charlie and GMK pre-fluorescent lighting-related theatrics.