So last weekend was all about doing stuff around the house and yard. We finished up a raised garden bed and cleaned out the pop up camper so it would be ready for our upcoming adventures.

I ended up “getting” to go to Home Depot at 2:00 on a Saturday to buy dirt for the garden. While I was in line I saw a display that spoke to me. It said “Feed Me Seymor!”

It was a corrugated display full of little plants with clear plastic domes on top, sort of like a milk shake from McDonald’s but without the whole for the straw. There was condensation on the dome so it was hard to see what was actually inside but the graphic on the display was all I needed to see to realize that those little containers were holding freakin man eating venus fly traps!

The image was a cartoon version of this muscular, man-sized venus fly trap just about to close it’s mouth on a fly the size of a huge pumpkin. It was the sort of artwork that you would imagine seeing on the arm of someone who had a bright idea for a tattoo in 1989. I immediately conjured up memories of “Little Shop of Horrors” and  how memorized I was by that crazy plant that ate people. Now that I think about it, it’s hilarious how that movie captured my attention so effectively at age 9. It really had more of an adult theme but I suppose you can’t under-rate the power of a singing, man eating house plant:)

Anyhow…

I had plenty of time to consider the purchase since I had the great pleasure of waiting in line staring at it for about 20 minutes while the guy in front of me purchased about 900 a la cart nuts and bolts of different sizes. I’ve always been amazed by the fact that Home Depot bar-codes every individual nut and bolt in those countless bins. What I learned on Saturday though, is that the bar-codes fall off. It was like price check hell! The items seemed to range from a dime to 50 cents each and Home Depot was determined to garner every last nickel they had coming. The lady had this kid running back and fourth between her and the nut bins, reporting on prices as he gathered up more to run and figure out. I thought I was Mr. Smart Guy Jones checking out in the Garden section…so did nuts and bolts guy…

Anyhow…

I bought it, and brought it home and excitedly showed it to Rebecca and insisted that Eli would love it. One thing lead to another and I never ended up taking the time to give it to him myself. Rebecca gave it to him while I was at work on Monday I think. She and I were talking tonight, just recapping the day. She was telling me about her day and also painting a picture for me of what Elijah was up to and how he handled life today. As a side note… I can’t even begin to describe the joy I get from those reports. I lead a very busy life and often I’m home late in the evening. Rebecca is a remarkable mom and is really intentional about keeping me in the loop. I think many couples end up resenting one another when one does most the working outside the home and the other does most of the working inside the home. I think the truth is, we get a bit jealous of one another sometimes but overwhelmingly, we do a good job of keeping each other in tune with what’s happening in our respective “other than together” worlds. It would be very easy for her to choose not to be intentional  about letting me in related to Eli’s progress and accomplishments that happen during the day while I’m away but she doesn’t and I’m thankful.

Back to the Venus Fly Trap…

I opened it and looked at it on Monday and truthfully, my immediate reaction was that it should be illegal to allow a company to convince me to by something based on a super cool depiction that looked so wimpy in real life. It’s super small and looks like a fly would kick it’s butt!

Rebecca was talking to Eli about it…

Rebecca: Hey Buddy, that plant eats bugs.

Eli: Huh?

Rebecca: That plant…, it eats bugs.

Eli: Huh?

Rebecca: It eats bugs, maybe it would even bite your finger, put it in it’s mouth and see:)

Eli: Huh?

Rebecca: Put your finger in it’s mouth…

Eli: (pulling his hands down and back behind him like a pit bull just snapped at him) “NO!”

…I guess he saw Little Shop of Horrors as well…