The Mommies

The girl and I began attending our first Early Childhood Family Education class (otherwise known as Mommy and Me) a couple of weeks ago.  The first two weeks have gone well, but I think the moms were a little surprised when I showed up the first day.  Most of them were in class together during the first session last fall, and there were no dads enrolled with their kids in that class.  So I feel a bit like an interloper showing up and spoiling the chick bonding time.  I can't help but think of Eddie Murphy in that Saturday Night Live sketch from many years ago when he wore makeup to look like a white man.  In the sketch Murphy was riding on a city bus and sitting in silence with his fellow passengers.  When the last African-American got off at his stop, the driver turned on music, people started dancing, and a waitress began serving drinks.

The ECFE moms have all been friendly thus far, but I wonder if the topics of discussion are different because I'm there.  I don't know - I guess I thought they might just sit around griping about their husbands the entire time.  I'm tempted to dress in drag one week (the wife's old maternity clothes should work) and pretend that I'm my wife just to see if things are any different.  I could then start bitching about my husband, i.e. me, and see where the conversation goes.  I think I could pull it off - my family can attest to my mastery of the falsetto voice.  If I only had a burqa.  I'll look around the basement for our sewing machine and some old blankets or a shower curtain to convert.

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One of my favorite everyday beers is Grain Belt Premium, which is produced just down the road from North Mankato in New Ulm by the August Schell Brewing Company.  Originally produced by the Minneapolis Brewing Company in Northeast Minneapolis in a castle-like building that reminds me of Willie Wonka's chocolate factory, Grain Belt has a storied history and was acquired by Schell's in 2002.  I think the main reason that I like the beer so much is that when I lived in downtown Minneapolis the balcony of my apartment overlooked a giant Grain Belt billboard.  It was originally built in the 1930s and apparently used to blaze nightly with a neon glow, although now it's just lit with floodlights.  After recently reading that the billboard is for sale!,  I ran out to buy a Powerball ticket and tried to figure out how to have the sign taken apart, transported, and reassembled in our backyard.  I really enjoyed that view from my apartment.  And I'm sure the neighbors would love to have a little slice of history behind the house (as would the North Mankato zoning commission).  Anyone remember the Kenny Roger's Roasters episode on Seinfeld??