Posted by dml (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 10:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Friday Thoughts is a light-hearted commentary."

This is supposed to be light hearted??? I think 5 years old is a little young to expect a child to start mowing lawn. Hope you dont have to take a "light-hearted" trip to the ER because she cut her foot off or worse!

Posted by acricket (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Now I know for sure that Emporia is going nuts. who in their right mind would let a 5 year old mow . Only in EMPORIA

Posted by jayhawker (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 12:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

We probably need to lighten up on this one. When my children and grandchildren were young, I would (pretending to be serious) tell them that I was too tired and they needed to drive for awhile. It was great fun, but they quickly learned not to take Grandpa too seriously. I suspect that Chris has pulled this kind of thing on Hattie before. Even though only 5 years old, she is smart enough to know that Dad was trying to fool her, so she turned it around on Dad. This pair, Chris and Hattie, have wonderful years ahead of them. Oh, that we could capture time in a bottle. Kids and pets are life's greatest reward. Enjoy them everyday, and make it so that they enjoy us.

Posted by create (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

C'mon, lighten up you guys. This is tongue in cheek. Haven't you pulled the legs of your kids or grandkids? I have. The horse story still makes the rounds in my household. When my kids were ages 8 and 10, we lived on a military base and they asked for a horse. "Sure I said, you can each have one if you earn the money." Their plan was to sell lemonade. Fine. Little did I know where they planned to sell it. They hauled ice, lemonade, and cups in a small red wagon two blocks away -- TO THE EDGE OF THE PARADE GROUND. Telling their horse story to dozens of Marines who felt sorry for them, they raked in nearly $50 which was a lot 35 years ago. Of course the joke was on me, but this is the stuff of family rememberances that bring out all-important smiles. Chris and Hattie are having a horse story.

Posted by Pollyanna (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

So Create, what did they name their horses?? Talk about resourceful kids!! That's great.

My grandpa is the king of pranks and story telling. When I was a wee tot, I was convinced the two monkeys at the Great Bend zoo shared mine and my brothers name. I thought it was an amazing coincidence that one had my name and the other had my brothers. Unfortunately they were mean, poo throwing, middle- finger raising monkeys! I think I was 7 or so before I figured that one out...

Posted by create (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh Pollyana, what a hoot!!! I'll bet you called those monkeys by name everytime you went to that zoo.

Yes, my kids were resourceful. They are in their middle forties now. One manages a Kansas based company, and the other is vice-president of a national retail company in Chicago.

And the rest of the horse story...about a year after the lemonade sale, my husband received orders for here in Emporia on recruiting duty. We bought a house south of town and one day, when neither kid expected it, a big trailer pulled up in the driveway and out walked a horse, saddle and all. I can still see the look of absolute shock on their faces, mouths wide open, hardly breathing. Together, they rode upon and took care of that horse and saddle for several years.

Posted by mythoughts (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 6:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think its hilarious what kids come up with, especially before they become cynical, and jaded by other people in the world who don't know how to be anything but mean. That happens all too soon these days...