perks

The boys and I have spent lots of time hanging out and watching the trucks at the end of the street. Lots of excavators, front loaders, dump trucks and even the odd cement truck have been spotted. It has provided many hours of entertainment since construction started in the spring. Last year we also spent lots of time watching as another nearby street was being dug up. Definitely much easier this time round with Jesse being one year older. He will watch attentively as the workers go about their business digging and scooping. When he gets bored, he starts looking for rocks and throwing them into the big holes. Last summer was much more stressful with Jesse wanting to get out of the stroller and toddle around the sidewalk, too close to the digging. We always seem to make some friends at the construction site. Some of the men have grandsons that are equally intrigued by the world of trucks. They'll always give my boys a wave when they spot us watching all the action.

Two years ago I was out with Nathaniel and Jesse (then a baby) watching at the hydro station as two men were moving long posts. We were across the street and had only been there for 10-15 minutes. One of the men ran inside and returned carrying a blue Kitchener Hydro baseball hat. He crossed the street and presented it to Nathaniel. That has been Nathaniel's hat since that day. He wears it every moment he is outside. I never have to remind him to put on his hat when we go outside. The hat is faded and frayed, but it is his beloved hat. So thoughtful of this man to give a hat to a little boy watching him work.

Yesterday as we watched an excavator digging the sidewalk across the street, a dumptruck came towards us, ready to turn and drive down our street. The man stopped his truck, got out and approached us with a small boxed grader truck. He gave it to my boys saying that it was from all the guys at the Region. Now, he also mentioned that he knew they didn't have this truck. How he knew this I have no idea. I am racking my brain trying to recall whether I had mentioned this in one of my conversations with the workers. I can't remember. I do know that I have thought that this is one truck that my boys do not have. Well, I sat there on the spot, took it out of the packaging and presented it to my boys. They were pretty impressed. After figuring out who would get the first turn with the new truck we returned home. Jesse kept repeating "Nice." Yes, it was very nice of the man.