How's that again?

We spent the day in VA so that Ray could get his car worked on and inspected, and interesting things always seem to happen over there.

1. We were in the library down the street, keeping Owen entertained in the children's section, when I looked over at a shelf of picture books. My eyes settled on these three book spines, all in a row: "Punk Farm," Bubble Bath Pirates," and "Annie Was Warned."

Now, I'm just getting back into children's books after a long absence (a high school job in a public library); maybe some of you are familiar with these. For all I know, they're classics. But the titles just cracked me up. "Punk Farm" could be the name of a band (and indeed it's about a hard rockin' band made up of a pig, sheep, cow, and horse). "Bubble Bath Pirates" clearly belongs in the women's erotica section -- except that this is Virginia so there's no women's erotica section. Obvs. And as for "Annie Was Warned," well, that's an ominous title for a book aimed at tots. It sounds like one of those after-school specials of my youth. Warned about what? And what happened to her when she apparently disobeyed? I was too afraid to find out.

2. Then we went to lunch, at the legendary Vienna Inn. While we waited for our loaded chili dogs, a cell phone starting ringing in the booth behind us, which was occupied solely by an elderly woman.

Buddy you're a boy make a big noise
Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on your face
You big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place

We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you

Seemed like an odd choice for a ringtone for her phone. I did a doubletake while the lady tried to answer the phone...but then her granddaughter came to the table, bearing their drinks.

3. In the afternoon, Ray and Owen went out for a bit in the newly fixed car. When they came back, Ray said, "The whole drive back, I thought Owen was saying 'butthole,' 'butthole,' but then I realized he was saying, 'pretzel.'"