Proof that the good Lord (or devil) is working against me

Last week, yet another gargantuan hail storm hit our house (go here to see last year's massacre). I had numerous phone calls and emails from friends who were concerned to see if The Great Pumpkin survived.

This is evidence that he is making everyone as obsessed as he is.

We have two different patches because really, doesn't everyone?

Jamie is growing his pumpkins on our neighbor's lot behind our house. The kids' pumpkin is located adjacent to our fence. Jamie spent umpteen hours protecting his pumpkins from potentially fatal storms by installing poles to hold the hail netting. Here is how they fared during the storm:

After the storm.


The hail netting held up and for the most part, his pumpkins were unscathed.

But the children's pumpkin that he did not protect with hail netting?

Think drowned rat.

The vines will eventually bounce back but for now, there is mourning at the Johnson house.

Jamie continues to toil relentlessly in the patch and I continue to relentlessly mock him. Lest you think I am not supportive, welp, you would be only partially correct. I am supportive within reason. An hour in the patch a day is not a big deal. Sometimes he even spends two and I'm OK with that.

But entire weekends where you spend more time with the pumpkin than your family? A big deal.

Last week, Jamie was in the pumpkin patch with our neighbor and bishop. Jamie mentioned to him how I was giving him a hard time about the many hours he had just spent installing his hail netting.

As they were chatting, an airplane with a sky ad trailing behind circled overhead. They strained to read the message and Jamie joked, "Does it say anything about growing big pumpkins? That could be my sign."

As the plane turned, the message (which was likely from the pothead mari*juana dispensaries that have taken over Denver) was revealed:

"Grow it up."

Now, the argument is regarding from whom "The Sign" was given.