Blueberries - The Whole Story

So, we went to The Berry Patch yesterday to pick us some berries. We like blueberries but we don't loooove blueberries but thought it would be a fun experience none-the-less. It's about a half hour drive south of the city. The ride there was uneventful and I thought to myself, well that was a fine drive, we found it easily and it didn't take too long. I guess I jinxed myself because the rest of the events made for a bit of a frustrating morning!

We familiarized ourselves with just how to pick berries and determine their ripeness and tied twine around the kids mid areas to hold up their buckets, thinking the buckets may get heavy from loading them so full of ALL the berries we were going to get. I had thoughts of freezing them and making jam and pancakes and smoothies and muffins! I told the kids they couldn't fill them more than half full. You pay by the pound and I didn't want to end up spending $25 on blueberries.

We walked out in the 95 degree heat to Patch 3 which was posted as "open". The boys happily started picking then after about 5 minutes Sophia and I found reprieve under the one shade tree when I realized my shoe had broken and was unwearable. I was wearing my 15 year old Birkies and the heat had made the glue, that held the straps to the sole, lose its adhesiveness. Or maybe it was because they are 15 years old and I haven't worn them for the past 5? The boys picked eagerly and found walking sticks but were done after about 20 minutes and just hardly filled the bottom of their buckets. :) They were "too hot" but were still able play in the kid area on the shredded wheat! Imagine that?

One leg limping behind me, trying to keep my broken shoe on, so that I wouldn't have to walk with one bare foot on the rough gravel or accidentally step on a bee, was going to make for a long trip back to the house where you purchased your berries. So I threw the sweaty kids in the car in order to drive up to the house and borrowed Keegan's flip flops to go into the house/store.

That right there is called: improv. Improvisation is a key word in parenting or maneuvering having 3 kids out and about by yourself. I could write numerous stories, as any mom (or dad) could, about the rig em and roll we go through to juggle things. Like how to go the bathroom with a child that doesn't stand independently, how to carry your tray, diaper bag, baby, etc while at a buffet line, how to let two boys "go potty" when there is no "potty" in sight. If you are a mom (or dad), you know all too well these things of which I speak!

So we made it to the old blue store. I thought the counter outside right next to where I could park and have view of the car was where you paid for the berries. So because the kids were HOT and Keegan now didn't have any shoes, I left the car running with the kids in it, AC blasted and had Sam lock the doors. The ladies outside weighed our two puny bags of berries - .78 lbs @ 2.65/lb = $1.91 in berries. Keep in mind other people were literally carrying numerous buckets that had berries spilling out the tops! Then the lady says, " I will put these in Bin 21." Gave me my slip for $1.91. and says " You can pay for those inside." REALLY? I walked inside to a line that wrapped around the shelves and counter. Ugh, I couldn't leave my kids in the car by themselves. I almost thought about just forgetting the blueberries and calling it a day but thought that would not be kind to my "Little Berrypickers". So I went out to the car, grabbed Sophia and told the boys we're going in! and Keegan you'll just have to go in barefoot.

They each got about three times as much as this:

We waited in line for about 10 minutes, where they were also selling fresh, hot homemade blueberry treats and blueberry lemonade. We ordered 3 oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, a can of root beer and a can of Diet Rite- go figure! We made it to the cash register, our total was $6.o1 - (not even half of the total was for our darn berries). I was laughing to myself while we ate our very scrumptious warm, gooey cookies. As I maneuvered holding several things in my hands while putting Sophie in her car seat, I dropped my debit card on the ground and a made a mental note to pick it up after I fastened her in. And we were off. I write this about this account as though we weren't having fun or this was a-typical. Nope not at all. We had a great time and this is SO typical!

We were having fun until I realized about half way home when we stopped to get some much needed lunch at the drive-thru that I did not have my debit card. After barreling through diaper bags and purses searching for the card, it dawned on me that the "mental note" I had made about dropping my debit card on the ground, had gotten lost somewhere between answering young boys questions and getting a 14 month old her sippy cup of water. Ugh! I left it at The Berry Patch. I wasn't too frantic. Well, I was a little frantic. Even though in my right mind I knew the worst thing that would happen would be I would have to cancel the debit card and go 2 weeks until I got a new one in the mail. The problem is, I can not think about anything else at these times of uncertainity, my mind will only be focused on getting the problem resolved. Keegan reminded me of his dad at this moment...He kept me calm and stepped up to the plate. Both Sam and he offered to feed Sophia in her car seat while we drove. I called our bank to put a hold on the card. Unfortunatley was not able to reach a live person at The Berry Patch to confirm or deny that they had found a mastercard with the name Molly Slaughter. However, I did learn that "This week is the best week of picking so far despite the rain!" from their very friendly recorded message! Then we headed BACK to The Berry Patch. Well right after leaving Culver's because it was too expensive- as in the FOOD WAS NOT FREE (I did not have any cash). The boys let me use some of their quarters (made from their traveling lemonade stand) to buy *3*dollar items off the Wendy's value menu. Had to feed all of us. It was almost 2:00 by this point. Oops make that *4* dollar menu items, had to pull back around the drive thru to order a burger for Mama. Forgot to get myself something and low blood sugar mama doesn't deal with heat, loud chatty children, lost debit cards or anything for that matter with grace or poise.

I realized while heading back to The Berry Patch, I was low on gas, scratch that, rather I had reached my 300 mile limit. ( I really can go more miles than that but don't like to live on the edge.) Remember... my gas gauge does not work so I have to rely on my odometer. I had better find that debit card or we would either A) run out of gas in the middle of no where or B) I will need to borrow some more quarters from my little entrepreneurs.

So we got back to The Berry Patch, which if you need to know how to get there I know the way very well now, look around the ground where we were parked (everywhere except where one van was parked) and no debit card to be found. I asked a teen age employee if a debit card had been turned in. He told me the lost and found is behind me. I turned around to see two plastic tubs full of sandals, sunglasses, hair ties. I told him I didn't think some one would throw the debit card in there and could I leave my name and number. I did and went back out to the parking lot to scour the premises again. There it was! right next to the other van, white side face up, camouflage in the white gravel. Awwww I found it right where I had dropped it.

We headed back home, where I was able to stop at the gas station I saw the first time we had passed it that had gas for 14c cheaper a gallon than any where else. Well, that savings on gas made it worth all the trouble right there! Later in the evening we enjoyed the rest of our oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (not blueberry cobbler) after dinner and Sophia enjoyed some of the fresh berries. Boys had about two - I mean they don't like blueberries anyway!

It really was nothing, just another summer day. And do I still believe we will hit The Berry Patch again next year? Why yes! It got full reviews from these three here: