One of my biggest pet peeves is when total strangers try to talk to my kids. I understand they mean well, but we practice “Don’t talk to strangers” in our house. I don’t make any exceptions, not even for the nice elderly lady at the grocery store. Besides, “please” and “thank you”, I don’t want my kids talking to people they don’t know. So when strangers approach my kids and try to make harmless conversation, more often than not, they won’t respond. I usually do the talking and they are quick to chastise me that I shouldn’t talk to strangers. Such was the case today…
This is River Otter. That is his name. I told her we should call him RO or Rivvy for short, but she demands he be called River Otter. Besides her blankie, this is Savannah’s most prized possession. River Otter is always there. Sometimes, I’m working and I’ll turn around to find the little creeper on the floor right behind me. He goes everywhere with us. We never leave home without him. Savannah always straps him to his seat belt, because River Otters need to be safe too. A couple of weeks ago, she asked if I would make River Otter some clothes or an ascot like Fred from Scooby Doo. I can see this is escalating. Anytime, we go into a store, River Otter is there. He usually cruises the aisles on the bottom of the cart. According to Savannah, this is the best view for him. Almost everyday there is someone {a stranger} that approaches us about River Otter. We get lots of “oh what is that?” “what’s it’s name?” Today was no exception, except this time, the person asking about River Otter was a serial killer. GAH! They just find me everywhere. And I’m serious. This guy was straight up serial killer material.
After baseball today, I had to swing by Target and pick up a gift for a birthday party later on. I decided to park farther out than usual, because it was packed and I didn’t want to have to deal with the cars next to me. Anytime, I’m trying to get the kids back in the car, the owners of the cars parked next to me always come out. Then, I feel rushed to get them in and I just didn’t want to deal with it. So, I get Savannah out, then walk around to the passenger side for Annie. I notice a man step out of his blue Durango that is parked one spot over and up. As he’s walking towards me, I got an uneasy feeling. He was walking way too close. I mean what the hell…there were no cars at the end…why was he so close? Shiver. So, I kept my eye on him and wouldn’t you know it? He gets to the back of my Expedition and turns around. “Is that an otter?” Are you kidding me? Is this really happening? This mangy otter has attracted a serial killer! At this point, my heart is racing. Who stops mid stride to Target, does an about face and asks about River Otter? I did my best to make polite Otter conversation, all the while getting a visual of my surroundings. Where can I run? Crap…Annie’s still in the car! Then he started telling me about a local place where I could see Otters playing…how he goes there all the time. Oh yeah sure…I’ll meet you there…at your serial killer den. I didn’t think he was ever going to leave, but he did. Finally, I got Annie out of the car and called my husband. He was on his way home from baseball with Jacks. I explained to him what happened and asked if he would come up to Target and wait for me to come out. He’s pretty use to my serial killer spookies by now, but being the good guy that he is, he parked and waited by my car.
After my brush with the serial killer, I decided I would make that ascot for River Otter. So, while Chris took Jacks to the birthday party, we got to work designing River Otter’s first accessory.
Several fabric swatches later, we decided the orange stripe complimented his fur the best.
We measured his neck and he was a solid 11. I added extra length for seam allowance and quickly drafted an ascot pattern.
If I’m making a River Otter an ascot, I might as well personalize it! Now he’s looking more distinguished and dapper…than mangy.
She’s trying to talk me into a toy scooter, so River Otter can drive of course. Stay tuned.
Tleshia Farrar
April 27, 2013 at 8:12 pmThis sounds so much like our house…I finally had to make a rule that Swim Swim had to stay in our house except when we go on trips and then he travels with us. She loves this otter so much and is obsessed with reading about them. Did you know that a group of sea otters is called a raft, yep I did, and that they have two layers of fur, their babies are called pups, and when they are young they float like a cork, yes, all the things I’ve learned in the last couple of months……at least it has sparked her interest in something, she says she wants to work with them to help get them off the endangered list when she grows, up….i’m having her a dress made out of a tshirt that says save the sea otters for her birthday!!! You want to make swim swim a bow tie?? LOL! I’m sure River Otter and Swim Swim would be the best of pals if they did not live so far apart from one another.
Krisha
April 28, 2013 at 6:53 amI had no idea Tleshia about the raft thing. Love the dress idea! I’m going to show her the pictures of your LK holding the sea otter and Swim Swim. A mini bow tie…how cute! Yes…too bad we aren’t closer. They would surely be great friends…otters and all!