So, here a photo of the son’s urban pumpkin just to show you the competition is real and ongoing. He’s a competitive guy, this son of mine. I noticed it from the time he was quite small. Believe me, these things don’t go away on their own. They only grow and grow like –like a giant pumpkin.

He sent me this photo to gloat just a little  show me. About ninety pound, he says. He’s got some formula for determining the weight  (top secret so far as I can tell since he hasn’t once shared this tidbit with dear old Mum.) Now, I’m all for a friendly completion but I’ve been a little suspicious about things ever since he came out to visit the other weekend. He spent some time at my pumpkin patch, granted his dad was with him the whole time but, as the son well knows, Dad can be distracted quite easily—a quick, “Look at that!” will often do it. So, ever since that weekend I’ve had a sense that my pumpkin has stalled. Now, I don’t have any real proof , just a “lukewarm speculation ,” as Cammie would say. And now, for two weekends in a row the son has come out from the city to inspect our patch. (Tell me that doesn’t seem a tiny bit suspicious!)  If he makes another trip this weekend I’m going to be on high alert. He’s not getting out of my sight. Now I don’t want to use the word sabotage, but… Let’s just say I’ll be watching him like a hawk. No getting distracted by hugs and kisses from the grandkids, neither.

So in lieu of this new development, I’ll delay posting a photo of the country pumpkin. It’s time to regroup, maybe come up with a plan of my own. I might just have to make a trip in to visit this urban pumpkin.