Melancholy Sucker...
Today, my children engaged in a full-scale battle over the rights to cutting a WATERMELON. Which, God Bless America, is a sure sign that summer needs to be over and kids need to go back to school. But, truth be told, I have mixed emotions about this time of year. I'm weary of squabbles based on nothing and claims of boredom. But I'm also a melancholy sucker for the start of another school year and I'll inevitably be that mom with tears behind her Ray-Bans aviators on the first day of classes next week. And that I have similar feelings about the kids working at PJP Buttonwood shouldn't surprise us. Like most businesses in a college town, we are starting a big shift in personnel as the fall semester starts. Barb has left us for more interesting (and presumably less dramatic) endeavors, Mac is leaving for graduate school, and Mitch, Bailey, and Sydney all go back to limited part-time schedules. Sigh. And truth be told, I'll miss having them all there everyday. And Jeanne will too, even though she almost threw the computer across the room when we all listened to "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson last week because we were having an intense conversation about MJ's talents (that Jeanne completely ignored).
Without question, just as Jeanne and I have backed into good fortune far more plentiful than either of us deserve, finding the kids that spend a lot of time with us has been just one more piece of it all. While we selfishly will miss having everyone there every day, we are excited to see their fall semesters start and to hear about their classes and their projects due and papers to write and their roommate stories. And if they think less time at PJP in the coming months limits their role in World Pie Domination, then they are sorely mistaken. (I've already texted each of them and put a lockdown on their Thanksgiving week plans.) (I'm also making notes about who should do what at PJP World Headquarters once we become A Thing.)
As you might know, Mitch was our first official employee just about this time last year. And a few months later, Mitch brought us Mac. And now Mac brings us Gunnar. Gunnar joins us starting next week on a daily basis and we couldn't be more excited, even in the face of all this change. We figured that since Gunnar already knew all the very most challenging and uh, difficult, things about Jeanne and I direct from Mitch and Mac AND he still wanted to work with us every day, then WE ACCEPT. Plus, he has a cool name, is eager to learn, and completely not opposed to refilling the sugar and flour bins. A win-win all around. The only thing I forgot to ask Gunnar is how he feels about women who cry and yell sometimes. I really hope that part isn't a deal-breaker...