All Hail the Pizza Rat

I met J and her son B when I first started work at my school. Our boys are the same age and have been in school together for 4 years. They met at a play date nearly 4 years ago and both boys still talk about that day. We went to a park and when there was a bit of a rainstorm we let the boys play in the mud, washing them off in an outdoor pump before we got in our cars to go home. This is the equivalent of 3 year old nirvana and even now, at the jaded age of 7, they talk about that day.

Yesterday, we went to the Pizza Rat together. J had revealed her secret Pizza Rat strategy last summer: go at 4 pm on a weekday and it's quiet. The boys can run around and play for a couple of hours while the grown ups can visit and relax. It's actually quite lovely. I took this picture of our boys when they stopped just long enough for a photo to be snapped. They have been friends for more than half of their lives and I love that idea. That, some good company, and the laughter of two happy boys made for a nice mid-week break.