Please God, Don't let 'em Grow up to be Like That Guy!

Last night we made an outing to the Hyde Park Railroad Station, an old, out-of-use station where the Hudson Valley Railroad Society meets every Monday night from 7pm-9pm. I had to pick Timi up at the Poughkeepsie train station anyway (he'd been in the city for work), and we figured the long drive home would lull the boys to sleep and give us one night off from the ceaseless bath/book/bedtime routine. Besides that, we have nothing better to do. (Yes, we are really that desperate.)

The top floor of the station houses a very large model railroad depicting Poughkeepsie, the Mid-Hudson Train bridge and much of the Hudson Valley as it looked around the turn of the last century. The railroad society engineer was a friendly father in his late 30s, who it turns out has two girls. (We win some, we lose some I guess). It was a rainy night, all the old-time model railroaders were watching a movie about old trains  (what else), and my boys and one other 3-year old boy were the only visitors. During our extensive tour, Mr Railroad explained that the trains themselves were not antiques, just replicas. And he proceeded to elaborate on the sophistication of the fully computerized system that operated the rooms 8 working locomotives. Not only that, Mr. Railroad had to point out that the station's course is so outstanding (obviously!) that sometimes he even brings in his own trains from home, so that he can really open 'em up on the large track and really see how the fly. 

I looked around at my brood for a silent laugh to see if anybody was thinking what I was thinking: this guy's poor wife! But my giggles fell on deaf ears. Peter eye's were big as saucers, you could practically see the questions queueing up inside his mouth. I looked to Parker. I can always count on the little guy for a laugh. But alas the Guppy was fascinated by something happening inside one of the tunnels. Timi? Where was he? DH was downstairs  playing with an old steam engine. Suddenly it dawned on me: this model train thing might be catching. I pried the tot away from the tracks, grabbed Peter and yelled down: "Bedtime! Let's go." I had to usher everybody out as quickly as possibly lest Mr. Railroad have something contagious. Tomorrow's stop: the bookstore, the movies, the water park, the bar...anything just pray god, don't let 'em turn into HIM!