Ode to Hop

Hop the grasshopper passed away last week. He was a pretty significant part of our household for the month or so he was with us. He went twice to Juan's preschool for show and tell. He sat, during the day, on our kitchen counter and kept us company while we cooked. He was here through the stair refinishing which meant chilly trips outside in the early morning and at bedtime to get upstairs and down. We would wrap his container in a blanket or towel and Juan would tote him up and down. At night, Juan wanted him in the room with us. The first night he made a circle of his toy trees around Hop's container so that Hop would feel at home. Every night he carried Hop downstairs and put him amongst his trees for bedtime. Juan held him nearly every day and he and Mary Lu would talk to him and watch him crawl around on Juan's sleeve. All in all it was not a bad final month for a two-legged, one-winged grasshopper. We'll miss you Hop, we were glad to have you.