So, the Elder Child comes home last night and is stoked about Pi Day (today - March 14, or 3.14 - get it? GET IT?!?) and says his math class has decided they will celebrate Pi Day with pies.
"Fabulous!" says I, along with, "What kind of pies is your teacher bringing in?"
Insert cricket sounds.
Well, apparently, it's a volunteer thing. As in, the kids have volunteered to let their parents get pies for them to bring in for Pi Day. Easy enough - I have to go to the store, anyway.
HOWEVER, this child adores pumpkin pie, and, according to a recent Buzzfeed post, the peak time for pumpkin pie recipes is guess when? Not March. But, hope springs eternal, so off we go to the big Safeway and guess what? No fresh pumpkin pie in the bakery. Off to the frozen foods! Surely, Sara Lee or Marie Callender have frozen pumpkin pies, even in March!
Alas, no.
I brought Elder Child with me, and as I turned to tell him he'd probably have to go with one of the apple pies readily available back at the bakery, he looked at me with his blue eyes and a part of me whispered, "He was so excited about Pi Day, to the point of explaining to his younger sibs how it works, and he even volunteered to get a pie to participate. Admittedly, you're now committed to this, also, but check out that enthusiasm!"
So, off to the refrigerated section - pie crust selected. Down to the canned vegetable aisle, where canned pumpkin could not be found because that's too obvious. Off to the baking aisle, where it was nestled comfortably with its Thanksgiving companions, evaporated milk and marshmallows.
Home we went, oven turned on, pie crust unrolled, ingredients combined, and, just over an hour later - the house smelling like that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when you're ready to forgive the year for all its ills - pumpkin pie.
Enjoy your Pi Day, little man, and thank you.
