778 – Lemonade Stand Spring | Big Farm in the Sky P.I. S2 E11

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and friends beyond the binary. It's time for the podcaster … I kind of sound a little bit like a narrator on a monorail or something. It's time for Sleep with Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep, patrons. Thanks for the support. Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing, trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep with Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press play. I'm going to do the rest. What I'm going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever's keeping you awake. Whether it's the thoughts, the feelings, physical sensations. It changes in time or temperature. So stuff you've been on your mind, stuff that you're feeling physically or emotionally. Or just changes. Or just you can't sleep, how about that? Or you wake up and can't get back to sleep, whatever it is. I'd like to take your mind off.

I've got this nice, safe place here set aside. Plenty of room. Plenty of personal space, plenty of distance. Very comfortable, come on in. And what I'm going to do is I'm going to send my voice across the deep, dark night. I'm going to use a lulling, soothing, creaky dulcet tones. Pointless meanders, superfluous tangents. Holy cow. I don't know … I just pictured myself if tangents were a balloon, I'd be a balloon seller. Tangential balloons. That was on my … The album was only released in Germany. That is right, it was under the name Chardonnay Noir. It was my cabaret album, Tangential balloons. It was a good one.

Actually, we just did a dance remix of it too. But that's another life. What was my point? Oh, superfluous tangents. I'm going to go off topic. Really, what I'm here to do is keep you company. If you're new, hi. Welcome. I'm glad you're here. Don't worry, we'll talk about inflatable tangents. I think I've talked about that before.

But if you're new, here's a couple of things. I'm glad you're here. This podcast is a little bit different. So, I don't exactly know … I've been doing it whatever, seven, almost 800 episodes. I still don't exactly know how to set the expectations. I know if you're skeptical, totally makes sense. And, if you're not sure about this podcast, of course, why wouldn't you be? It's a podcast to put you to sleep. You say, “Well what's your …” So that's where I say, “Well I'm not sure how to set the expectation.” Let me tell you, this podcast is a little bit different. It does not make a whole lot of sense, and it does take some adjusting to get used to, or not. Most listeners say, “Well I'll listen two or three times, and I started falling asleep. And I realized it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.”

So, I guess, just see how it goes. I'm just here to help, there's no pressure. And there's no pressure to listen. This is one of the few podcasts you can kind of barely listen to. You could turn me all the way down, but some listeners turn me all the way up. Most people find it somewhere in between. So, no need to listen. Also, no pressure to fall asleep. I'll be here for about an hour to keep you company. So if you can't sleep, I'm going to be here. And then you can queue up episode after episode. So, I'm here until the very end. So that you can fall asleep whenever you want.

Structurally for the show, what to expect, is the show starts off with business that you already heard. It's how we're able to keep the show free for everybody instead of paid service or whatever. And then, there's an intro, which is around 12 minutes of me trying to explain what the podcast is, and earn your trust. And the reason it goes on for 12 minutes is just because it takes me forever to get anywhere. And, also, a lot of listeners use it as part of their wind down. Because you say, “Well …” I might overuse the word paradoxical, but it's just because I don't understand how this podcast works either. I don't know if a podcast would work if it said, “Okay. I'm going to put you to sleep right now. Right after this intro.” And you'd say, “Smoozety smooze. One two three. I'm here with Scoot's imaginary friend, Bill. And we're sponsored by whatever, sleep cream. And here we go, time to go to sleep.”

That to me seems like a little bit of … I like a wind down. And sometimes I need a stealth wind down, and sometimes I need where I say, “Okay, I'm going to get …” I actually have a dimmer now, so I dim my lights. Ideally, like hours before I want to be to bed. Little inside baseball, as they say. Ideally, after I do the dishes, the next time I'm in my room, if the lights go on, I try to turn the dimmer all the way down. Now that does lead to some fumbling, but I'm fumbling and bumbling 24/7 anyway. And then, I have a wind down routine. And ideally, I stretch my wind down routine over about an hour. And it can vary.

But I think that stealth moment of turning the dimmer on, at least I'm empowered. I say, “Okay, the dimmer's on at least. It's got to be good for sleeping.” And, my point is, most listeners need a wind down. Some listeners, they don't need it. They fall asleep during the intro, or they skip the intro. They go to 18, 20 minutes, and they just start playing the show there. So if that works for you, that's great. Whatever works for you, try it out a few times and see how it works. So that's the intro. Then there's some business. Then there's the story, which is a … Tonight it will be our episodically modular series, Big Farm in the Sky P.I. And you can listen to those episodes in any order. So if you're new, and you say, “Well I don't know anything about this series,” don't worry. I'll catch you up on it. I'm here to keep you company, right? As you drift off. And then there's some thank yous.

So that's structurally what to expect. You don't need to listen, no pressure to fall asleep. So I was talking about inflatable meander … Is that what inflatable meanders? I guess at some point during the intro, there's a picture of myself just blowing meanders up. That would be pretty cool. You'd say, “Are those balloons all Ws and curly Qs?” “Well no, these are meander balloons.” I guess I should have called the meander balloons. Maybe they should be … If I become a DJ, is that what Marshmello is? Or does Marshmello do other stuff like stuff that takes talent? Probably. But for me, I could be Meander Balloons. I wouldn't be able to do anything except, I guess I already do it. Meander.

It could also be a joke. Or what are those puzzles … I'll never think of what they're called. Where it's like a picture. It's like a pun, but you look at it and you try to figure out what it is. Because meander balloons almost sound like me under balloons, which sounds like … I was thinking originally someone standing under the balloons. But I guess you'd say … I guess maybe, if you live at the sea, “I have … What do you wear? I don't see your flotation device.” You'd say, “Well I wear me under balloons, actually.” Carl Cousteau, youngest of the Cousteau … Fifth generation of the Cousteaus, Carl Cousteau, “I wear me under balloons.” I'm a founder, and I'm a customer, me under balloons. That's how I stay afloat. And comfy, expect for the sweating part. And the bad fact, those are made of whatever. But I stay afloat.

You see someone people wear leather, some people wear latex. I wear balloons. They say, “How do you look so svelte, Carl. And I'd say, “Well, it's me under balloon.” So that's what it is. And then the reporter said, “Okay, so you're actually wearing balloons as underwear.” “Well, it's a balloon-based underwear product. It's me under balloons. So I am wearing the prototype that I made yesterday with … There was also scotch tape.” “So you're wearing scotch tape and balloons as underwear.” “No, no, it's a prototype for me under balloons, and when the prototypes finished, it will be inflatable. So it will be like PFD. It's also swimwear. It instantly dries because it's balloons. And I wear it as an undergarment. Yeah, so that part is correct.” “What do you wear when you're wearing nothing, Carl?” “Well I don't, I wear me under balloons. Because if I was wearing nothing I'd actually probably have … That's a trick question.”

“Again, I'd just like to circle back to my … So you're wearing balloons as an undergarment.” “Balloons are part of my undergarment, correct.” Okay. Let's get back to the sleep podcast. Now that we got that clarified. It's a work in progress, that's Carl Cousteau. One of the imaginary Cousteaus, not to be confused with the actual Cousteaus. And, inventor, imaginary friend, and inventor, Carl Cousteau. Also, a customer of me under … What was it? I already forgot because I wear meander wear. Oh, me under balloons. It really … It's a shame we don't have a budget, you're right Carl. Because I could see many commercials.

You'd say, “What do you got under there?” “Hold on. Me under balloons.” Also anybody listening, don't ever wear … Don't put any balloons … Don't make any balloon undergarment prototypes. I'm not even joking. This is all just fictional. Just to clarify that. Keep the balloons blown up wherever. “Carl, what kind of example are you setting?” “Well I thought I was cutting edge. It turns out I was just …” “You're a dream, Carl. That's great that you know because I'm here to enable people's dreams too. And the way I do it is I go off topic. Sometimes I get caught up in interviews that I end up saying, “Well, it could have gone a different way.” Especially when something's catchy like that, it's hard to get out of. And the name Carl Cousteau is also catchy. And, so we'll just stick with that. Thanks again for coming by, Carl. Also have a brother named Carl, so that works out cool.

Got an editor on the show named Carl, so anyway. If you're new, I guess that gives you a pretty good example of how the podcast works. I'm taking your mind off of stuff. I would pause at that. I did, maybe there. You'd say, “Oh yeah, I forgot. I was thinking about … What was I thinking about earlier?” Well, just think about meander balloons. Anytime the word spreadsheet tries to get in your head, say, “Meander balloons.” You'd say, “Where's that spreadsheet?” “I put it in one of me under balloons, boss. Let me just get it out of here. It's pretty tight though, because it's still in a balloon. Don't worry, they're imaginary. Carl Cousteau invented them, of the imaginary Cousteaus.”

So if you're new, I'm here to help. I'm here to keep you company and to take your mind off stuff. I really appreciate you coming by. I make the show because I've been there, and I know how it feels, and I want to help. So, I think that's it. Give it a few tries, like most listeners say. But I appreciate your time, I work very hard at [inaudible 00:13:08] because I'd like to help you fall asleep. And, thanks again for coming by.

All right, everybody welcome to another episode of our episodically modular series, Big Farm in the Sky P.I., season two. You know, in a sleep podcast, you can get away with this. What was originally known as the Phantom Minnow season, and still will be. But because it's episodically modular, and whatever. Say, “Wow, there's very little Phantom Minnow in this. It's still a catchy title for a season two. I think it should be properly called Tweens in the Towns. But that's more …” You'd say, “What is that?” I guess neither one is super sleepy, sleep podcasty. But if you're new, oh boy. Or if you're coming back for your eleventh helping of Big Farm in the Sky P.I., season two, Phantom Minnow season, or more. I'll set everything up for you so you could sleep right through it without having to worry about continuity or anything. Because all those are things I'm aware of and think about.

This actually takes place in the real world. The same world you and I share, Earth, as it's quaintly known. And it takes place in the state of Florida. And in the great retirement community known as The Townes. With the name T-O-W-N-E-S. The Townes. Probably with an LLC or something in there. Something, something holdings. But just The Townes. One of the largest retirement communities in the world. And, our series stars a Gee, G-E-E and DK. Best friends, kind of … Like sisters, not actually sisters. Tweens, I think, though they could be teens. Young women, we'll refer to them, and I think that's definitely accurate. And they are on an independent study program with DK's aunt Penny. So they're students, doing great in school. They said to their school, “Hey, what if we go and stay with aunt Penny for a little while and we run our own business? That could be a semester of school. We'll learn a lot.”

I mean let's be honest, they were way ahead of their classmates. They're just both really great … Not just great students, world curious. And so that's what they're doing. And their business happens to be like a P.I. helping business. Where they're helping people solve missing … So that's where I say, “Well what is it, a P.I. business or something?” I'd say, “Well, in a retirement community, as we said at the beginning, the case of the missing wallet, it could be a mystery or it could just be a case of a wallet being missing.” And so, they've been adaptable with their business.

Now you say, “Okay, where's the Big Farm in the Sky P.I. part of this, Scoots?” Well, that's their uncle Simon. Specifically, Gee's uncle Simon. Once upon a time, before we knew him actually. Before even I knew him, he was an Earthly resident, just like you and I. We're all mammals, I guess. And so Simon was … He was a human. I'm just saying because dogs, cats, other mammals listen to this show. Maybe other beings do too. What up fishes? Birds, you know I love you. Even though you can't really pay for the podcast. Spread the word anyway. Glad I'm helping. Z to Ls to the Rs. I'm glad I could put some warmth in your cold state. You know how it goes. Can't talk much during a sleep podcast, so where was I?

So Simon was a human. Then, Simon, like I said, once upon a time when you're at a grocery store, and you wanted something, you took a number. And they would call your number. I think they'd say, “Your number's up,” or something. They'd say, “Now serving number 44.” Well Simon's number went up from Earth, and they said, “Well, you're transitioning from earthly life suddenly, to another level of existence.” In Simon's case … For some people, they go to the Big Farm in the Sky. And the Big Farm in the Sky is a place that's neither … On either end of any … It's a spectrum-less place. Or beyond the spectrum. Because it's neither good nor bad. Nor in between. Or maybe it's all of those things. You may, “Well Scoots, how is that possible?” I'd say, “Well, if it's all …”

So it's a place where you go after your post-Earthly realm. Not that different than Earth, just more possibility. And also, Simon got a chance to say, “Well what do I want to do now that I've lived an Earthly life?” And Simon decided, in Simon's post-Earthly life, to be a P.I. And that was season one, which you can find in our archives. Big Farm in the Sky P.I. I don't think it was called season one because it was just the first season. And so, that was season one. Simon was in the big farm in the sky, figuring out cases as a P.I. Getting help from Earthly friends in Gee and DK.

Now, in season two, Gee and DK are running their business in The Townes, and they are getting help from Simon. Also, another great thing just happens to be that Simon handles the narration duties of all these stories. Because Simon keeps a lot of audio notes. And so we've got access to all this stuff. So, I think that's it. Gee and DK are in The Townes in Florida, solving cases, and uncle Simon's helping them.

Now when we last left off, I think Simon … I'll kind of fill you in. But just to do a little bit of extra place setting, if we haven't set the … You say, “Scoots, how long does it take you to set a table?” Well I'd say, “There's two different things. Do you want me to set a place setting or a table setting? Those are two different jobs.” So a table setting will take me about six, seven minutes. And then the place setting will take me a little bit less. Because Simon was in the Big Farm in the Sky when we last left off. Also, go back to setting the table. You might say, “So Scoots, okay so, this isn't my belief system. But I can believe that there's another belief system where you go to the Big Farm in the Sky.” Because we can all agree that belief systems may … They don't invalidate one another. Particularly on a sleep podcast.

So you'd say, “Okay. I can do a suspension of belief systems for that, Scoots. But you say Simon is a post-Earthly resident, but is helping two kids in Florida.” I'd say, “Well young women, by the way. In Florida.” “Just because you called them tweens earlier, Scoots.” “Yeah, just tweens is a more catchy title.” “Okay.” He's helping his niece and her best friend solve cases and help people. How's that work? Okay, great question actually. And I can try to do it briefly. So in the Big Farm, most people go to the Big Farm, they just go there. They don't have communications with Earth. That's standard protocol. Similar to some movies where [inaudible 00:21:26] you'd say, “Well you're going on your next stage of existence. When your cat Milford gets here, we'll let you know, and you can hang with Camilfred. But until then, just enjoy Big Farm in the Sky.”

Now there are, just like everything else, the Big Farm's just a great, beautiful, diverse place. Just like Earth is. And, just one tiny piece of this, difference, is that some people can talk to Earth, whatever. But it's very rare for people to be able to go visit Earth. Because we're trying to do our Earthly stuff, we can't have Big Farmers coming down here and saying, “What are you doing? This doesn't fit within my normal day to day things.” So I think we've pegged it mathematically at like one in four or five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten billion chance that you say, “Well, I just happen to have the ability to go between the Big Farm in the Sky and Earth. And communicate with Earth.” In this case, Simon's niece and niece's friend.

So it's just a very rare thing. Just to point that out that not only is it a special moment we're getting to participate in, and rest to, but because you say, “Well it doesn't add up otherwise, Scoots.” And I'm sure there's mathematicians listening that are saying, “Wait a second, those numbers kind of do add …” Say, “Well yeah, I guess every once in a while I'm [inaudible 00:23:01].” I said it once, I'll say it again, a clock's wrong … Broken clock's right two times a day, that's what you meant Scoots. Right. Sometimes you just happen to look at a broken clock at the right time, is what I would say. And the time is right.

And you know what the time is right for? It's a great Hollywood celebrity here to do the lead in to the episode. He's a kind man, he's a gentle man, he's a handsome man. And he's a man that puts up with a lot. Drives here from LA in his spare time. Then, has gotten so much better at lying still and quietly, without needs, other than like you say, “Wow, how do you …” I guess that's how you act too. Mister Antonio Banderas.

This is a ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, friends beyond the binary's time for The Big Farm in the Sky. Let's crack this case. Hiya!

Do you know that, that's strange, that Hiya. Because that's kind of how I do my Miss Piggy imitation.

Oh yes, I enjoy that. No it's different than acting, lying still. Is me, I'm listening to the podcast, just like a fan of your show would. As a friend and a fan. I'm looking forward to lying. After being in traffic for nine hours. Not having … Lying and not moving for a while. And listening to the show, thank you.

That's Mister Antonio Banderas, everybody. And this is Big Farm in the Sky P.I.

Hey Diane, it's me Simon. I'm taking it on faith you can hear me, Diane. And that you remember. But I guess I'll just fill you in, Diane. So Diane, I've flown here with a parrot. You know the parrot situation. Not important, Diane. But we had gone through some crossover stuff. And I did change into Phantom Minnow. And I don't seem to be able to get back to Earth, Diane. And I haven't figured that out to see Gee and DK. And have been unable to contact them, Diane. And I could see what's going on down there. First, I couldn't even see what was going on down there. So maybe things are coming back. And I've been meaning to make time, it's just an adjustment. I'm here at the house. And, I don't know. Things are different. But again, I say, “Well I can't expect everything to be like it used to be in my other life.”

But so I don't know what's going on. I'm still Phantom Minnow, but I'm still me. You know, Diane? But, I don't know. So it's like a transformer. I think one time I heard about this happening. And, likely it's not a toy now, so I could say it without … In case any kids listen in, Diane, of taking a transformer, and then gluing it in one … Like if it wasn't yours, and you borrowed it. Also Diane, a transformer's something that changes from a robot into a vehicle, normally. But so, if you transformed it with glue, and then you just glued it as the robot or as the vehicle. Like Bumblebee's a good example currently. That's kind of what I'm like.

That's not a nice thing to do though. If it's your own, you'd probably be disappointed too. Unless you said, “Well I love …” I mean there was one, Diane, I remember seeing. I think it was one of my … I don't know. Somebody they were playing with it, it was a microscope guy. But it wasn't a very good microscope. So it was better off just changed into a robot anyway. And I think there was also one that was a boombox. So Diane, I'm stuck in Phantom Minnow mode. A bit like a fishing lure, that's what I look like when I'm not all grandiose. Or, like a minnow. But I have like three bodies … It's just interesting, Diane. I mean, this is a different world anyway. Nobody's blinking their eyes at me.

But so, what was I saying? Okay, so I can see Gee and DK, kind of at times. But I can't check in with them. And I can't see them all the time. But that's always been about … They need their own time. And I did ask around about this, is I knew it was rare to be able to go visit Earth. And I don't really tell people I can do that. But even people watching back there, really not the thing. And now I know why, because it's actually better that I could go back there. Because being able to check in every once in a while, and not talk to them, is not easy. And then not going to see them, I say, “I miss Gee and DK.”

So it's not easy, holy cow. And especially right now, Diane. Because Gee and DK, they've been dealing with … They have a lot going on. So maybe I should just get into that. So like you know, they've been studying and running the business at aunt Penny's, the P.I. business that I've been helping them with. And it was going good, and they were doing it for a grade. And now that spring break is coming up, they had to submit before spring break. I guess so probably the teach … The poor teacher's probably going to read all this stuff on spring break. But this was a few weeks before spring break, they had a big layout due of their entire business plan.

So basically, the majority of their grade they were going to get now. And then the teacher would give them notes. I think 60 percent of their grade was coming from this report. And, maybe 70 percent. And after the teacher gives them notes back, if they would like, they could refine it. But you know as the school year comes … After spring break, it goes fast. So they would do like a final draft, I guess. And things were going mostly great. They have challenges, not every case they could crack. And, not easy. Plus they missed their friends. They had to navigate that they're not actually sisters, but they're spending all this time together, and not being around a lot of other kids. Being a lot around retirees. They've really grown.

And, but then suddenly, there was some added other learning opportunities. I guess if I was keeping an educational spectrum here. Oh Diane, this is another question I figured you would be asking yourself. I can't check in on anybody else. I think that's something that somebody else … Maybe some part of my brain said, “Huh. I wonder if you could check in …” I was like, “I wonder what's going at my favorite restaurant, Marley G's. And then I couldn't check.” So I can't check on anything else. I just wanted to clarify that.

So I've got to tell you, just walking around here, my place. I'm going outside now. It won't sound any different to you, Diane, but I don't know. It's a lot of stuff. When Gee and DK are dealing with stuff and I can't help, it's not easy for me. And I think maybe I'm growing. Because you know, you say, “Well, they're independent. They're dealing with things. It's not mine to control.” And mostly I was watching them, finishing up this final report, and submitting it. Or the lead up to the final reports. Independent study, this is their whole … It's not just for one class you know. This is their whole credits for the semester.

And, but I said, “Well they're really doing a good job.” Kind of talking about the pluses and the not pluses. And the sustainability. And, that's all interesting. You could just read the report I guess. And I figured, this is the keystone project. Keystone report of the project. And I said, “Okay, I think they're going to not …” I don't know, whatever the decisions were moving forward. They felt good about turning in, and I felt pretty good about it. If the whole purpose of this was for them to learn and grown, job done. Because they've learned a lot of lessons in personal skills, business skills. Learning skills. Nobody ever teaches you how to learn, you know Diane?

Math, finances, organizational skills, spatial relations. Geometry. All of it, Diane. The theater of life, even. But then, after they finish their report, we haven't had … What is it? Moriarty or soliarty …. Any of those. Ciliary, Moriarty, Don Bacardi, whoever the nemesi are. I don't know, did Encyclopedia Brown or Nancy Drew, or the Hardy Boys, or Big Nate, or Thea Stilton, Geronimo Stilton, Fancy Nancy. Did they have nemesi, Diane? Probably, maybe. I wonder.

Everybody says Fancy Nancy's not a detective, Diane. But when I figure out the case of me being fancy, then I'll know. So I think what happened was that Gee and DK's profile kept growing as they got more and more cases solved. And if they did have a nemesi, I think that's what I was saying, it would be the Splainers. Which is a mysterious thing that maybe we were even imagining existed. Was there some group of probably older males that was displeased with Gee and DK's presence, and positive attention and empowerment that was trying to be nemesi-like or put obstacles in their path.

We said they couldn't be or could it be the fake cases we dealt with. The case of rabbit feed. You say, “Rabbit feed or rabbit feet?” So, with success and … I guess we learned the most important thing is to ignore the Splainers, if they were there, we'll just keep ignoring them. Because that would really rub them the way they want to be right to … And I said, “Have I been splaining?” And maybe this distance from Gee and DK is good, but it's not easy, Diane. So where was I?

So, okay. So usually things have been going pretty smooth. And maybe this is all unrelated and projection, but suddenly the rules changed on us. Or, on Gee and DK and aunt Penny. Because aunt Penny had gotten a permit to have Gee and DK stay with her for longer than 30 days in one calendar period, which is a normal rule. And I think we talked about that. I don't know, but she had gotten a permit for that. And, normally there was never an oversight about businesses that kids were running. But suddenly someone showed up and they said, “Oh, well you don't have a business license to operate a service-based business out of this home, and you're not actually residents of The Towne.” And all these layers of bureaucracy. They said, “Well, you know, not a resident. Also in this county, you're not of working age, so how are you going to have a business if you can't work there when you're the workers?”

This stuff was never, ever enforced. Then they said Aunt Penny … Because in light of this, they were going to reexamine aunt Penny's resident permit exemption. And, just stir up … You'd say, “Well, what are you bugging us for? Gee and DK are just helping people. And it's not like they're hooting and hollering, and running around.” But we really felt like it was somewhat a warning shot from the Splainers. I mean, that's how I felt when I would imagine talking to Gee and DK.

And, so they said, “No, no, no, no, you can't run anymore of these businesses. Your cases are closed.” And this kind of put Gee and DK in a huff because they're not exactly myopic, or naïve to this situation. And so they felt like it was some sort of machination. And other people said, “Well, you're making a mound out of a mole hill.” And I know I was up here. I was huffing and puffing, Diane. And, I was positive that I wouldn't know who was behind it, but I didn't like who was behind it. And that my goat was gotten.

And I think how Gee and DK felt like that. But then they said, “Well, we submitted a report. We'll see what the teacher says, and this is maybe another learning opportunity.” And they even worked with some of the free services available for young business people to say, “Well are they actually portraying the rules and the regulations accurately to us?” So despite being … They were originally empowered with irritation, but then they were empowered to real action and trying to look at it and say, “Okay, well our time is almost up anyway. And we're adjusting the business model. So this is again part of this adjustment.”

And I do think that this is where … I don't think they needed me there, Diane, but they missed me. I felt like … And maybe it was just because I missed them. Because I was good to help them talk it out. And for them to find their own solutions. And so they were there talking to me. Even though I wasn't there, and also to help feelings get fresh air or whatever they say, sunshine. And I feel like if I was there present, it would be easier to … I would be there to validate things a little bit more and say, “Well that's perfectly okay that you feel … Do you two want to stomp your feet around with it? Because this is kind of stomping your feet. Or do you two want to lie down and moan? Or curl up in balls? Because uncle Simon will be here to listen to you.”

So I did all those things here. But then Gee and DK got focused. They went back to working on the report, actually contacted the teacher and updated her, and what was happening. And they were already adjusted, when then … Oh, Diane. The things were taken up another notch. Because then Gee and DK, they heard from the school board. And then the teacher heard from the principal and this district manager about someone told on them. And said these two have been operating, and non-licensed to … Like basically saying that invalidating all of Gee and DK, and the teacher's, work. And saying, “Who agreed to this?” This was anonymous, or anonymous to us. Or anonymous to me processing all this sort of Gee and DK's analysis of all this. But that they weren't learning anything, other than breaking the rules. What kind of lesson is that for kids to learn? And I would say, “Excuse me, but could the teacher be a part of this?” And basically, demanding that they get no school credit for the entire semester.

And this was kind of a big deal because Gee and DK already had summer plans for something else, flourishing related. Not school related. And because they're in middle school, this means they wouldn't go to high school with all their friends. Because they were actually getting like a semester and a half's worth … So basically, they would be set back. They'd lose the credits if they didn't go to summer school, which would be even hard for them to make the credits up. They would miss a year of school, or three quarters of a year of school. And, their teacher kind of went through all this with Gee and DK, and aunt Penny. And Gee's parents, who are also DK's … The family was dealing with it with the teacher. And the ridiculous of this, and kind of reassuring, saying, “Well this is bureaucracy. This is yet another learning opportunity. And that even navigating this is really expansive, not easy.”

And again, I wished I could have been there, and that I was part of the process. And that they would appeal it or whatever. That this wasn't going to go. But the hard thing was that it was like, “You two are going to have to hold on while …” Suddenly, very similar to me, the control of everything was turned over to these adults. In some sense, it was a strange echo form of splaining to say, “Okay, you two just wait while the grownups figure this out.” And you'd say, “Well you're not figuring out like grownups, from what I can see from out here.”

But so they were all trying to deal with it. Deal with the bureaucracy, deal with this unseen hand. And also there was also this sense of inherent unfairness that made it difficult when Gee and DK first proposed this, of why do these two get to go and run their own study thing? And they were trying to do it to just say, “Well, because we had the initiative. We did all the work to propose it, and then acted. It's just not something that happened, and the school just said, ‘Okay, do whatever you want.'” So there was also some residue from that. And the Splainers are good at doing that.

And there was this thing of like, “Oh you have to get back here immediately for this thing.” With all the adults on Gee and DK's side who said, “No, they're supposed to be finishing out their work for the semester there. So you're saying they have to come to this talk? Would mean they wouldn't finish out the commitments they already have.”

And I don't want to get too deep in the weeds in this, Diane. So Gee and DK, mom and dad, aunt Penny, the teacher, they were all a team. But, Gee and DK's reaction to all this, and not being able to be a part of the appeals process, or the decisions. They were mad. M-A-D, Diane, very mad. And, they reacted differently than I've seen them before, in a focused way. Now, again, I don't want to say it wasn't because I was there. But they didn't have anyone to run these ideas by, and bring it up first. So I don't know if I could have been a voice of moderation or reason, or if I'm just saying, “Simon, you're more important than you think you are.” Just because I miss them.

But plus, when I'm away, everything just seems more mysterious anyway, Diane. Also, maybe it was my fault, some of this. Because I started to try to … You know, when you see movies, there's the force, and there's moving things with force. And so I said, “I wonder if I could communicate with them by moving stuff. I can't physically go to see them.” And so what I would do is like, you know when people in the movies they hold their hand to their head, and they close their eyes, and they furrow their brow, and try to move stuff around. And, so around this time, Gee and DK started a lemonade stand. And I think it was just so they would have this … It was something to do. And it was a stone soup lemonade stand for all their friends. Kind of like an ongoing goodbye party. And to say, “Hey, we're not going anywhere, Splainers, until it's time for us to leave.”

And you know one of their customers had that place right by the pickle ball, and the tennis courts. So they had kind of a stone soup lemonade stand. Where they would sit there with lemonade for free, and people that wanted it could just come and get it, but also you could bring ingredients. Or contribute to the cause. So they would sit there and do that, and they would sip lemonade with their friends, and with other people that were new friends. Then they got visited by … They said, “Well you can't be taking money for that.” And they said, “Okay, we're not. We're not taking any money, don't worry about it.”

And they said, “Well you don't have a permit to be giving away …” I don't know. So Gee and DK kept getting more and more frustrated, because they were getting their lemonade stand shut down. But many people had brought lemonade ingredients. So the first time I tried to move something was after they said, “Well you don't have a health permit to do this.” And so I think what happened was I accidentally knocked over some of that … It wasn't Country Time, it was a Publix pink lemonade powder. And I spilled it on the floor in front of Gee and DK. And I think it was in the middle of their brainstormings, and I wasn't paying attention because I was trying to push things.

And they said, “Uncle Simon,” and they looked at the spill of lemonade. And then I spilled a whole basket of lemons. And, I think that they saw that as a sign from me they should take things to another level, eventually. And so the Splainers had to shut down their lemonade stand. Now what they didn't realize was that this was right at the … They had set things in motion with Gee and DK leading up to spring break. And, this year just happened to be a year that almost all the spring breaks in the entire country were lined. Because of the first moon, and the full moon, it said spring. And all the different holidays that revolve that. And it just happened to be that most … It was just a once in a blue moon thing, if majority of schools in the US are having the same spring break.

And, what this mean is that a ton of people were coming to the the villages for spring break, grandchildren, to stay with their grandparents. And, everybody goes to the pools. Every little village in The Towne has its own pool. And some are family pools, and some are adult only pools. So these are the family pools. Also, a lot of kids would be there with their parents and their grandparents. People have devices. At this point, word of mouth for Gee and DK, through all their customers, and their friends was very good. So Gee and DK, I guess had a [inaudible 00:49:20] missed out on this part somehow. And somehow they got it through the word of the mouth, because everybody would be at the pools talking. And also through their devices. But mostly one on one that a couple days into spring break, one morning … The town's day, and you might hear me say it's big. The town's at 160 thousand people or so. 60, 80 thousand homes. But so one morning, at around 11 AM, across the villages, in the thousands Diane.

So, Gee and DK have prepared for this, obviously. But, the thousands of lemonade stands popped out around The Townes. And it was just one of those perfect days where the weather was hot, and everybody had it. And then at like 2:00 PM, right when the Splainers caught wind of it, and there was nothing they could do because there was thousands of lemonade stands. Right by late afternoon, the lemonade stands were gone. But the Splainers were kind of running around. And the the next day, nothing happened.

But this is like … This rhythms the spring break of if you're the late, middle of the week. You could only go to the pool, and to go out for ice cream, and drive around so many times. So then, in the morning, all of the lemonade stands … And again, they'd said they'd send out emails on no lemonade stands. This was against blah blah blah. But one morning after, again, not only was there thousands of lemonade stands that popped up, Diane. All the lemonade stands were themed. And not only that, there was … I guess this is Gee and … I'm so proud of them. They had this app, or plugin or something, with a map. I don't know. And you could do all these walks. A lemonade stand crawl. And you obviously couldn't go to a thousand, but you could go to the ones in your village or neighborhood in The Townes. Or just go to the ones that are Hawaiian themed, just go to the ones that are based on heroes or heroines. Just go to historical reenactment themed ones.

And each one had games, and you'd giveaways. And so now you have The Towne's full volleys. A lot of people didn't even know about the lemonade stands, because there's only thousands. There's tens of thousands of guests. And now they have something fun to do all day. And so they're touring around, they're finding out about this app. Walking from lemonade stand to lemonade stand. Now of course the Splainers were calling these protest marches. But they were just walking on walking paths. I mean, I think I would call it the Great Lemonade spring myself, Diane.

But yeah, everyone was walking, and they were marching. And, really making a show of stuff. And Gee and DK were behind … You know aunt Penny, some other people helped. And even Gee and DK's teacher had come with some of the students. That was already planned, it was not related. And then the next day again, lemonade stands were gone, Diane. And, then Gee and DK, I guess they had a big debate on whether more last act of [inaudible 00:53:07] lemonade stands, or make your own lemonade stands. Or, I don't know if they still have to … Instead what they did was they took the maps idea and just made all these fun walks for everybody to do, based on the lemonade stands.

And what they discovered from the date, from the lemonade stands, what they knew already abut the The Townes.” I don't know, the map plugins or whatever, Diane. I don't know that stuff. And suddenly there was this … They had this application. And then, things just happened from there, Diane. This was online, they're a new business, I'll get you … Guess I'll just tell you to end. Then they had this … Now this didn't all happen on the spring break. But, moving forward, and I'm still trying to get back there Diane, don't worry. And I have a plan that I'm going to carry out in a couple days.

So, if they have this in a business school, it's 7500 step tours. For the residents of The Townes. That they could purchase from a company that's not based in The Townes because it's the internet. And because they said, “We'll usually walk 2500 steps, just by yourself. But if you want to watch those extra 75 hundred steps, here's a bunch of different walks you can do around The Towne to see if you could go see the sites. The bird walks, they're built on that. You could take a shuffleboard tour, pickle ball, pickle ball watching, all … Oh, Diane. And they submitted that with their teacher. They worked with their teacher to say, “Well okay, this is where we're …” We're going to base the business out where we live outside of Florida then. And, this is that business that our original business informed. And this is what we learned. So by the time the presentation to the school board and all that came around. All this Splainers were left slack-jawed because they'd actually … Their obstacles had empowered Gee and DK to solve things even further.

And, mostly Gee and DK just ignored them. Which is what works always. And I just hope I can get back there to do some of these tours before Gee and DK leave Florida. And get back and say hi to them, and … Because I'm a Big Farmers, and it's not the same hiking. But it is still just seeing them. But it's good, Diane, they've succeeded in the face of people making it harder on them. And that I know is just so nice, and I could see them resting. Satisfied that they actually made lemonade out of lemons, Diane. Oh boy am I proud. I'll talk to you soon.