10.

10 Things About Thomas

(In honor of our big adventure at yesterdays "A Day Out With Thomas".)

1. Thomas The Tank Engine was a book written in 1946 but wasn't popular until 1979 when a British TV producer mortgaged her house to bring the series to life. I can relate. I may have to mortgage my house in order to collect the entire series. At $25.99 per wooden engine, how much does that mean we've spent (on engines alone) if Miles has 7 of these?

2. I've noticed that on the TV show the engines are paid compliment by Sir Topham Hat who calls them "Very Useful Engines". If someone called me "Very Useful" I would likely slap them.

3. When I was little, I use to watch Shining Time Station, starring Thomas. It was also starring George Carlin & Ringo Starr. (The highlight of their careers no doubt).

4. Both George Carlin & (get this) Alec Baldwin have been Thomas narrators... both are comedians I love, but would NEVER allow my little boy to watch.

5. Asking for Thomas Engines for your Birthday is a lot of work. First, you must specify Wooden or Take-a-long (we collect wooden). Then you must make sure Grandma & Grandma have a list of the engines you already have (Thomas, Christmas Thomas, Hank, Percy, Molly, Hector & Harvey).

6. In 2008 Thomas starred in his first feature film. We haven't seen it. Yet.

7. I bought Miles the battery operated Percy engine. You push a button & he goes. Miles was scared of him. Miles was also scared of Sir Topham Hat (below).

8. Tickets for A Day Out With Thomas at Heritage Park were about $25. I saw them on Kijiji and Ebay for as much as $120. On the way there I thought "I should have sold these stupid things". On the way home I thought "What an amazing day, that was worth so much more than $25."

9. Miles makes 'train sounds' the whole time he plays on his train table.

10. I was so proud of my little guy yesterday. He waited patiently to get on the train (40 minutes!), he didn't steal any trains from other boys who were playing with them & he managed to stay awake the whole morning.