Speak the Lingo

So when your 4 year old and his little buddies explain that they just weeded the garden for you, that is little boy code for:  We just went out and pulled up all of your new broccoli plants that you finally got in the ground yesterday and threw them all over the sidewalk.  Can we have some cookies?

The Money (eating) Tree

This tree in our yard was pulled out a month or so ago.

This was an expensive tree.

This was the subject of an important lesson.

This post may sound a lot like your mother. Or Grandmother. Or some other wise person.

When we moved in 10 years ago, there was this wild, itsy- bitsy, cute as a button, little tree that was only 5 feet tall growing too close to the fence. Adorable, really. It started to grow a bit.  And a bit more. And a bit more.  Oh the shade!  The privacy!  The lush greenery!

At the time, I could have reached over and plucked it out with my bare hands - like a lumberjack.

 But instead....

We ignored the neighbor that said, "One day that tree is going to have to go, it's too close to the fence!"  To which I thought seemed pretty certain, but still YEARS away.  Chillax, lil' neighbor!

So throwing caution to the wind, time went by.

Well 10 years happened.  It arrived.  Dang tree took us hostage.

It demanded payment in full.  And if not, it promised to rip up the fence, the neighbor's fence, and lift the cement foundation of the shed in the other neighbor's yard.

This tree removal process is not easy.

Or Cheap.

This cute little tree required us, my Uncle Mike, and a good friend to give up an entire Saturday to rebuild the fence it had broken up.

This itsy bitsy tree required us to break through the fence of the next door neighbor to get the huge bulldozer in.

This big, destructive bulldozer held a man in its claw as someone else raised it up and down for him to cut branches.

(This would have been a great commercial for workers comp on "What NOT to do.")

So here is the lesson ....

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

Or in other words,  Nip it in the bud! Now.  While the nipin' is still good.

When someone advises you to 'Nip it in the bud', then nip it!  Nip it like it's goin' out of style.

That's it.  That's the lesson. In any area of life.  Do it. 

Tree removal :        $800

Fence boards:         $200

Lesson learned:   Priceless.

(an oldie but a goodie)

As Seen on TV - Tomatoes and Trysts

WARNING: TMI
It happened upon a recent Sunday afternoon that Kerry and I came upon a rare, fortuitous moment that allowed for a little romantic tryst. (Anyone with kids knows, Ya gotta take 'em when you can!)
 With the kids completely enthralled in a movie, we headed into the bedroom, made sure the door was locked, and yada yada yada.....
Moving into the yadas, we heard a frantic pounding on our door.  It was the precocious little 4 year old, Becks.  "Mom!" (knock knock knock) "Mom!" (knock knock knock, knock knock knock)
Not knowing if we should play dead and see if he would scamper away or to try to appease him with the tried and true "we'll be out in just a minute, sweety, go watch your show" response, Kerry decided to oblige the persistent toddler.

Kerry: ( yelling  loud enough for him to hear out into the hall) "What do you need Becks?"
Becks:  "Not you, Dad.  I need Mom!"
Me:  (yelling loud enough for him to hear out in the hall)  "What do you need, Buddy?"
Becks:  "Come out here.  I need to show you something."
Me:  "Okay Becks.  I'll come see it in just a minute.  Go watch your movie."
Becks:  (frustrated and yelling so we can hear him)  "MOM!  You need to get this.  It's an upside down tomato plant grower.  You need to get it.  It's on the T.V. right now. It grows tomatoes.  You put the tomatoes in and then add garden soil and it just grows upside down. You Need To Get It!"

Sure thing there, Becks!

Coming Home

Little road trip to Las Vegas last week with lots of sunshine made it really, really difficult to come back to this wintery wonderland.  I was digging in my heels, wanting to throw a tantrum, so I wouldn't have to come back to January.  It was a last minute decision, but perfect timing on Kerry's part - to get us out of Dodge just before winter decided to come back.  Nice, wonderful break with Auntie and the family, and our dear old friend, The Sun.


We stopped at In and Out Burger on the way home in St. George and ran into (almost literally as we pulled up behind their car and laid on the horn for good laughs) my dearie friend Kristin and her family.  She had already offered us the couch at the condo they are staying at before she left - we should have taken it.  All 5 of us, Kerry and I and our little chitlans, all sleeping on the couch together a few more nights sounds completely do-able.  Maybe a little hellish, but it would be worth it for a little more of Spring.


But alas, it looks as if the sun is going to show its face today.  Melt, snow, melt!  This is the only time you'll hear me say that, as I usually am a big supporter of the snow.  I like winter, love to ski, and try to enjoy it.  But I am ready.