Catching up!

I've been feeling pretty good these past few days, happy and grateful for our home while it's still ours to keep. I've been grateful our marriage has grown as strong as it is today and for our kids being mainly pretty healthy and doing well in school. I'm proud, I'm happy, and I've been satisfied. I've been taking the time to admire the flowers, the birds and bees, and I was even fortunate enough to see a white butterfly visiting my garden yesterday TWICE! To see a white butterfly is said to bring good luck :) So why then is my next door neighbor hassling me about my beautiful flowering dogwood tree that borders both properties?

While fertilizing my azaleas this evening, my estranged neighbor Ray comes outside to tell me "again" that he wants to cut the branches off my tree that cross the property line. I asked him again why he wanted to do such a thing. He insists squirrels are bothering his windows. I've looked over the tree and the branches do not even extend near to his windows because Chris keeps the branches pruned back from his home. It's just an excuse to be an asshole. He's been telling me for 10 years now that he hates my tree. Somehow I believe him this time when he says he'll cut it down.

So I said to him with frustration in my voice "GO AHEAD!" If you want to war with me, DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO!" With that after throwing my hands up in the air I stormed in the house. He's never seen me that angry and I hope it sends a real message. Either do it or shut the fuck up old man. I can't recall the last time he actually had something nice to say other than a complaint of some kind. The only time he speaks to us is when he or his family needs a favor. We used to talk all the time about 5 or 6 years ago. I'm not really sure what happened. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer and I really think it went to his brain! The main has a shitty relationship with his wife and frankly I think he's just a bitter miserable man looking to take some kind of control over anything he can in his life. Why not get picky over my tree? After all it's not hurting anyone. If anything it's providing him shade on hot sunny days- since he uprooted his tree a few years ago.  ::sigh::

If he touches the tree, I swear.... he will regret it. After all the noise I put up with his three ankle biting barking dogs day in and day out, and I haven't complained- oh yes he will regret he ever messed with me. I'll turn into the neighbor from hell! How many times have we helped them out over the years? and this is the thanks we get? ok pal. I have your number.

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We've been having some really warm and beautiful weather these past few days. It's been making me so sleepy! It just feels so nice to curl up in the sunlight and siesta with the breeze and wind chimes singing. Ahhh lazy mornings and afternoons. Sucks for accomplishing anything. Imagine if there were no such concept of time? What if there were no clocks dictating our day? What if we just went about our business in our own good time? The idea sounds rather tantalizing to me. To be here and now- without rush or hussel. Present!

Chris and I have been day dreaming about the future. (hows that for an oxy-moron ^ ) We plan to hang around here until Dana graduates high school. Then we plan to follow our dreams and leave the city. But, until then we've accepted this to be our dwelling and continue putting everything we love into this as our home and hopefully the future owners will love it as well. We plan to pave the back yard into a driveway and build a deck off the kitchen :) just as I've always dreamed of doing. How lovely it will be to have outside dining and entertaining! I can't hardly wait! French sliding glass doors of course are a must! Unless.... I can find something on a Japanese zen design :) Then there would be no need for curtains. Hmmmm.... Also the bar would get a complete makeover as well. Everything must go! New tiled floors, new bar design in the opposite end of the room, totally refashioned into a zen den :) But with the stripper pole back in place haha. Plasma screen tv's mounted appropriately, and plenty of room for dancing! Why not make the best of the last remaining 2yrs?

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I've been fascinated with a pair of ravens that have nested just out front the house about two doors over. I've been watching them for the past month or so stake out the perfect nesting tree. Finally they've decided to settle, meanwhile paying my dogwood a visit almost daily to collect branches for their new home. Loud birds they are... They caw alot but it doesn't bother me. I like to imagine what the conversations are about. I wonder if they are expecting to lay some eggs soon. It's been at least 8 years since I've seen baby crows around. Come to think about it, I haven't seen any robins around lately either. Hmmm..... Still I continue to refill the bird feeder once every three days hoping to observe the different birdies that stop by for a meal.

I took all my plastic flowers out of my window boxes upstairs, hoping the morning doves would nest there again. I even layered one of them with some raffia to tempt them, but they have not come. :( I remember a time when I felt a tight bond with the critters around me. Now I feel like I must re-establish the trust. So sad. But I'm sure it will happen.

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This week was back to school week after spring break that just ended. Chris takes us to school in the mornings but he has to leave right away to get back to work- therefore I walk home. Which I don't like until Im actually in route enjoying all the blooms and Lilacs scenting the air. Mmmm lilacs! I must get 1 or 2 for my property. Such a delightful scent! Maybe I'll line my property with them to cut of my troublesome neighbor. But he'd surely want to cut them down as well- grumpy old man.

So today, while letting Jake run off some energy in the playground I sat quietly hoping the other parents stayed away. I don't know, but I hate talking to strangers. And they're all just so weird over there! I'd rather keep quietly to myself to think, notice the little things about the kids, listen to the laughter, watch the cloud formations. Call me a dork, maybe I am! So I walk Jakers to his line and his teacher doesn't come out. Every morning my little dude worries about getting a substitute teacher. With tears in his eyes he resists staying in his line without me beside him. But then the gym teacher comes out to get them, and they all erupt with excited cheer! The girls running up to hug him, the boys high fiving him. Quickly the frown turned upside down and all was ok in the world as he waved to me goodbye. :) And once again, I was on my route home smelling the lilacs in the air, concentrating on tightening my muscles as I struggled to power walk in Adidas sandals. lol

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I've been trying out some really good recipes from my new vegetarian cookbook this week. I'm pretty proud of ourselves for really sticking to it. But then it's easy to do when you change your way of thinking and actually give a shit about what your eating. This week I made Lemon Pepper Bow ties with Asparagus which was ok. Not a huge fan of lemon pepper recipes but tried it anyway. Then I made Tortellini soup & salad which was fantastic, and even better the second day for a snack. And today we had rice and bean enchiladas! Holla! they were delish! We celebrated Easter at the olive garden with my parents and my sister's family where Chris and I had eggplant parm. OMG wanna talk about YUM? this was so good I licked my plate clean hahaha, well not really- my bread stick licked it clean ;) I did indulge in dessert by having a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake slice, mmmm which I enjoyed so much I was in a state of bliss for hours after! Seriously! I think not eating stuff like that anymore really sent me into some strange state of happiness. Endorphin overload! Hahaha

So this evening, I sat down to watch two tear jerking movies... what better way to level my emotions right? Extremely happy to really sad. I should level off somewhere in the middle don't ya think? The kids and I watched Hachi a dogs tale. Richard Gere starred in it- such a nice film based on a true story about loyalty. And the other was Serious Moonlight starring Meg Ryan. Dark comedy that had its moments and made me cry lol. A lot of touching stuff right thurrr. :)

Anyway... I'd better cut out now, I think I've already written a chapter or two.
Until next time.....