After the strange neighborhood BBQ, we've actually settled into a nice routine. We wave at our neighbors, they wave at us. This works extremely well for me. No small talk, no drama, no nothing.
So last night after dinner, we decided to walk our girlies down to the park to play. A nice stretch of the legs and they could totally run off some energy before bed. The joys of life people, they are great.
Except when we opened the door to leave, a little girl was there reminding us about Game Night. Oh yeah that little flyer that was stuck in my door several nights ago. Opps. Forgot. So we decided to walk the girls four houses down and check out the action. We met the dad and mom, who were leveling out their tiny side yard to prep for concrete, that whole extra parking space kinda thing. They seemed cool and the kids were only to play in the front yard, so we decided to let the girlies play and we'd go home and do some yard work.
The Man started out mowing while I did what I do best, supervise. Supervise while reading a book and having a ciggie. June Cleaver I'm sooooooo not. Then I felt a little guilty and since he showed me how to use our mower with the propel-ing thing going, I jumped in and helped. He began the weed-eating.
Now ladies, when you and a friend are out doing your evening walk, please remember that if you're both listening to an ipod then when you talk to one another, it's rather loud. So say you're walking by a new neighbor, who just home from work and hasn't had time to change her jewelry or take her hair down from the "work do" but has changed into yoga pants and a tank (all black of course) and you decide to critique her outfit. Chances are good she can hear you OVER the mower. Yeah I mow in my pearls, what about it. And ladies, don't be surprised when you get the finger salute in return. Idiots.
Anywho......we're doing yard work, when Princess runs down the sidewalk yelling for her dad. Not good. The Man, completely in the whole weed-eating zone, turns off the darn thing with a yell, what? Duchess got bit by a dog.
Here's the problem, Duchess is petrified of any dog. Good reason too, she has been bit before. So after tearing down the sidewalk, he catches up to Duchess who is limping her way home, hysterical. Poor baby, she was having a come apart. No skin was broken, but the little bastard took her shoe.
The Man sent her home to me, where I was mowing on the other side of the house, oblivious. So I rushed her in and after seeing the beginnings of a bruise on her foot, I gave her a good bath to wash the dog away and then a popcicle for good measure. She was down to just whimpering. Then I headed out to find my man, cause I don't have bail money set aside right now. I have a yard to finish. And The Man can truly be summed up like this: hot blooded, loyal, tenacious, redneck and physically stronger than any other man I know. All of this = somebody is in trouble.
Sure enough he was on his way home from down the street, red in the face and veins pulsing in his gorgeous forehead (hey, he is still cute when he's furious) and instead of talking to me, starts yanking weeds out of my front flower bed. So I did what any good wife would do....I didn't say a word till he was done weeding my flower bed. Then I asked.
No he didn't kill the dog, thank you Jesus. But he did pick him up and then walk across the street where 5 women were standing and just staring. Finally one of them claimed the dog. The same dog who kept trying to nip The Man while he was holding the darn thing. The Man promised that the next time that dog was out of their yard, he was a goner. Then came home. Cause he doesn't do the whole temper thing with women. So he was just steaming.
After putting the kiddos to bed and assuring Duchess that we'd wait till she was ready to be nice to doggies again before we purchased our very own doggie, we headed out to finish clean up. You know, sweep the driveway off, pick up all the weeds he'd pulled and such. Basically buttoning up our house for the night. The Man was slowly calming down, until he heard the dog down the street barking. That set him off again. If there'd been a man around, he'd have dealt with this crap and this was a nice neighborhood and the other neighbors said that the dog was just daily drama.
Then as the sun was setting, low and behold coming up the street was a man, and an older woman and a baby in arms. And sure as crap, they stopped in our driveway and the man actually looked up almost a foot and introduced himself as the dog owner to The Man.
Now I'm not a tall girl, round yes, but not tall. This poor guy was 5 ft even if he was a day. So it was interesting to look down at someone. Not to mention the fact that The Man at 6 ft was deflating before my eyes. Yep, instead of really giving it to this guy and yelling, The Man just cocked his head and told it how it was. Nicely. The older woman sided over and said that she was the grandmother there and as soon as the little guy had gotten home, she made him come over.
Long story short, I was so proud of The Man. When faced with someone way smaller and very nervous, he keep it simple. Fence the dog or else. When they shook hands and little man walked away, The Man looked at me with a very disgusted look on his face. I don't think that was the work out he thought he'd get.
Next episode will feature "Why I need a Fence"
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
As The Neighborhood Turns....
