Mowing...

I just came in from mowing the grass...  I didn't get it all mowed because it got dark, but I mowed until the the sun was down.  Every time I mow the grass when the sun starts setting I think of a man I once knew.  He was my neighbor... he lived across the street.  When I was going to Clemson, Steve (my boyfriend) and I lived out in the country in little cinder block house for a year.  The man, whose name I can't remember, lived across the road in a trailer with his wife and 2 little boys.  I remember the boys especially (they were about 4 and 6), because they used to wander over to my house all the time to see my birds.  I spoke to the man a few times, and he was always very friendly...  His wife, however, always looked irritated and would not say a word.

One night as the sun was almost down, the man got on his mower, and started cutting his grass.  It was late spring or early summer, and it was very late.  I was working out in the living room, and I remember wondering why in the world he would start mowing the grass so late.  I remember his grass was very high...  He mowed and mowed well into the night.  I thought it was so strange.  I don't know why I thought it was so so strange, I mean after all, it was none of my business...  But I sat there and watched him, thinking how weird it was.

The next day I was home alone...  I'm not sure where Steve was.  I don't remember that part.  In the afternoon I noticed an old man banging on the door across the street and trying to look through the windows.  Then he came over to my house and asked if he could use my phone.  That was not unusual at all, because none of our immediate neighbors had phones.  So I let him, he called someone, and when he got off the phone he asked me if I had heard anything that morning.  I said that no I hadn't.  Soon, the landlord of the trailer (who was also my landlord) came over and opened the door.  Shortly the police  and ambulance came....  It gets fuzzy after that.  I remember being asked again if I had heard any shots... No.  Turns out the man's wife had left him a few weeks before and had taken the children (I hadn't even noticed they were gone), and he had become so distraught that he blew his head off with a shotgun that morning ( I never did hear the shot).  It was shocking because he always seemed like such a happy guy.  All I could think was, if he was going to kill himself, why did he spend so much time the night before mowing his lawn in the dark?  Maybe he wanted to make the place presentable for whoever found him.  I just thought it was strange.  Obviously, it made an impression on me, because every time I  mow as the sun goes down, I think of him.  Poor man. I hope he found his peace...

Wow, that is heavy...  What makes it even heavier is that that man is not the only person that I was acquainted with who committed suicide that year.  Earlier in the year, I think it may have been February, one of my classmates killed herself.  Her name was Julie.  And her story still haunts me to this day.  But, I am making myself depressed now, so I better save her story for another post...

D's Birthday Bash With Easter Thrown In...

Okay, okay, I am finally gonna write again.  It has been a busy week, and I just haven't felt like taking the time to stop and write.  But I do want to post photos of D's Birthday Pirate Bash, so I suppose I better take a quick break from cleaning my house to do that!  Haha!  Any excuse for a break!  Actually, I think I'm gonna be taking myself outside today to work in the yard!  It is beautiful, sunny and cool... the perfect day for me to get in some gardening.  I finally bought a book that I have been wanting for some time now.... Edible Landscaping....  And it is awesome.  That is my plan... Turn my yard into an edible landscape.  I will become a gardener if it kills me!  Haha!  My Mom is the best gardener in the world (in my opinion, of course), and I wish growing up I had paid a bit more attention.  I don't have a brown thumb, but it's not exactly green either...  I love working in the yard more than anything though.... manual labor is relaxing to me, so I just need to take the plunge and do it! 


Okay, now let me recap last weekend.  With D's birthday and Easter back to back, it was a whirlwind.  I have to admit, I was not in the best of moods... I think I was WAY too overwhelmed.... Too much going on at one time for me to enjoy any of it.  I tend to try to do too much all the time, and I always pay for it.  This weekend will be packed full as well, but I won't be hosting the party, so I don't feel too stressed about it...

D chose a pirate theme for his sleepover... And his choice was awesome!  He invited three boys from his class and four of his older friends to come to the party on Friday night.  I think every single boy had a BLAST!  I know they did in fact... They spent the entire party, dressed as pirates with eye patches, sword fighting inside, outside, and even upside down...  It was mayhem, chaos, incredibly loud...  They were having a ball!  Meanwhile, I was nursing a mega headache, and attempting to keep myself from having a panic attack!  Haha!  I'm not kidding.  There was one point when I seriously considered just driving away and leaving them all to fend for themselves...  Thank God some of the other mothers stayed to help.  Had I been alone, I surely would have taken a sword and slit my own throat... Just kidding of course... :)  Anyhow, the party was a success.  The younger boys left around 9pmish, then D, the older boys, and Little A all watched Pirates of the Caribbean.  Big A stayed for the party, but went to spend the night with a friend afterward...  So it was just Little A and the boys.  She was right there keeping up with them the entire time!!  That girl was born to be a pirate!!!! The movie gave me some reprieve, but as soon as it was over the boys (and Little A) were up for another round of sword fighting!  I wish I had a video camera...  It was quite amazing.  What is really amazing is that there was not a single injury the entire time!  I think that is a first at one of my parties!  Seriously.  I have never hosted a birthday party without someone choking, getting hurt, or vomiting...  And this was probably the most rambunctious party of all!  So I guess it was a success!

On Saturday, we celebrated D's birthday as a family...  That boy racked up on the gifts!  Saturday evening we went to The 57 Fighter Group  to eat dinner.  That is an AWESOME place to take a boy on his Birthday!!!  D had a great time!  The service wasn't the best, but the kids had a ball!  We ate outside on the patio and watched the planes taking off well into the evening...  After dinner, the kids went out and danced on the dance-floor for a while, then we all went home...  Thankfully the kids were all exhausted, so the Easter Bunny was able to come extra early...

Sunday morning the kids were up at the crack of dawn to see what the Easter bunny had brought them!  I had a houseful of happy, sugared up kids all Sunday!  I was too tired to make the effort to got church for Easter service.... so we just chilled at home.  In the afternoon we went to see Hop!  It was an awesome movie!  Definitely a good choice for Easter afternoon!!!  So, the weekend was actioned packed, and exhausting, but the children had a great time!  That is all that really matters, isn't it?

This week has been busy with work for me!  THAT is a good thing.... Money is gettin' tight, so I need all the work I can get right now...  I have gotten some important things accomplished that I have been putting off, and that makes me feel good.  I have still got A LOT to do to get my life back in order, but I'm not feeling so overwhelmed and stressed right now.  In fact I have been in a surprisingly good mood all week...  Strange, I know... but I will take it! :)