CROWS ON POLES

“What are you looking at?” Alex asked as he came into the room and saw me looking out the window and up into the sky.”

I pointed up to the top of the telephone pole that was next to our driveway. “Do you see the crow sitting on the top of the pole?”

Alex came over to the window. “Oh, yeah. I wonder what he's doing?”

“He's building a nest.” I had to look down for a minute because my neck was getting a kink in it. “I've been watching them come and go all morning.”

“On the top of the pole?”

“Nope. Keep watching.” We both looked back up as the crow began to caw.

Finally another crow landed on the pole and looked at the stick the first crow had delivered. After a moment the crow seemed to give some sort of approval because the first crow took off with the stick and flew across the street to the big pine tree in our neighbor's yard. “I think that's where they're building their nest.” I squinted trying to see better. “See, this is where I wish you'd let me use my binoculars!”

“We've talked about that.” Alex reminded me. “You can't be the creepy neighbor who looks out your window with binoculars.”

“Fine.” I was still trying to see where they were in the pine tree. “It could also be their decoy nest.”

Alex looked confused. “A decoy nest?”

“Isn't that wild?” I couldn't help but laugh. “Crows are that smart! They build the decoy so that after the babies hatch, if a hawk sees them flying with food they just go to the decoy nest and the hawk thinks the babies are gone!”

Alex nodded his head in agreement. “Sounds pretty smart.”

Just then another crow landed on top of the pole and began to caw. “It's not just the couple who build the nest, but the babies from last year help, too. It's like a barn raising! The whole community comes out to help!” We both looked up to see what this crow brought. It was a large white thing that he'd pick up, then put down and caw, then pick up again.

“He seems pretty excited about his find.” Alex said. We waited for the approval bird to show up.

When he did, he was only there for a moment before he sent the first bird away without his donation. The crow, left on the pole, watched him fly off, then quickly pushed the white thing off the top of the pole before flying away himself.

I turned to Alex and started to laugh “Rejected!” I looked back out the window. “I have to see what it is.”

“Really?”

“Of course!” When I got across the street and saw what it was, I couldn't help but laugh as I came back into the house. “It was part of the bone from a T-bone steak!”

“Seriously?”

One hand on my heart the other palm facing him, “I swear!”

“Wow! I thought you said they were really smart!”

I shrugged my shoulder. “I guess one of them in their group didn't get the memo on approved nesting material!”

We watched as another one landed on the top of the pole with what looked like string.

“But I have to say, now that I saw that, I like crows even more!” I cried.

“Why?”

“Because he didn't want to hurt his feelings so he waited until he flew away before he pushed it off the pole.” I looked over at Alex. “That's so sweet!”

Alex looked at me for a moment. “How do you know he didn't call him stupid before he told him to fly away?”

“Well now you're just trying to ruin it for me.”  

HOT OR COLD?

This was the beginning of the week! We are now in a heat wave!!!

It was after dinner and Alex and I wanted to get in a walk before it got too dark.

“I have my keys.” I opened the front door. “Do you have your phone?”

“Got it.” he said walking out of his room zipping up his heavy hooded sweatshirt. He stepped outside and was ready to close the door.

“Do you really think it's that cold out?” I said second guessing my light jacket.

“I think so.” He held the door open. “Do you want to go back in and get something heavier?”

“Naw.” I said heading down the front steps. “They say you burn more calories when you're cold.”

“Who's they?” Alex asked catching up to me.

“You know, experts.” I said rubbing my arms to keep warm.

“I think you might be wrong about that.” Alex put his hands in his pockets to keep them warm.

“No, I'm not.” I argued. “I can feel myself burning more calories as we speak!”

“Okay, you can believe what you want.” I could hear the doubt in his voice.

“I can prove it!” I stopped and held out my hand. “Give me your phone, we'll Google it!”

“Are you sure you want to do this right now?” Alex asked handing me his phone.

“Why wouldn't I?” I found the Google app and tapped on it.

“Because, right now you don't mind being cold because you think you're burning more calories but when you find out it's not true then you're just cold.”

“I'm not wrong.” I began tapping on the keys. “I'll just type, 'Do you burn more calories when it's cold'.” I hit send, waiting for the right links to come up. It didn't take long. “Oh, Damn!”

Alex started to laugh. “I told you not to look it up right now.”

“It says you may feel like your body is working harder to keep you warm but you don't start burning extra calories until you start to shiver.” I clicked off his phone and handed it back to him. “That's just great.” I sighed and began walking faster rubbing my arms, trying to get warm.

“Sorry.” Alex was walking next to me.

We were walking on the shady side of the street. “Maybe if we walk in the sun I'll feel better.”

We crossed the street and walked a little further. “Nope, not any better.” I complained. Now I was sorry I'd put my hair up in a ponytail because my ears were starting to get cold. “Well, it did say if I start to shiver then the extra calories start to burn.”

Alex looked over at me. “It's 52 degrees out, I'm pretty sure you're not going to start to shiver anytime soon.”

I marched on, feeling cold.

A few moment later Alex began to unzip his heavy sweatshirt. “Wow, maybe I did over dress.” I looked over and could see the sweat on his shirt.

“You're sweating!” I cried.

“Hey, this sweatshirt's really heavy.” he complained.

“I hate Google.” I grumbled.

Alex started to laugh. “You love Google!”

“Fine.” I huffed. “I hate Google today!”

MOTHER'S DAY MAGIC

I didn't feel like cooking dinner, and it was only going to be Alex and me eating. So I picked up a sub sandwich on my way home from work.

I came into the house and dropped the sub shop bag on the dining room table. Alex came over with two plates and some napkins.

“You're the best.” I said as he put a plate in front of me.

Alex laughed. “I'm the best because I gave you a plate?”

I had to laugh. “I guess that's was a little over the top.” I handed him his half of the sub. “So I'll say thanks instead.”

We both sat down and began eating in happy silence, both unwinding from a long day. After a few bites I put my sub down. “Do you have any plans for this weekend?” I asked as I shook a few potato chips from the bag and passed it to him.

He looked confused for a moment. “Isn't Mother's Day this weekend?”

I smiled. “It is!”

I have to say, ever since I've had kids I've loved Mother's Day. It's the one day I don't feel guilty not cooking, cleaning, doing laundry or running errands for everyone. I can sit on the couch reading a book or watching television and no one is going to say a word about it. Believe me, the only other time that happens, guilt free, is when I have the flu. Not a cold, mind you, because technically I can still function with a cold. It has to be the flu, where no one wants me around them so I can hide in my room and read my book or watch television. But sadly it's the flu, so it's not like I'm having fun.

But Mother's Day, yeah!

“So what do you want to do?” Alex asked.

“Well I'm hoping the weather's good and we can do our usual picnic in the park.” I said.

Alex got up and went over to the cabinet. “You want a water while I'm up?” he asked.

“Oh, you're the best!” I had to smile. “Yes, please!”

He just shook his head and laughed as he handed me a bottle. “Wow, I'm the best again.”

“Hey,” I shrugged my shoulders. “What can I say, I'm just excited about Sunday where I'm not going to have to do anything but relax.” I looked down at my plate and pointed to the rest of my sub. “I don't think I can finish the other half of this.”

Alex looked at his. “Me either.” He got up and got two zip lock bags and handed me one. “Aren't you going to say, 'Who's the best?' or your other favorite 'Who's the man?” He laughed as he put his leftovers in his bag.

“You're just lucky I'm so easy to please.” I said as I put the rest of my sub in my bag.

“Are you?” he took the bag from me and went to put them both in the refrigerator. “So if I just made you a macaroni card for Mother's Day you'd be fine with that?”

“Oh my gosh, I would!” I cried. “It would remind me of all the little handmade things you made me when you were younger!” I began thinking of all the little trinkets I had in a box in the closet. “Remember the puzzle piece pin you made me and the clay heart necklace?” I had to smile just thinking about them.

I looked back at Alex who was leaning in front of the refrigerator, his arms crossed looking at me. “So you're saying you'd really be okay if I just made you macaroni card?”

I thought about it for a second. “No, probably not.” I admitted as I got up to put our plates in the dishwasher.

“That's what I thought.” he smiled as he headed back to his room.

“But that doesn't mean I'm still not really easy to please!” I called after him.

I'm not sure but I think I heard a faint laugh coming from his room.

THE GRATEFUL TRIP

I was going down the hall to my bedroom when Alex walked out of his bathroom holding a towel around his waist and an armload of dirty laundry.

“Great,” I said as I passed him. “You're out of the shower. I'm going in next.”

Alex stopped. “You're taking a shower now?” he looked concerned.

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, I just got out.”

“So?”

“I might have used up all the hot water.” he admitted.

“Oh, come on! How long were you in there?”

Alex tossed his dirty clothes on the floor of his room and grabbed the towel tighter around his waist. “Well, if I'd known you wanted to take a shower I wouldn't have stayed in as long as I did.”

I just shook my head as I headed to my room. “I have to go out soon, so I guess I'll be speed showering again.” I complained.

“Sorry.” Alex called down the hall after me.

I was in and out of the shower in a flash feeling like I'd just participated in a rodeo event, only instead of rope tying a cow I was shutting off the water and holding up my hand to stop the clock, screaming “TIME!”

I was dressed and ready to go out when Alex came into the kitchen. “Sorry about the shower thing.” he said. “If you'd just let me know you wanted to take one I wouldn't have been in there so long.”

“You know when I was growing up we only had two bathrooms with nine people and a very small hot water tank.” I reminded him. “My Dad used to bathe my two sisters and I together in one tub just to save water.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “I know, you've told me this story before.”

“Well, obviously it hasn't made much of an impression.” I shot back. “The house your Dad was raised in had one bathroom and five people sharing it!”

“I know, I know.”

“Does your Dad need to take you on the Grateful Trip again?”

“No.” Alex started to laugh. “I've been on that trip twice!”

When the boys were younger he'd take them around his old neighborhoods showing them the small houses he was raised in and the route he had to walk to school when he was only in kindergarten.

“Well, try to remember that the next time you're lollygagging in the shower. Our hot water isn't endless.”

Alex started to laugh, “Lollygag? Is that even a word?”

That caught me off guard. “Yes, it's a word.”

“Who says that...lollygagging?” he was still laughing.

“Obviously I do.” I leaned against the counter and tried to think about it for a moment. “Come to think of it.” I finally said. “I think I remember my Dad using that word when we were kids.”

“Well, it's a good one.” Alex began walking back to his room shaking his head. “Lollygagging.” he repeated with a chuckle.

“Hey!” I called after him. “Nice job distracting me from being mad at you for hogging all the hot water!”

“Your welcome!”