POOL PARTY

It was early Saturday morning and while I was having my morning tea on our deck I could see that our backyard neighbors were getting ready for a party. Tents were being set up, balloons were being tied to the deck, table and chairs were being put into place and someone was doing a last minute skim of the pool. They had a beautiful day for their event and I was happy for them.

Later that afternoon I went back out on my deck and could hear they'd hired a singer. He played an acoustic guitar and sang songs from the Doors, Eagles and Beatles, all of the music I liked to listen to.

I stuck my head back inside the house. “Hey, Alex!” I called to my son. “The back neighbors are having a party and they hired a really good singer! Do you want to come hang out on the porch and listen with me?”

Alex came out carrying a bottle of water. He stopped and listened for a moment. “He is pretty good.” He admitted as he sat down in the chair next to me and we quietly listened to, 'Come On Baby Light My Fire'.

At the end of the song, the guests began cheering. “I feel like I want to call up some friends and invite them over to have our own party right here!”

“Well, you'd certainly save money on the entertainment.”

I looked over and smiled. “Exactly what I was thinking!” It was at that moment a neighbor a few doors down, turned on his riding lawn mower and began revving the engine. I looked over at Alex. “Well, that's not good.”

“WHAT?” Alex called, making a point of letting me know how loud the mower was.

“They must hear that a party's going on.” The mower had drowned out our ability to hear the music.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “It's Saturday afternoon. People are allowed to mow their lawn.”

“I know but it's a matter of neighbor etiquette.” I countered. “They can hear that a neighbor's having a party. If it were me I wouldn't mow my lawn today.”

Alex laughed. “You've never mowed the lawn.”

Now I had to laugh. “That's true, but it's not my point!”

“Well, maybe the person on the lawnmower isn't a fan of that kind of music.” Alex took a sip of water.

“Still not being a good neighbor.” I sighed.

“You're just mad that you can't sit out here and hear free party music.” Alex laughed.

The neighbor's lawnmower stopped for a moment and the people at the party began cheering. “See, they know he was being rude and they're thanking him for stopping.”

Alex looked over at me, a confused look on his face. “How do you know they're cheering for that? Maybe their musician just finished a song and they're cheering that.”

“Because that's a part of neighbor manners. When someone stops their annoying behavior you show your appreciation!”

Alex started laughing. “That's not a thing!” he cried.

I shrugged my shoulder. “Well I think it should be.”

That's when the neighbor's mower started again. I looked over at Alex and rolled my eyes as I got up to go inside. “It was nice while it lasted.” I sighed.

“Look on the bright side.” Alex said as he got up with me. “At least you didn't call anyone to come over and eavesdrop on their party with you.”

SCARED SNAKELESS

My phone dinged and up popped a photo sent from my husband Steven of a snake slithering through the grass.

I shook my head and did a double take before texting back. “Where was this taken?”

A few seconds later another ding. “Our back yard!”

I don't know why I instinctively pulled my feet up on the couch but I did, frozen for a few seconds wondering what to do next. I live in an area that isn't really known for snakes. This is something that I periodically thank God for. I love nature, but snakes fall into a different category for me.

I copied the picture to a Facebook group called Nature Addicts and asked if anyone could identify what kind of snake it was. Moments later, 'Checkered garter snake' was the answer with links to find out more. Scrolling through the links I realized this type of snake wasn't from around here.

I got up from the couch and went to the dining room window where I could see Steven and my son Alex standing outside. I opened the window. “Where is it now?” I called.

Steven pointed to the garbage cans. “He slithered over there.”

“Well, he's a Checkered garter snake. He's not one of our local snakes, he's from the Southwest and Mexico.”

Steven just nodded as he looked back over at the garbage pails. “So, what you are trying to tell me is that he's up here for summer vacation?”

Alex started to laugh.

“No, Capt. Funny-pants, I'm saying it must be someone's pet.”

Steven shrugged his shoulders and looked over at Alex. “Well, you better catch him before we make up the Missing Pet posters.”

Alex started to laugh again. “I'm not catching him! He's two and a half feet long!”

I looked back at the link on my phone. “It says when you pick him up his defense is pooping a foul-smelling liquid.” I was playing a YouTube video. “Oh wow! This guy's holding a snake and actually gagging from the smell.”

“Sounds like a fun pet.” Alex couldn't help but shudder.

“Well, what are we going to do?” I was leaning on the windowsill still not wanting to go outside. “He's never going to leave. We're like a resort for snakes with the woods in our backyard and all the crickets and little toads he could possibly want to eat.”

“That sounds about right.” Alex nodded in agreement.

“Oh, come on!” Steven sighed. “I'm sure he's just slithering through. He's probably three houses away by now.”

“Can you move the garbage cans and check?” I asked.

Steven looked over at Alex. “Why don't we wait until after dinner. Maybe give him a chance to move on.”

Alex nodded in agreement. “That sounds like a good idea.”

They both came back into the house.

As Alex walked into the kitchen I was holding out a bag of garbage from the kitchen pail. “You do realize tonight's garbage night, right?” I couldn't help but smile.

KUDZU AND KINDNESS

My sister just moved to North Carolina and I'd come home from visiting her new house.

As I rolled my suitcase into the front door my husband Steven was there to greet me.

“So how was your trip?” he asked as he took my suitcase from me and brought it into the living room.

“Really nice!” I flopped down on the couch, putting my feet up on the coffee table. “I'm a little tired.” I looked over at him and smiled. “Remind me next time NOT to take the 6 AM flight out. I'm not a big fan of getting up at 3:30 in the morning.” I tried to hold back a yawn.

“Well, other then being tired, how was the rest of your trip?” Steven asked as he went into the kitchen and brought me back a bottle of water.

“Liz's house is beautiful. She's still putting on finishing touches, but she's loving it there!”

I took a sip of water. “When we were driving into her development I couldn't believe the amount of kudzu. It was like a blanket of green covering everything in it's path.”

“Oh, yeah. I remember that when we were down there visiting my sister, a few years ago.” Steven handed me a pillow.

I tucked it behind my head. “I know it's an invasive weed but it really is kind of fascinating watching how it just climbs over everything.”

Steven just laughed. “Only you'd find a weed fascinating.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I really do like it but I think I might have annoyed Liz because whenever we went out I became the kudzu spotter. Liz could be in the middle of a sentence and I'd be shouting KUDZU!”

“That does sound a little annoying.” Steven agreed.

“Well, the other thing I noticed was how kind and sweet everyone was.” I took another sip of water. “Wherever we went grocery store, garden center, or a restaurant everyone wanted to know how our day was.” I looked over at Steven. “They actually wanted to know how our day was going Steven! How often do you hear that around here?”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “Every once in a while someone asks.”

“Not very often! Down there they ask all the time!”

Steven nodded in agreement.

“There was a woman at the counter of a convenience store that had a really pretty jacket on.” I moved the pillow so I could lay down on the couch. “Liz and I ended up walking out the door with her.” I reached over the back of the couch and grabbed the afghan that was folded there and pulled it over me. “ I told her how much I liked her jacket and do you know what she said?” I stifled another yawn.

“No, what?”

“She gave me a great big smile and told me about the trip she'd taken where she'd gotten the jacket.” I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open. “I felt like I'd just made a new friend in the two minute walk to our car.” I couldn't help but smile. “That's what I took away from my trip to North Carolina.” I yawned. “Kudzu and kindness.”

Steven came over and adjusted the blanket over me. “That's nice.”

“It was nice.” I sighed closing my eyes.

“Maybe you could tell me about the rest of your trip after you wake up.” He suggested as he kissed the top of my head.

“Ah, bless your heart.” I said in my own unique Southern drawl before closing my eyes again.

ROGUE RECYCLERS

My son Alex and I were driving into our neighborhood when I noticed all the blue garbage cans lining the curb. “We have to remember to put the recycling out tonight.” I looked over at Alex. “Ours are overflowing!”

We drove past a middle-aged woman walking down her driveway clutching a small blue container to her chest. “Oh, come on!” I looked over at Alex again. “She can't be serious!”

“What are you talking about?” Alex looked over his shoulder while I watched in my side mirror as she gently set the small box down at the curb.

“She's pretending to recycle!” I cried. “The recycling truck comes around every two weeks! There's no way she has that little to bring out!”

Alex just shook his head. “Maybe she lives all alone and doesn't have much to bring out.”

I shook my head. “She doesn't live alone. There's two cars in the driveway. There's at least one other person living there.” I looked over at Alex as he looked back at me with a surprised look on his face. I shrugged my shoulder. “What can I say? I notice things, okay?”

“Well, at least she's putting out something, so she's trying.” Alex reasoned.

“Ugh! She's not trying! She's pretending!” I pointed to another small container we were passing, “So is this one!” I leaned over to peek inside. “Come on, one half gallon of milk, two water bottles, a few newspapers and one detergent container.” I looked over at Alex. “It's like they're staging for a play!”

“Could we keep going?” Alex asked as he nervously looked at the house we stopped in front of. “I really don't want them seeing us going over their recycling.”

“Oh!” I stepped on the gas. “Sorry about that.” I began driving down the road again. “But I just get so annoyed that I spend so much time rinsing out containers. Disgusting containers I might add.” I looked over at Alex. “Do you know how gross it is finding a container of sour cream in the back of the fridge that was a month old? Do you know how badly I just want to throw it in the trash?” I shook my head. “But no...I scrape that moldy yucky stuff out then rinse it until it's spotless before I toss it in the recycling bin.”

We were pulling into our driveway as Alex patted me on the shoulder before opening his door. “Well you should feel good knowing you're doing the right thing.”

We both walked around to the back of the house and I pulled out the first blue container from where we keep our garbage. I tipped it on its wheels and pulled it out of the way so Alex could grab the other recycling pail. “I can't believe how heavy this one is.” I complained as I lifted the lid and peeked inside.

“Maybe it's all the wine bottles that's making it so heavy.” Alex laughed.

“Hey! We had company the other day!” I cried. “Don't judge!”

“Not judging.” Alex said as we walked the cans to the street. “But the recycling guys might.”

I pushed my can against the curb. “Maybe I should leave a note on top of the can that says all of the wine bottles are because we had company.”

Alex laughed as we walked back up the driveway. “I'm sure they'd love a note like that to hang in they're break room!”

TICK TERROR

It was after dinner and my husband Steven and I were sitting on the back porch, watching the sun set and discussing what we'd done that day.

“The babies across the street are just starting to walk.” I said as I leaned back in my rocker. Our across the street neighbors had twins, a boy and a girl, a little over a year ago. “You had to see them outside with their parents!” I looked over at Steven as I picked up my glass of wine. “Those chubby little legs running around the side yard as they giggled at everything they saw! It was just so cute to watch.” I smiled as pictured the whole scene again in my head. “Remember those days?” I sighed.

“Like it was yesterday.” Steven said as he adjusted the pillow behind his back. “I used to love having the yard filled with kids running around laughing and playing.”

“It sure goes by quick, doesn't it?” I was watching a pair of house finches flying in and out of our birdhouse and could hear their babies chirping for food. “Looks like that Mom and Dad have their hands full.” I pointed to the birdhouse. “They've been flying in and out of their house ever since we sat down and the babies are still crying for more.”

Steven looked over at our bird feeders. “You might want to make their lives a little easier by filling our feeders.”

I looked over at our two empty feeders. “Wow! I could have sworn I just filled them yesterday!”

“I'm sure the deer have something to do with that.” Steven reached over and got his water bottle off the table. “Our woods are filled with them at dusk.”

“I know, but I just got the squirrel resistant feeders and I was hoping they'd stop the deer, too.” I put my glass of wine down and began getting up.

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe we just have really hungry birds then.”

I went inside to get the birdseed and get myself ready to fill the feeders before coming back out to the deck.

Steven looked over at me. “Why are you wearing those?” He was looking at my knee high rubber boots.

“That's what I wear when I fill the feeders.” I put down my bag of seed and began spraying my boots with the can of bug spray I'd also brought out. “Deet.” I said as I put the bug spray down and picked up the bag of birdseed. “Okay.” I took a deep breath. “I'm going out there!” I went out and filled the feeders then returned to the deck. Slipping out of my boots, I put the bag of birdseed down next to my rocker, sat down, and reached for my glass of wine. “Mission successful.” I took a sip of wine and watched as the birds began returning to the feeders.

“Do you dress like that every time you fill the feeders?”

“Sure do!” I put my glass back down. “If you've been bitten by ticks as many times as I have you'd be dressed like that too!” Even though I'd been treated each time I still dealt with some side effects from the bites.

“But you were just saying how cute the babies across the street looked as they ran around their side yard.” Steven looked confused.

“I was saying it reminded me of how cute it was when our boys were that age running around our yard. That was back in time when a tick bite was just a annoyance. Now it's a whole other world we live in.” I looked over at Steven. “Did you know the Lone Star tick will actually chase you down to bite you? It's not like they're just hanging on a leaf anymore and you accidentally brush by it. They actually chase you down!” I shuttered at the thought. “If our boys were babies right now, they'd never leave this deck!”

Steven just shook his head. “Well, I guess I'm grateful our boys got to have a real childhood without a tick-crazy Mom.”

I picked up my glass of wine and held it up. “I'll drink to that!”