Life Lately in 3 Simple Stories

One

My dad was here this weekend. We took him down the street to one of our favorite parks that has a boardwalk running alongside a river. It’s always pretty but around dusk I’m drawn to this spot. The longer you stand there and wait the more colorful the sky becomes and the trees reflection dance on the pink and orange water. It’s kinda magical. On this night it was even more magical because it was just me. Everyone else had stayed at the playground while I walked down to the water. I could stand there with my thoughts and take as many pictures as I wanted without Mr. Byrd giving the look that says, “you have a picture taking problem – put down the camera and walk away”.  I was in heaven. It wasn’t as hot as it had been lately, the quiet was beyond needed and the view couldn’t be beat.  That’s when I noticed a rustling in the murky water and realized there was actually a man standing under the dock, one hand down in the water digging around.  He saw me as I shamefully lowered my phone from taking the 100th picture and we both turned red at the same time. I tried to get words out to ask what he was doing but I just couldn’t. Finally he managed to get the words out to tell me that he had dropped his keys and was looking for them.  I might never look at the sunset there again in the same way. I know that next time I’ll definitely keep a closer eye on the water underneath me rather than the sky up ahead of me.  No matter how bad your Monday is, at least you won’t be under a dock in chest high water digging in the mud for your keys. 

Two

It was one of those days. You know the days I’m talking about. When there is literally nothing in the kitchen to eat but you don’t want to go to the grocery store because then you might actually have to put on makeup or a bra? Yes. It was one of those. So in my desperation I found tomato paste, cheese, pepperoni and bread. Being the master chef that I am, I decided to throw it all on a piece of toast and all it lunch. I am not joking at all when I say that the kids were in awe. Obviously they didn’t realize what a culinary genius their mother truly is. I burn bacon and dishtowels on a habitual basis but they never go hungry.  First they asked me to take a picture and Instagram it, so I did.   Then my  youngest asked me if I found the recipe online.  So of course I told her that I didn’t need a recipe, it was just pure skill. And you know what? She believed me.  My poor kids. Someone call Wolfgang Puck and tell him my kids think spaghettios are classy. 

Three

Last week after a lot of trouble from our current internet provider they finally sent a technician to do some work at the junction box in our backyard. He met me at the front door where I assured him it was fine for him to walk around the house and enter the backyard by himself to do the work. I had forgotten one thing. Our dog was in the backyard.  Technically he’s a dog but actually he’s a human baby wrapped in fur that we make go to the bathroom outside. This dog is so pitiful that he likes to be cradled in your arms while he sleeps. He weighs 12 pounds on a good day and wakes you up in the morning by standing on your chest, nose to nose with you. The only threat he offers is to the burnt bacon I toss on the floor for him.  In fact he’s so lovable and friendly that when a stranger comes over he likes to smile at them, to welcome them to his home. He didn’t fail in welcoming the technician to our home. When I reached the backdoor I saw him running full fledged to meet him while simultaneously wagging his tail so hard that his hips were literally flying left to right, making him stagger as he ran.  I couldn’t figure out why the technician was stumbling over his own feet to get back out of the gate in record time until I saw it.  The dog was smiling at him. All his pointy little teeth glaring in the sun with his lips pulled back almost like he was the miniature version of Cujo.   The world’s sweetest dog almost gave a nice burly technician a heart attack all because of a misunderstood smile.  I guess the phrase “smile and the world smiles with you” doesn’t always apply after all.    Happy Monday friends.