Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Slice of Life

Right after we moved in, we bought a salt lick and mounted it on a tree on the hillside thinking we would have a herd of deer addicted to our salt lick.  According to my worthless deer book, Salt Lick's are the equivalent of deer crack. Our deer, don't follow the deer norm, and the Salt Lick looked untouched.  A few weeks ago Mr. Boy and I were setting out some deer chow for our mommy deer.  Those poor mommy deer, they are dealing with bickering fawns all day long.  Not only that, they can't seem to keep on top of the housekeeping, and dread taking the fawns out to run errands. Those fawns turn into little devils when it's time to go to the grocery store.
  Ahem... maybe I'm projecting a bit.  Anyway, Mr. Boy and I were up by the Salt Lick tree, and I dared Mr. Boy to lick the "still looks new salt lick".  He double dog dared me, and next thing you know we are both licking the salt lick and falling over with laughter.  Last week I found this buck going to town on the deer lick, which immediately left a bad taste in my mouth.  I'm afraid I've ingested deer cooties, and if I sprout antlers, we will know why. Apparently, the salt lick wasn't going unused, they just last a really really long time.  
Mr. Boy turned 8, which means he started Cub Scouts. His first activity was the pinewood derby, where we learned that it is serious business.  Needless to say, Mr. Boy is hooked on scouts.  Last night, they had a "Pack Meeting" where boys were handed awards for activities they had passed off.  I guess they don't do merit badges at this age yet.  
Mr. Boy was enthralled with the pins and belt loops, and said, "I'm going to earn a ton of them, Mom."   When we got home, he proceeded out the back gate and up the hillside.  When I asked what he was doing he replied, "Leave me alone Mom,  I'm Cub Scouting.  This is for my hiking merit badge. Oh, and Mom, do we have a gun, I think I'll do my hunting badge too."
One of the things I love about the Chalet, is the freedom it provides my children.  The neighbors are all a close knit group and raised their children together. (All their kids are now grown and my age!)   The neighbors have welcomed us and love my kids. We often joke this neighborhood came with a cul de sac full of grandparents who spoil our kids.  It is not uncommon for us to have impromptu neighborhood gatherings and I love it. 

Yesterday at 2 o'clock, just as I was getting ready to leave to run errands,  the doorbell rings. It is our neighbor, dressed in a swimsuit who says, "I was told there was a swim party at 2pm?"  AK comes running out in her swimsuit and says, "HOORAY! You came!" She grabs his hand and says, "Mom, for our party we would like Root Beer and licorice."   So, we all put on swimsuits, drank soda, ate licorice and had a swim party, because what else do you do when people are expecting a pool party. 

Leave it to AK, to decide while roaming the front yard to spice up the day with an impromptu party.  Our neighbor arrived home to be greeted by AK, who announced that we were having a party at 2pm, and would he please come.  No one can resist AK and her kryptonite smile, so he blew off his afternoon to do list to join us. It was sweet, although a little awkward, when he realized the party was just for him.  One of the things AK has taught me, is that there are ways to make the day more fun.

1 comment:

Vagabonde said...

I saw the name of your blog and being French I stopped to see if this was a French blog.
That deer is very big – I have seen some deer crossing down our road here next to the Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield National Park, but they were not that large.

I also would like to ask you what do you mean by “merci pour arrêter par” it does not mean anything in French. I think what you are trying to say is this: “Les images et les meditations faites au hazard par une famille française. Merci de vous être arrêté par ici” ? or you could say “Merci de vous arrêter parmi nous” It is the verb to be “je me suis arrêtée et j’ai lu votre blog” par exemple. Vos enfants sont très mignons.