"Hey Tony - take a look at these yahoos. They think they are going to come into OUR woods. Go get Vito and meet me back here pronto". Mikey Fly watched carefully as a man and a woman slathered themselves with sunscreen and gathered their backpacks. No trace of bug repellent. "Excellent", he thought, grinning to himself.
The couple started down the trail talking happily, making their plans for the day. Vito and Tony had not yet arrived, so Mikey knew he had to do something fast to get the humans off of his turf. He began flying in rapid circles around the womans head, buzzing all the while. She flapped her hands a couple of times, but once she found he wasn't going to land on her, she continued walking and talking with her husband.
Soon Vito and Tony caught up with them. "Tony - you get the guy, and Vito - fly in opposite circles around the womans head with me. We'll have them out of here in no time". The woman flapped her hands a few more times as the buzzing noise increased around her head. She asked her husband if any flies were bothering him. "There's one around here every now and then" he replied. "Can you see these two flying around my head?" she asked. "Yep." he laughed.
They continued their hike toward the pier that was about 2 1/2 miles away. Mikey was getting frustrated - the humans weren't leaving. "Hey Tony - I think we need to concentrate our efforts on the woman. Get over here and fly with us". The buzzing increased around the woman's head. They were about 1 mile in at this point. "Do you have any bug spray Dave?" she asked. "Ah, crap. No, I forgot to pack it. Are the flies still bugging you?" he said. "Can't you see them - they are just circling me head!" she replied, exasperated. "Come on" he said, "we'll try to out-run them and see if they will leave you alone." The couple began to jog down the trail. "Wahoo" said Mikey - they think they can throw us off - keep up guys. I think our plan is working."
About a mile later Guido and Luigi are flying by and see their friends circling a woman. "What are you guys up to?" they asked. "Come on" said Tony. "Help us get these humans out of here. We're focusing on the woman - buzz her head!" Jen began flapping wildly as the noise and irritation level increased dramatically. "Are you seeing these flies?" she asked? Dave was laughing too hard to answer. Jen finally stomped her feet and said "If you can't find me some bug spray - we're heading back." Still windmilling her arms and hands, she turned on her heel and began back down the trail from whence they had come. Dave shrugged and followed - there was more at the lake they wanted to see anyway.
As they left the trail and headed for the car - the quintet of flies stopped at the edge of the woods laughing their heads off. "Amateurs" they cried!
Dave and Jen rented a kayak and enjoyed some time on the water away from the bugs. They visited a museum, had a snowcone, then showered, had dinner and drove to a nearby casino. Maybe this empty nest thing is going to be all right...
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Blink and You Miss Them
I'm an empty nester this summer - well - I'm practicing to be one anyway. I am almost 45 years old and I have forgotten what life without a houseful of kids is like.
Justin graduated in May. He is taking 2 classes at the community college this summer and spends his free evenings with his girlfriend or working or in his room on his computer. It is like pulling teeth to get him to tell me about his classes, his friends, his life. He plans to go to Texas Tech in January and is already on his own in his mind. Today he texted me with the score he got on a test - it was nice. I try to keep up with what he is doing in his classes so we have something to talk about. He is doing really well and I am very proud of him. I know pulling away is important - I did the same thing my last summer at home. It's just not as fun to be on this side of it.
Zach is away at wrestling camp for a month, and our phone conversations remind me of when I used to have to talk to my grandparents on the phone. They asked me the dumbest questions and I provided one-word answers. I wondered why they bothered, now I know they just wanted to stay connected. Sometimes he gets excited and forms whole paragraphs - those are the moments! When he gets home he wants to find a job - he will need it with gas prices as high as they are and him just getting his first car. This fall he and his friends will fill the house and the excitement of football games and wrestling tournaments will be overwhelming, but for now it is quiet.
Dave is gone on another trip - Maui this time. I so wanted to go too but the flights were full. Great for the airline, bad for family members wanting to tag along. He has been spending a lot of time working on Zach's car - a 1995 BMW 325i with over 200,000 miles on it. He has done a fantastic job so far. Just a few little details left and it will be ready for picking up Zach at the airport. We have been telling Zach that there are problems with the "pimping" and there is no way it will be done until mid-August, so hopefully he will be surprised when we pull up in his shiney "new" car.
So tonight it is me and the dogs and the Ranger game. Dave will be home Wednesday - I think I will go to Arlington and watch the double-header with Seattle tomorrow. Funny how bringing baby's home turns your whole life upside-down, then all of a sudden you are on your own again. I have a lot of plans for how I want to spend this era in my life - it ain't over yet...
Justin graduated in May. He is taking 2 classes at the community college this summer and spends his free evenings with his girlfriend or working or in his room on his computer. It is like pulling teeth to get him to tell me about his classes, his friends, his life. He plans to go to Texas Tech in January and is already on his own in his mind. Today he texted me with the score he got on a test - it was nice. I try to keep up with what he is doing in his classes so we have something to talk about. He is doing really well and I am very proud of him. I know pulling away is important - I did the same thing my last summer at home. It's just not as fun to be on this side of it.
Zach is away at wrestling camp for a month, and our phone conversations remind me of when I used to have to talk to my grandparents on the phone. They asked me the dumbest questions and I provided one-word answers. I wondered why they bothered, now I know they just wanted to stay connected. Sometimes he gets excited and forms whole paragraphs - those are the moments! When he gets home he wants to find a job - he will need it with gas prices as high as they are and him just getting his first car. This fall he and his friends will fill the house and the excitement of football games and wrestling tournaments will be overwhelming, but for now it is quiet.
Dave is gone on another trip - Maui this time. I so wanted to go too but the flights were full. Great for the airline, bad for family members wanting to tag along. He has been spending a lot of time working on Zach's car - a 1995 BMW 325i with over 200,000 miles on it. He has done a fantastic job so far. Just a few little details left and it will be ready for picking up Zach at the airport. We have been telling Zach that there are problems with the "pimping" and there is no way it will be done until mid-August, so hopefully he will be surprised when we pull up in his shiney "new" car.
So tonight it is me and the dogs and the Ranger game. Dave will be home Wednesday - I think I will go to Arlington and watch the double-header with Seattle tomorrow. Funny how bringing baby's home turns your whole life upside-down, then all of a sudden you are on your own again. I have a lot of plans for how I want to spend this era in my life - it ain't over yet...
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