What I've been doing in my spare time

A little less than a year ago, we decided to pull up the old nasty carpet in our house and replace it with a wood floor. After several heart stopping quotes, PH and I decided to put down the floor ourselves - one room at a time. We were half way through the house when I started my new job in August and since then, the floor project laid dormant. We blamed my job, but part of our inertia was due the fact that the next room to do was the family room which is the largest room.

Last Sunday, after I finished my first 23 research papers (46 will be coming in on Wednesday so service will then again be interrupted), we decided to pull up the rug and put in the floor working every night after work. Never mind that my sister and her family were coming in a week for a visit before heading to Mouseland. Never mind that I was cooking for fourteen the following weekend. It was time. Here is our progress the first night . . .



Night one!






AND FIVE DAYS LATER . . .






Although we are tired, it is done and the last three rooms are substantially smaller. We still have trim work to do, but I am quite impressed with our work.

After Friday night, I still had to cook for fourteen. I made chicken breasts in a sauce of tomatoes, onion, thyme, parsley, and wine, with baby red potatoes grilled with olive oil, thyme and parsley, and some blanched green beans. I was so busy that I only snapped one picture while I was making the sauce.

But I didn't forget to take a couple pictures of the pear and chocolate tart.

Unfortunately, after all the working, cooking, and visiting, KK came down with the stomach flu and I am now cleaning bed linens. Ma belle vie!

Temporary Break

I will be back but I am currently buried under a stack of research papers that need to be corrected. Also, for some insane reason, we tore up the carpet in the family room and are laying wood floors down. Someday, I will be back . . .

Near Escape

A very busy week and I don't see a let up in the next couple weeks. Yuck.

We finally returned Hammy the hamster, but not without problems. Last Sunday night, the deviant hamster from hell made a dash for freedom at two freakin' o'clock in the morning. Even without wayward rodents, I hate Sunday nights. I can never get to sleep - my mind races with all the things that need to be completed in the up-coming week.

Before Hammy's break, I spent the first two hours in bed tossing and turning, making numerous lists of things that I will never accomplish. The next hour, I listened to PH snore. PH's snoring is not consistent. The volume increases until he nearly gags himself whereupon he wakes himself up, only to turn over and continue snoring whether on his back, his stomach, or his side. After numerous attempts to stop the variant decibel snoring, I finally went to the couch to sleep.

I had just dozed off after acknowledging that I would only have four hours of sleep to start my week, when I woke to the clatter of plastic hitting the tile floor in the laundry room. Damn Hammy, I thought as I stumbled to check on the freakin' hamster like the third child I never wanted. I flip on the laundry room light and the evil rodent is perched on the top of his cage and he has knocked off the lid. As Hammy sees me, his eyes widen with the knowledge that his escape plan has been foiled and he runs down the tube to hide in his exercise wheel. Damn rodent. I duct taped his cage back together.

Hopefully, this Sunday night will just be a normal sleepless Sunday.

Priceless . . .

Making a post on a lazy Saturday and immediately receiving responses from people around the world. Thanks.

The Week's Run-Down

This week:

• We had a few days with temperatures below fifty degrees. I actually wore a jacket and people here thought the world was coming to an end. It was wonderful!



• It rained. For me, it was such a nice change to see rain until I saw the pictures from a city less than an hour away from us. These poor people have lost everything. I won't be wishing for rain again anytime soon.



• We are currently babysitting the hamster from KK's pre-school. "Hammy" is a round, over-fed little bugger. I fear that he will become stuck in the narrow, little tubes protruding from his cage. And PH already yelled that Hammy was not in his cage and after a frantic search, we found him mid-tube. Pray we don't kill the damn thing before his return to pre-school on Monday. KK would never live it down.



• As I was driving yesterday, a vulture flew into the path of my windshield and despite attempting to brake, I hit the friggin' thing. Just a small ding to the windshield, but PH is still laughing at my driving skills and the irony of hitting a vulture.



• KK and Hew are in competition for the world record for the most consecutive days bickering. I may be institutionalized soon.



• At the ripe old age of two, Hew has announced his career choice - Trash Man. He explained that the Trash Man gets to ride on the back of the truck AND wear his hat backwards. What more could one need in life. . .
  

So, what was your career choice as a child? Happy Weekend!

The Queen of Planning

The Queen of Planning should really be my title. It's not enough that I am constantly planning our escape from this state in eighteen month [well, really sixteen months and ten days, but who's counting :)], but it appears that I have become my entire family planner.

This weekend, I arranged for my family's various summer flights, car rental, and a hotel in Norway. My sister and her family will be visiting Mouseland at the end of February so I planned a dinner at my house for her and her brood, and my grandmother, her 87 year old boyfriend (don't ask!), and my aunt, uncle, and cousin all who live about an hour from here.

Then, I received another call from sister who had been talking to to my parents. It seems that instead of a fortieth anniversary party in August, my parents want a family trip to celebrate - WITH ALL OF US! That is eight adults and five children, ages two, three, five, six, and nine. The only available time that everyone can schedule the trip is the week after Christmas. And of course, since I am the Queen of Planning, the trip has been dumped on my doorstep. I say "dumped," but in reality I don't mind as it gives me some control as to where we go.

So here's the parameters - it must be warm, preferable the Caribbean, possibly an inclusive sort of place, accessible from Boston and Florida, big enough to accommodate 8 adults and five children, with a kitchen so we don't always have to take the kids out, and it must be the week after Christmas. What I have run into so far is that the cost between Christmas and New Years increases at most resorts at least three fold. I have one lead in the Dominican Republic that looks promising, but I'm hoping for some assistance in blogger world - places people can recommend or places to go with thirteen of your family members (yes, hell does seem to be the most accurate response). All this family planning has left no time to plan my Mommy free time in May, but I'm sure I'll come up with something (insert dramatic sigh here). Where's my crown?

Suggestions

As a pay back for PH's trip to Arizona, he has suggested that I take a few days away. Because of my work schedule, it doesn't appear that I can take any time until the very end of May or beginning of June. So where to go? Time period is a maximum of three to four nights. And no, I don't want to stay in Florida!

Something new

Lately, this blog has been a lot of whining and not much substance. Although I cannot promise that will change often, periodically I will be making attempts to add some "substance." The following is just some thoughts I had after reading an article in today's paper about the boys from Missouri who had recently been rescued from their kidnapper. Feel free to agree, disagree, or tell me I'm full of crap. I'm interested to hear what others think about this.


Those in “developed society” tend to frown upon the stories of women convicted for being victims of rape. Stories from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, and other countries about women being imprisoned for “zina” or unlawful sexual intercourse (which is a rather nice phrase for being violently forced to have sex) are abhorrent. The idea that someone could be jailed or sentenced to die because of being sexually abused is outrageous to the majority. These stories are a reminder that societal organizations should not be used to further victimize those who have harmed wrongly.

Why then is there a questioning outcry after two kidnapped boys from Missouri are discovered – one after nearly four years of captivity? The issue centers on the fact that this child had opportunities to use a phone and a computer, and was also seen outside of his captor's apartment, yet according to the media there were no attempts to escape. Somehow, in the court of public opinion, this has brought this child's victimization into question.

Is it necessary to remind John Q. Public of a child’s vulnerability? This child was kidnapped at age eleven and was held approximately one hour from his home. In reality, how many children age eleven could find their way home when an hour away? Additionally, a child's inability to accurately assess a situation should be noted. Children readily believe that a fat man in a red suit can slide down the chimney of every home in one night. Yet according to the media backlash in this case, a pre-teen should be able to measure the credibility of his kidnapper's words and deeds, and then act to save himself at opportune moments. It is unknown at this point what was done or said to this child, but the media questions should focus on why he was taken and what can been done to keep this offender from stealing another young life, instead of blaming the child for failing to escape.

Lately, it has become easier to blame the victim of a crime as their credibility is further questioned in the news. Through cases like the recent Duke rape case, the issue of an alleged victim's credibility are being examined. In the Duke case, the waters are furthered muddied by a prosecutor who in seeking fame, forgets his ethical responsibilities to the public. It was easier during an election year to spew words like "gang rape" and "racism" without first investigating the case. Due to a recantation and evidence issues, the focus has moved to one of blame. Because of the rush to judgment without evidence in that case, other victims of crime will suffer --their credibility will be attacked for having the audacity to report a crime that is often near impossible to prove. After all, the smart criminal chooses to commit a crime where it cannot be seen and is careful not to leave behind evidence. Thankfully, many are not so smart.

In looking at these cases, it becomes evident that “civilized society” is no different than those courts in developing nations. Instead of a criminal conviction for being raped, there is a conviction in the court of public opinion -- the child in Missouri should have done more to escape. This is the same logic used to punish the victims of rape. The only difference is that there, women are punished for the actions of their predator, whereas here, we punish the kid for the actions of the kidnapper.

Thoughts?

Still looking on the bright side

Incredibly, the good mood continues. I say "incredibly" because I have some horrid stomach virus that makes me feel tethered to the bathroom. However, I have lost almost five pounds since Friday. Not the diet plan I was going to use, but I'll take it. Hope everyone has a happy MLK day tomorrow - although I have the day off, I'll be working on lesson plans if I can break free of the tether.

A Happy Note

Back to work almost a week - still had unhappy parents and children grumbling about school, and a surprise evaluation, BUT I've just been happy. My lesson plans have gone well, the evaluation went fine, and I've been able to have a few nights where I haven't had to bring home work. Do you think the job's getting better or it's just the temperature dropping below 70 degrees that brought on my smile?

Singles Parents

I don't know how single parents manage. PH flew out early yesterday morning to Arizona. He'll be back late Tuesday and until them I'm a single parent. I've got one kid with an ear infection and another with allergies (at least that was the diagnosis Friday). Both have been good with occasional bouts of sibling dispute, but I miss sharing the load.

I've always been amazed by single parents. I know that most don't have a choice - you do it because you have to do it. I imagine that at some point I would become resentful at never having a moment to myself. All of the fights, the baths, the getting dressed, the fits, the illness, the laundry, the dishes, the late nights, and the early mornings. I know that also means you get all of the kisses, the hugs, the snuggles, the I love yous, and the attention. I admit that I'm relieved that my single parent status ends on Tuesday. And yes, we ate take-out last night!

Some thoughts for the New Year

This is the first year that I haven't made any resolutions or come up with any great thoughts on how to improve my life for the future. I'm still reeling from the impact of my latest life changing decision and haven't decided whether I have made a mistake. For such a planner, I am at a loss for the future.

For the past four years, PH and I have been talking about a move. Although PH has a great job, it's not what he wants to do forever and I really dislike Florida (I know - surprise, surprise!) Our initial thoughts were to move North to New England. It would be closer to my family and I miss the change of seasons. Then after a few vacations, we began entertaining the idea of trying to find a job overseas. At first, it was just fantasies about winning the lottery, quitting my job, finding a good nanny, and moving to the Alps. The talk became more serious as we volleyed around ideas of how we could earn a living. No, we're not technology people, international business people, or military. And between the two of us, we speak some basic french and one of us is fluent in Norwegian [not a very useful language in most countries - sorry Renny :)]. Still, we are educated, with advance degrees; there must be something we could do overseas to earn a living.

PH and I were in the same line of work - law. I was working part-time to be available to parent our new children. Decent pay, great benefits, and part-time with something I had done for years. PH is a partner -- great salary, great hours but he is ready for a change. With the talk about moving, we decided that I would go back to school, take a few classes so I could work at a lower paying job that put me on my kid's schedule. I went back to school so I could teach. I never expected it to be easy but we thought it would be easier to find jobs once we moved if we weren't in the same business.

So, we had a plan. I'd change career. It would be better. It would give us options. Only it hasn't quite worked out that way. I'm working for a private school that is going through an administrative change. Because of the upheaval, parents are currently running the school. Not literally, but for all intens and purposes, they are calling the shots. I have been screamed at and insulted; I have had parents barge into my room ten minutes before class starts demanding I change my lesson plans; my credentials have been questioned; grades are changed upon the demand of parents. These are parents who would have never dared talk to me this way before I became their child's teacher. There is some assumption that because I have "lowered" myself to teach that I am fair game for attack. Additionally, the school does not have a mentor program and no one else is teaching the classes I am teaching, so there is no collaboration. Also, there is no set curriculum; other than asking other teachers what they have done in the past, I am responsible for developing my own curriculum. I have been told this is not a typical "first year" teaching experience.

I know I don't have to do this forever. I keep reminding myself this is for us to get out of here. I only have a year and a half left, and then I can start looking to move. But more and more, I'm realizing that it is not likely that we could both find jobs overseas and support ourselves. Today, I received an e-mail from a well meaning expatriate that sums up my fears. The e-mail discussed the average teaching salary, the tax code, the cost of housing, etc, etc, etc. What's the likelihood that two people, one who speaks only a smattering of french and one who is fluent in Norwegian, will find jobs in a foreign country? And not just any jobs, but jobs that will allow them to support their two young off-spring? Jobs that will not blow their saving that they have worked the last ten years to accumulate?

So now, I wondering why I'm sticking with a job where I am treated badly and I'm not sure if I even like it? If we're just going North to New England, why not just stick with my original profession? Did I make a giant mistake in changing careers? And at what point, do you have to grow up and become realistic, and give up on the idea of moving to the Alps?

New Years Brunch

Welcome to New Year's Brunch at Hexe's house. It was just the four of us this morning. PH had mentioned last night that he wanted to run in the morning so I thought I'd have time to cook. Of course, this morning PH changed his mind. Finally, after thirty minutes of trying to cook with a two small children at my feet begging for food, I finally ordered PH to go for a run and take both kids. By the time, they were all dressed, had various bathroom breaks, and put on their shoes, the rain started! Fortunately, the getting ready process lasted long enough for me to get brunch completed.


First, a bite of pumpkin bread to keep the children from starving while I cooked. In the fall, I pickled up a few extra pumpkins that I cooked and pureed, and the froze for later use. Although the canned version works, the frozen pumpkin always makes the bread very moist. Yum!

This was a egg and ham custard recipe from a french cookbook. It is seasoned with thyme and nutmeg. Very easy to make! I made some potato pancakes to serve with the eggs.

This was suppose to be peaches and strawberries in pink champagne, but I couldn't find any good peaches, so I substituted cantaloupe which worked well. I made it without the champagne for the kids which they seemed to like. I need to work on my photograph as this picture does not do this fruit cup justice.

And finally, mimosa - champagne and orange juice!
HAPPY NEW YEARS!

The Disappearance

I wish I could say that my blogging absence was due to something exciting - like a lottery win and an around the world adventure, or a spontaneous cross country move. Unfortunately, the hiatus was the result of more mundane events - some work related problems and some family chaos. Neither is something that I can comfortably talk about right now. We are all fine, but this past months has left me asking myself some difficult questions about our future plans. Sorry for being so cryptic - at some point, I hope to be able to laugh about all this, but right now I'm just a tad overwhelmed.



On to the excitement of Christmas . . . the blurry pictures show the result of global warming in Maine. That's right - no snow this year. This is our first Christmas trip with no snow and we have been traveling to Maine for ten years, except for 2001 when I gave birth to KK two days after Christmas. The kids asked about the snow, but were content to play with their cousins and the numerous Christmas gifts bestowed upon them by Grammie and Grampa. For them, the trip was a great time -- Santa and their relatives were exceptionally generous, hours of play with cousins and friends, walks on mud filled roads -- even without snow, it was a wonderful time.

We arrived back in Florida two days ago to 80 degree weather. Three out of the four of us have lingering colds - 'tis the season! No plans for New Year's tonight, except to put the kids to bed early and relax. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I wish you a joyous New Year! Bonne Annee! Ein Gluckliches Neues Jahr! Godt Nytt Ar!

Over the River and Through the Woods

The quick and dirty on Thanskgiving in New Hampshire (there was a 'nice' photo of the trees and stream where we stayed but Blogger does not wish for me to use photo at this time - Damn you, Blogger!):

1. Hew to KK as they walked outside the first morning - "Hey, look at the frosting on the car!"

2. Attempting to make fudge with powdered sugar results in chocolate taffy, but NOT fudge, no matter how long you put it in the freezer.

3. Children who refuse to sleep for their parents and then sleep perfectfully for their grandparents WILL NOT receive a visit from Santa.

4. My parents are becoming the old, obnoxious, retired people who winter in this state. Not only did my father who used to ice race cars fail to drive over forty miles an hour, he also refused to follow the direction to my brother's house given to us by my brother. We spent an hour driving forty miles an hour through the mountains for no apparent reason.

5. This is the first time in ten years that I did not make the meal and I missed it. Plus, we had no left-overs.

6. It is amazing that my sister and I grew up in the same house. Sis has been building a house for more than three years (according to their bank loan it was suppose to be done in a year - yeah, that tends to impair your credit rating) and there was a list of things the bank wanted done before the end of November. We all go over there to help - there is no system or order. Neither Sis nor brother-in-law (BIL) is sure what to work on first. Food has not been made (there are ten people coming to your house, you might want to plan a little!). Sis planned to make lasagna but forgot. I made it, realizing after I cooked the noodles that the only cheese in the house was shreaded cheddar and colby jack. At night, I am sleeping on a pad from a lawn chair, in a room with no heat, with my four year old niece's blanket that doesn't reach my toes. Next to me is PH who is sleeping on an air mattress with a leak thus resulting in the middle of his bed sinking to the cold floor and PH being wrapped like an enchilada by the air filled sides of the mattress. Both kids are in the room and I have dressed them in full length pants and sweaters to sleep. There should be a test people must pass before they attempt to build a house - Sis and BIL would fail it.

7. I love my family. I love to visit with them. I miss them. But living with them would result in my hospitalization in a psychiatric facility.

Friday Feast

Appetizer: Have you ever flown in a helicopter?
No never. I tend to become ill in small planes and make use of those cute little bags that are so thoughtful placed. I imagine flying in a helicopter would produce the same results and I fear they would not have the cute bags.

Soup: What color is your warmest coat or jacket?
I have a stylish, fitted ski jacket in sky blue and white. Never did I think a white winter jacket would be slimming, but I look positively svelte in it. Living in Florida, I get to wear it for one week when I visit my parents at Christmas which is too bad because there is little else in my wardrobe that has the effect of that jacket.

Salad: What is your favorite rainy day activity?
Before children, it was reading. There is nothing better than a cold, rainy day, a blazing fire, hot chocolate with Bailey's Irish Creme, and a good book. Now, it's building a tent from chairs and blankets or playing the game "Put Mommy to Bed" which allows Mommy to lay in the bed while the kids read me stories and put me to sleep.

Main Course: Describe your hands.
Small, short, slightly swollen fingers. The life line is longer on my right hand. I have prominently veins which is why my Husband says I am a Borg.

Dessert: If you could eat only one nut for the rest of your life, what nut would you pick?
Cashews, of course. My Husband thinks I should have a different answer to this question.

Sorry for the hiatus

Life at Hexe's house has been a little crazy. After the sick kids, Hew decided to make the most of his terrible twos. For nearly two weeks, he has refused to sleep through the night. The tantrums escalated into forty-five minute screaming fits. I seriously started to think we needed to have him evaluated AND THEN my parents arrived. Hew slept through the night - no problem. This was after I had called my mother sobbing as I was so sleep deprived, trying to explain why Hew needed a neurological exam. She laughed and said he was two, testing his boundaries, and apparently winning. Damn, I hate when that woman is right! Since then, some minor tantrums but definitely more sleep.

Add in craziness at work. Plus this time of year seems to depress me. I know I'm obsessed with heat, but it is nearly December and it is 80 degrees. Late autumn should be cold mornings with frost, steaming coffee, and a fire in the fireplace. I do realize that all this is just excuses for my lack of writing but with the lack of sleep, I've barely been able to find matching socks in the morning - complete sentences were just too much!

We did make it to New Hampshire for Thanksgiving. Once my parents arrived and Hew slept, we had a nice time. I know it sounds thrilling - 'nice', but our standards are pretty low here. We stayed at a place with a pool which made the kids happy and PH happy, and it was in the mountains with a stream running outside my bedroom window, so I was happy. PH and I even had a dinner sans children once my parents came to visit. We ended the evening with a cursing, tiring screeched stop as a BLACK BEAR was smack in the middle of the road as we drove home. Yes, it was a BLACK BEAR - not some large dog. The thing moved rather rapidly back into the woods, but then turned and watched us watching him for several minutes. We just kept repeating different versions of OMG THAT IS A BLACK BEAR! See - easily entertained.

More on New Hampshire later. Sorry for the lame and awkward post - I'm out of practice. For those who celebrate Thanksgiving - Hope it was 'nice'.

Look out Norway . . .

I love making travel plans - the anticipation, the research, the discovery. Other than frustrating airline mileage redemption programs, I enjoy the entire process of planning for our next trip almost as much as the actual trip. A future trip to an unknown destination is just the escape one needs when the doldrums of evevery day life set in.

I have previously mentioned my frustration in planning our summer trip to Norway. After numerous tries we finally gave up on the idea of using our frequent flyer miles. Even after informing the airline that Stavanger is in NORWAY not GERMANY, it was impossible to use the miles unless we were willing to stay for six or more months. As the kids will be at Grammie and Grampa's house, six months seemed a bit of an imposition. So after a few weeks of research and searching different options, we have finally procurred tickets to Stavanger for eight days in June. I do understand that this more than six months away, but I now have plenty of time to anticipate, research, and discovery western Norway. Plus, some basic Norwegian must be learned as we will be visiting the family PH stayed with as an exchange student.

So anyone with information or suggestions about the area between Bergen and Stavanger, drop me a line. (This means you, Renny - although I know you are on the opposite coast). For now, I can be found ignoring my sick child (yes, that's why I'm home mid-day) so that I can troll the web and fantasy about my escape. Happy Friday!

Just call me the Scrooge of Halloween

I love autumn. It is the time of year I miss the most living in the God forsaken Mouseland. I love Halloween - carving pumpkins, the kids all excited to dress up and go door to door in the neighborhood, shrieking over their favorite candy, proudly showing off their costume to their friends. Ah, Halloween . . .

Over the years living here, I have come to accept that our neighborhood is one where many parents drop their children off in order to trick or treat. I have learned not to question where the kids are from and just smile and hand out fifty dollars worth of junk that will rot through their teeth as they sleep tonight. After all, it's Halloween . . .

BUT (you knew there was a but coming) . . .

BUT, there comes a point in time when it's time to retire the costume. When I was a kid, it was around age twelve or thirteen. You were in middle school, you were a teenager, you were already feeling awkward and a costume certainly didn't help - you were too old and you knew it. It appears that today's teenagers have not been made aware of the age limit. So below are some suggestions for today's youth in order to determine their eligibilty for trick or treating.

• If you are old enough to shave any part of your body, you're too old.
• If you can drive, you're too old.
• If you walk away from the door with your hand on your girlfriend's ass, you're too old.
• If you have had elective surgery to enhance certain body parts or reduce other parts, you're too old.
• If you have impregnated someone or birthed a child, you're too old.
• If you have your own credit card or checking account without a parental co-signer, you're too old
• If you don't know how to get off the damn cell phone while your candy bag is open, you're too old.
• If you qualify to earn minimum wage, you're too old.
• If you can't be bothered to put on a costume, you are too old.
• If you can legally buy alcohol (or you're old enough to desire a fake I.D.), you're too old.
• If you're costume is a tattoo and (visible) body piercings, you're too old.
• If you're old enough to access porn on the internet, you're too old.
• If you dress as a playboy bunny, you're too old.

Unfortunately, this has been my evening and I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Welcome to the Neighborhood . . . NOT!

I have previously mentioned my uptight, rude, petty neighbors, but their obnoxious behavior had reached a new high. Last weekend, PH and I began to put our lawn back together. During the summer heat, we generally let some of the weeding go. We still mow regularly but it is fair to say that we do let things grow out a bit. It's hot and things just tend to wither a bit no matter what we do.

Anyways, last weekend, we began weeding and trimming back the shrubs. We cleaned up on the side on the house and cut back a couple trees. We were happy with our start and intended to continue our "clean up" this weekend. I also should add that we do have a sign in our yard, supporting a local political candidate that we know.

Fast forward to Wednesday after work. I'm driving home with both kids, figuring out how to get dinner on the table. I pull up and grab the mail before going in the house. Strangely, there is a letter with no return address and our names are not on the envelope, just our address. Once the kids are in the house and have a snack, I open the curious envelope and there with various spelling errors is the following message:

Here's the deal...We will vote for your favored political candidate and in turn you can take care of your lawn, cut your bushes and bring your property UP TO OUR COMMUNITY STANDARDS.

The letter was unsigned, of course, as my neighbors don't have the courage to approach us personally. Now, these neighbors have no problem sending their children to play in our yard while they go about their business and we watch their kids, but they can't be bothered to speak with us. I am counting the days until I can sell this house and move.

So, did these cretin cowards keep us from working on our yard? Certainly not, but we left the front yard looking as is and have done a lovely job cleaning out the back where our children play and our one neighbor who is actually decent lives. As far as the front, I'm thinking about a dozen pink flamingo yard ornaments - what do you think?