We have a landscaping project in our back yard. Before we began our labors, Will told me to sit down and not get offended. I braced myself, and he proceeded to tell me that he would be directing this project, because I get too sidetracked and scattered and waste too much time. I understood his point and agreed to let him be in charge. We had a few conflucts but we are aware he is a big picture person and I am a detail person, and both are important. Sometimes I just have to stand there and look at an area from different angles, and measure about three times to be sure things are going the way they should. But Will and Nick dismantled three old raised beds, shoveled the dirt onto a new area, prepared the area and dug three holes for the three birch trees we purchased.
That was an adventure in itself. We all got into Will's fabulous new pickup and drove out to Gindhart's Nursery on Peoria Road - a beautiful Saturday drive. Will was delighted with the opportunity to share his new CD, Roy Rogers Greatest Hits. He told Nick he had a special song that pertained to the day's activities called "I'm Livin' in Levenworth." It seemed to be comparing marriage to prison but the prisoner has a real good attitude about it. He sings, "Me and the warden have a ball." (Roy Rogers, not Will.)I warned Will and Nick to watch out for old Mr. Gindhart. I have bought one tree out there every spring for about the past three or four years, and he always tries to intimidate me into buying the smallest tree. He has one gallon trees for $3.75, two gallon for $6.75, three gallon for $10, and then the normal size ones that other nurseries sell for $25 on up. The first year I started out looking at the normal size trees and he pretty much ridiculed me. "Why would you pay $25 for this tree when you could pay $3.75 now and have a tree this big in five years? " Maybe cause I don't want to wait five years? He always intimidates me into buying a smaller tree than I want, and I was determined this year to go away with at least a two gallon size tree. I told my guys not to make eye contact if they saw him and walk away.
We picked out three two-gallon size birch trees, after much agonizing on my part. We didn't run across Mr. Gindhart until we were ready to pay for our trees. He looked at the trees, looked at me, and said, "You know, we have lots of smaller birch trees out there for only $3.75." I pleasantly but firmly said, "Yes, I know, but these are the ones I chose." Thank goodness he didn't argue with me!
So our trees are planted and the men of the house got to rest on Mother's Day. Except they all participated in a mother's day skit with me at church, playing their ornery selves. That was interesting. They also made a good Sunday dinner and did the dishes. My parents and Linda joined us.
Thank you, Eric and Nick. It is a joy to be your mother (most of the time). Thank you, Will, for appreciating me, helping me and sharing the parenting of these three great boys. Craig, it was great to talk to you last Thursday and you better keep your promise and call me tomorrow!
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