Today is Saturday, June 18th. The Big Event for me, today, was getting my hair done. It was difficult getting an appointment and then it was early, for me. I feared I would fall asleep during it. When asked what the rest of my day looked like, I described a busy day of napping. (ha!)
Our neighbors across the street, Mary and Victor Hernandez, pulled out in a cloud of dust and their house is marked “SOLD.” I did not even know that they were leaving! Their daughter was a saxophone player and started our daughter on lessons, and also babysat for us, on occasion. The most notable was on our anniversary (March 30) when we contracted with her to babysit for my 2 nieces, as the parents were in Hawaii. The older of the nieces refused to do anything that was asked of her. For instance, her childish response to the news it was time to brush her teeth caused her to say, “We don’t brush our teeth at my house.” I remember vividly being called to come home early from our anniversary dinner at what was then Charles Michel’s restaurant at the top of the Black Hawk Hotel. I think it was just about time for the bananas flambe when the call came in that, even after our teen-aged babysitter called her father to come across the street and try to restore order, one of her charges refused to do as requested, so could we come home?
We could and we did. No children were harmed in the follow-up to our journey home, but it was an interesting night, full of lots of histrionics, things tossed or thrown and adults restraining themselves. I think my comment was, “We don’t behave this way at my house.”
We did not run into either bedroom every thirty seconds. We gave the child a little bit of time to settle down before going back in to make sure all was well. This method worked like a charm for own two kids; it worked like a charm this night. We barely peeked in, not wanting to cause further screaming outbursts, but one of us did make sure a blanket covered the older child in the chilly bedroom. No children were harmed during the calming of the maelstrom and no corporal punishment was administered.
We were never asked to babysit again.
So, we are getting new neighbors across the street. I am sorry that I did not get the opportunity to say “good bye” to Mary and Victor. They had two musically gifted children, and I think at least one of them is now a band director.
I wish them well.
I am now slow cooking the boneless pork roast I had said I was making for Father’s Day. That was before I remembered that I had frozen the meat.
We ended up dining at the Captain’s Table, and the pictures here are taken on the veranda there, which was very pleasant. The hubby got a brand new Super Box for our TV, an Amazon gift certificate, a small Super Dad trophy, 3 cards, and a gigantic bottle of Seagram’s 7. What more could you ask for?