June 11, 2000

 So i delivered my daughter to the bus, and she's returning to the rest of her life.  The one that doesn't involve me.  The one that is filled with boyfriends (only friends, she insists!) and girlfriends and soccer practice and school.  i know it's important that she have all that, but i still felt selfishly lonely the minute she left.  The practical side of me knows she'd be just as busy even if i lived closer.   The emotional side of me pampers her like crazy when she's here visiting.  And in spite of the price tag on the swimsuit i bought her, it did look smashing!  

Daughter (with very happy smile):  "Thanks mom!  I've never had a bathing suit that cost $___ before!  (reluctant to admit what i paid here)

me (droll voice):  me either.

     Well, she did look great!     

     How can it be swelteringly hot one day, then rainy and cold the next?  i'm beginning to think summer is not going to get here until maybe August, and then we'll have about an hour and fifteen minutes of it, on perhaps a Monday afternoon, before it starts to snow.    Suddenly the private war i've declared on the neighbours, to reclaim the backyard and put a stop to their blatantly obnoxious behaviour, seems futile.  What will i have won?  The opportunity of sitting out there freezing my tushe off?  (tushe = butt = bum.  Is it really a word?)

     But those neighbours!   "Ack" is about the best descriptive word i can think of.  Well, besides ick.  They are the same family with the screaming mother who continues to upset me.   Now that the semi-nice weather has pretended to arrive, the entire clan have moved outdoors, to their paved back"yard" (oxymoron), which is complete with mega-sized plastic table and chairs, two clotheslines and a garage converted into a rec room.  And the dog.

     The dog escapes their yard on a regular basis which has prompted Master to state is His loudest, outdoor voice, for us (the tenants and me) to call the pound the next time we catch the animal loose.  Obviously He was heard, because now they've built an enclosure along the side of the rec room, want to be garage, which measures about two feet by eight feet.  This is where the dog finds himself put lately, which increases the amount of barking he already does.  And barking and barking and barking.

     Then they turn on the music.  Loud, ethnic-type music with lyrics i don't understand.  Which i wouldn't mind actually, if the rhythm was at least nice.  We have tons of cd's here that i don't understand a word of, but the music is still great and the voices melodic, so that's okay.  

     Anyway, they turn up the volume to a level that is just truly annoying and means that no one else in many of the houses on our side of the block, can play any of their own music or have a decent conversation.  More simply put, we can't hear ourselves think!   Then, out comes the barbeque for creating burnt offerings, and out comes the beer for creating drunken buoyancy and one afternoon, out came the television to sit on the plastic table.  

     Enough i say!  Once in awhile would be just fine and i can tolerate the idea that they deserve a bit of fun like anyone else.  But all the time?  At the expense of the rest of the families around them?  i don't think so!  

     Hence the declaration of war.  i've enlisted the aid of the tenants and the young (and much friendlier) neighbours on the other side.  We just might win.   But is it still a victory if all we gain is a chance to sit outside in peace, freezing our collective tushes off?

     i'll wear thermal underwear.