Bonus Dad Week

Bonus Dad has been here this week. Hanging out. He helped me with my never-ending saga of weeding the front flower bed. He came to the Community Garden Coalition Meeting on Tuesday and the Community Garden Volunteer Day on Wednesday. Perhaps the Volunteer Day was a wee bit too much for him. He looked winded an hour and a half into the whole thing, so I made up some silly reason to the Powers that Be why we had to go. 

He was a great sport about me carting him hither and yon. We hung out for an afternoon in Washington Arkansas, a small town about 40 miles from here that was founded pre-civil war. It also boasts the world's largest magnolia tree. We also high-tailed it to the Atlanta Texas historical museum one afternoon to see the Jenny Wing biplane. Bonus Dad was an aeronautical engineer years ago. 

On his last day, we just chillaxed on Arizona Avenue. In the afternoon I gave him the Texarkana nickel tour, taking him to all the major sites in town: another community garden, a drive by the jail, which straddles two states, the courthouse/post office which also straddles two states, downtown Texarkana and Spring Lake Park--which has a B-17 displayed on the grounds. Then, we checked out the new Andy's Frozen Custard which opened up. It is no exaggeration to say Andy's is probably in the top 10 best restaurants in Tex-Town. I even thought so before I became reacquainted with their yumminess. 

In between the trips and the plants, we were just us. He took cat naps in the afternoon. We discussed books and authors. We watched Perry Mason (Marty's and my latest binge). We talked history and politics. We shared memories and stories. He petted Luna and said hello to Finn. He loved on my kids and my kids loved on him. And I enjoyed every moment with him. 

Near and Far

 These are two nuggets found in my Internet feed.

This one speaks for itself (I hope). 

In the event you need a Rosetta Stone for the next one: I'll cut to the chase. It is time to think seriously about the afterlife.  The signs from Scripture are coming true. Get your affairs in order. 

We've had the plague. It's rained (in my memory of living here) like never before: Every week sans one in 2023 in Texarkana. And then, last night the Dodgers blew an 8-3 lead, giving my beloved Diamondbacks sole possession of First Place in the National League West. 

 

Life This Week

Bonus Dad is here! We are doing life together this week. He has been playing with plants with me--including coming to the Community Garden Coalition Meeting with me today. Later I am dragging him to some obscure museum I found, because that's what we do. 

My heart is full. 

PS: I didn't finish my edits. 

 

I Live With a High Functioning Toddler

It appears there is some sort of eternal font in my backyard spawning turtles. That can be the only explanation for the sheer number of them Luna keeps finding. And now, she knows she isn't allowed to have them. When caught, she runs across the yard, drops it and then jaunts back over to us, as if we won't know what just happened. 

Meanwhile Marty or I are distracting the mutt while the other takes the turtle out to the front yard, wishes it well and sends it on its way. With that task done, we release the hound, who innocently waltzes back to where she dropped her plaything, only to find it missing. 

And then... Luna cries (CRIES I TELL YOU) for the next 45 minutes like she's been whipped and beaten, mourning her little turtle friend. While all this is going on, I'm working on edits, word for word, line for line, with a forlorn, howling dog, who is letting the household know the only one who can possibly console her is Mama. To their credit, Marty, Polly and Buck have tried, but nope. It's me or the turtle.  

Truth

Let me just say, my family is putting up with an awful lot right now. The other day Buckaroo worked all day and then made dinner (frozen lasagna) because I forgot to cook. I hear it was delish. I also handed him my debit card and asked him to run to the store for milk and bread. 

I'm getting about 4 hours of sleep a night. Plus, it doesn't look like the edits will be done before Bonus Dad arrives. If that's the case, I will start cleaning around 1 a.m. Monday morning. 

On another note, Marty asked me Friday morning when was the last time I ate. It turned out I had an apple about 24 hours earlier. 

 

Relics? Mementos? Keepsakes?

I took a break from edits to attend my second Church of Christ book club. We read James Patterson's, Run Rose Run. Actually, it was co-written with Dolly Parton. My guess is Dolly wrote it and James added a few descriptive verbs so that he could slap his name on the title and grab the royalties. 

Gail invited me. She was the only crossover on the Venn Diagram of Church of Christ/Corona and Church of Christ/Book Club folks I knew. That's okay. These ladies were just as nice and just as welcoming (DO YOU HEAR ME LOCAL CATHOLICS???)

Apparently, the Church of Christ book club attendees are the more upscale members of that church. Our meeting was held at Jill's house, which is the most palatial estate I've seen since moving here. Actually, it would make a few Scottsdale homes I've seen look like hovels. Gail cautioned me that people with Jill's money are truly "down to earth," and I shouldn't feel out of place around any of these ladies. I checked my clothes: slacks, matching top, sandals. I checked my hair and make-up, all up to the standards of everyone there. So, her comment still makes me wonder what kind of vibe I'm giving off where Gail felt I might be the least bit intimidated. 

I would like to break out here and say, Jill reminded me of my expat friend in Phoenix. They are both fascinating. They are both attorneys. And, they are both world-travelers who have tastefully decorated their homes with do-dads* from their far-off travels. I hope there's a chance to get to know Jill a bit better. As she was the hostess, we didn't really have a chance to talk. But, even more to the point, it REALLY made me miss my friend in Phoenix. 

Anyway, the book discussion was interesting. If I were talking to writers, I'd probably tear the story apart, pointing out the obvious plot failures. But there was enough meat to hold a great conversation about the music industry, sex trafficking and--because this is a Church of Christ group--Christianity. 

June's book club's date hasn't been announced. Given I have company for two of the four weeks of this month, I have a 50 percent chance of making the meeting. Plus, I haven't touched the book yet. I sure wish the library's book club had conversations like these. 

*Do-dads" marginalizes the way these two homes are decorated. However, as I write this, I can't think of another word. Souvenirs? Think of it this way: Jill's home displayed a cross from Greece and musical instruments from South America. My friend has a gorgeous Chinese cabinet she acquired in China. That kind of thing.  

Frantic-ish

Bonus Dad called. He will be arriving next Monday to do life with me for the week. I can't wait!!!! I don't have anything concrete planned, other than I'm intending on dragging him to Washington Arkansas to look around a colonial town I want to check out. Plus, there is the Community Garden Coalition Volunteer Days next week. It only lasts two hours each morning, but I'd like to go because I need Master Gardener hours. 

But that's next week's fun. 

This week, I'm finishing my editing. And let me tell you, line editing of 240ish pages takes a long time. I've done four chapters in three days. It isn't just looking, line by line, but I have the audio on as well, listening to every sentence. Over and over and over and over again. 

I'd like to finish this project before Bonus Dad arrives, so that I can send this off to beta readers. I begged off on a Corona pool party Tuesday because I wanted to work on this. However, I kept the rest of my social commitments for the week (same folks, different event). Now off to work on another chapter.