Thursday, February 23, 2006

It Takes a Village -- A Viking Village

You know that my back yard is undergoing a transformation. New garden beds, chicken prison, etc. Eventually there will be a play area, a lawn, and more plants. For now, though, there's just lots and lots of unallocated dirt areas. A neighbor said, "It looks like you're having. . . pipes put in your yard?" We had to say, no, it's just the kids digging.

Here's the man behind the plan.
It's Dana, father of a fellow homeschooled child and wonderful garden planner. If I have a beef to pick, it's just that Dana leaves wonderful, exciting, interesting things around.

Another neighbor came to the door yesterday. Things 2 & 3 escorted him to the porch, and waited excitedly to hear him. He sort of hemmed and hawwed, so I sent them off to play.

"Um," he said, "Um, it would probably be fine under adult supervision, but -- "

"What were they doing?" I tried to look as though I might be surprised by anything he said, but really, what I was thinking was more along the lines of "What now?"

"Um. They were throwing pitchforks."

I didn't ask if they were throwing them at each other. Anything becomes a javelin to them, and I didn't think they were feeling especially homicidal toward each other. All I could say was, "Thank you for telling me. No, it's not okay under any circumstances. I'll put the pitchforks away."

Maybe I should have said something about him needing to keep his eyes open in the future because I never knew what they would get into their pointy little heads to do. But I didn't want to scare him.

I'm afraid enough already.

7 comments:

amy said...

mwahahahah.... snort.

Ok, sorry, not helpful, but dang. You are so not alone.

Janis said...

Damn, I love those kids!

String Bean said...

Hmmm ...pitchforks. It sounds like something my sister and I would do to each other. I don't think we can be classified as children anymore either. At least, not by physical standards ...maybe mental.

Liana said...

My mother (75 this year) still has 2 scars on her thigh where a pitchfork tine went in and out under the skin when she and her sisters were playing. Maybe pitchforks are just irresistably attractive!

sewingsuzee said...

Pitchforks, triple axels off the coffee table, parachute testing. What great, great stories you have.

Which one of the Things will write the first memoir, do you think?

Samantha said...

Hi! Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. :) Your back yard and gardens are going to be gorgeous! And, oooh, chickens! I love chickens. :)

Happy Knitting!

Brittany said...

tee hee hee

The Things are hilarious. Perhaps not right now, but you'll certainly look back and think, "Wow".