Went to the dollar store today.

I wonder how long it will stay the dollar store with the cost of everything going up.  The Dollar and a Quarter Store just doesn't have the same "It's a Bargain" ring.

I like to get alphabet workbooks, stickers, construction paper, paint, puzzles, all the fun stuff for my 5 year old there.  A while back they carried dinosaur wall stickers.  I painted his wall with a big ugly volcano, some landscape, and stuck those dinosaurs up.  I am so NOT an artist when it comes to painting and drawing, but he tells me every night before bed its the "bestest" room ever.

When I came out of the dollar store there was an old beat up pickup sitting next to me.  A dog was in the front seat, and on the passenger side floor, a big bag of dog food.  It was opened and folded back so the dog could eat at whim.  I don't know much about dogs, but I wonder if that's healthy.

Of course I was eating a mini candy bar at the time.  So healthy and me, we don't always see eye to ass.

We brought in more dirt over the weekend.  I think total we've had 40 tons delivered and I think its safe to say..if I never shovel dirt again in my life it will be too soon.

I won't bore you with the photos.  We have a couple more loads to go, mostly topsoil and then we can seed.  WOO HOO.

We acquired a huge red wood swing/slide/rope/tire set for my youngest this weekend.  We drove to Kentucky and picked it up.  My cousin's son used it when he was little, but it's sat under a big tree at the bottom of a hill for years.  We took it apart, loaded it up, brought it home.

I spent all day yesterday power washing it.  (I love my power washer.  I honestly don't know how I managed to be content with the outside of any home I've ever lived in without one.)  So, now the swing looks fabulous.  From black to red in one day.

Several neighborhood boys, ages from eight up to twelve, were itching to get on it.

Do you know what kills me?

There are no kids Gavin's age on our street.  His brother is seven years older and not interested in playing with him too often.  So Gavin watches as a group of boys from the neighborhood (mentioned above) play games and run from yard to yard.  He begs us to let him chase them.  We don't.  He yells at them from the drive way..."MIKEY!  Come play with me!!!"

They ignore him.  If he gets close to them they say ugly things or tell him "GO HOME!"

Well, guess who was over on our property line yesterday wanting to play on Gavin's new swing set?

Gavin is happy to see them.  He will invite them onto the set forgiving any past slight believing its a new beginning.  He just loves having other kids around, always has.  But I know from experience (we have a trampoline, same situation but it was 3 years ago) they are only interested in using him to get to his stuff.  Once the newness wears off, they have no qualms about once again ignoring him, even being ugly toward him.

Yeah, I know.  It's the way of the world.  But Gavin is five and doesn't understand all this yet.  He thinks they are "friends" because they occasionally speak to him.

I think they're little opportunists who need more adult supervision.

Right now I don't intend on letting the lot of them over to play.  Some are just too old to be playing near Gavin, their size alone could smash his small 37 pounds.  And frankly, I don't feel like watching them crush my little man's feelings when they get bored and take off.

The only real friend he has close by, is moving in June.  I really like the family.  His mom and I hit it off from the get go.  (Which is unusual for me.  Usually takes women a little while to warm up to me.  One of my aunt's gave me her opinion why this weekend, but that's another blog.  Heh.)  Anyway, the mom I'm talking about is one of those rare women who not only accepts people as they are, but takes an interest in things outside herself.  She actually remembers story lines I am working on and ASKS me about them.  There is something almost other worldly when I hear my characters names and actions on another person's lips.

Being a good friend is just one of her many attributes.  I think she's a wonderful mother, would love to emulate some of her mommy qualities.  She does community theatre with her daughter as a mom and daughter kind of thing.  How cool is that?

But as is often the case when we meet our perfect fit, they're moving, or we are....oh well.

Wow, my life is pretty mundane isn't it?

Ahhhh, just the way I like it.

Drama?  We don't need no stinking drama!

BUT, we do have an occasional mystery.

Someone left a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts at my door.

I thought it was a neighbor we often help out, so the kids and I ate a few while working in the yard.

Uh-oh.  I talked to the neighbors, they didn't leave them.  And there wasn't a note.

Hmmmmmmmm.

Oh well, they were good.

In case this is my last post before death by poison.....the moral of the story will be...just when you think life has gotten mundane...the other donut drops!