Friday was the day that Uncle Paul finished the yard work by removing the unsightly pile of dirt that was marking the lawn beneath brown... he carefully removed the clay and raked out the earth then seeded the whole thing. The sidewalk leading to the front of the house was then tackled and completed by Uncle Paul and assisted by Mitchel. He then began the arduous duty of finishing the deck and ran out of wood which meant a trip to the hardware store for us. The deck was finished by early evening while I continued to clean out the pool and get it ready for Saturday and my annual girl's night by the pool. This is the third annual gathering and ironically planned very strategically for the weekend that I am able to swim.... I planned this party 3 months ago and decided to do it on the second week end in August as opposed to the third weekend in July. Friday proved to be a rather stressful day and my frustration spilled over in the form of griping. It is always fantastic when your mate wants to get all these projects done.... please just remember to finish one before you start another and to clean up as you go!!
Saturday began with a dense covering of clouds that would soon begin to pour copious amounts of precipitation on Max and Uncle Paul while they struggled to get the pond completed.... it was a muddy mess and required an equal amount of hose water to wash off the deck and the sidewalk. Our wonderful neighbor Shelly had offered to have Lydia drop over to her house to catch some fish from her pond - Lydia adores Shelly and she jumped at the opportunity to spend time with her. They added 5 little goldfish babies to our pond along with the Stratiotes Aloides 'Water Soldier/cactus' plants that Shelly had given to us the day before. Thank you for always being so wonderful to us and especially to Lydia. The pond finally completed, Max and Paul went in to shower and get ready to vacate the house for the evening - my guests should start to arrive within the hour.
Brenda A is the first to arrive and she looks fantastic with her new hairdo and make-up and I am excited to see her!! She gets down to the business of helping me prepare tonight's feast - ribs and chicken with salad and mashed potatoes. Carrie comes next followed by Sue, Shelly, Jan, Ameeta, Andrea, Nancy and later by Brenda B, Sandra and Kim. Carrie is my out-of-town guest and has already stashed her gear in my son's room and is preparing drinks with a special concoction she has devised - finding Nemo.... you have to drink what looks like the color of an angry ocean to find the cherry hidden beneath the ice floes.... yum! With dinner finished and desserts coming out, the ladies quickly clean up the mess. Thanks Jan for coming!! It was so nice of you to drop in. My gratitude for the great job in clean-up!!
Shelly, Carrie and I are going to brave the obnoxious weather and cold pool water - note to self - time to get a pool heater - but first I have to say bye to Andrea who has come to visit from Toronto and I tell myself not to tear up... it is so hard to see her go, I miss her so much!! I love you girl!! The beautiful Gerber daisies she gave me will remind me that she was here. Back to poolside it is Carrie and I that jump in to the cold water together and laugh like idiots when we surface!! Shelly has paced around the pool and is determined to get in despite the chilly temperatures and we again laugh like idiots when she comes up and tears out of the pool!! You are so brave. Ahhh, the rain begins again and we get out to get changed and join everyone now gathering in the gazebo. The rain has now reached torrential proportions and the gazebo begins to leak in places... time to go into the house. Brenda B has been knocking at the door and is unaware that we have been out back - I call to her as she is turning to leave. Lots of hugs later and she has joined in to the conversation at the kitchen counter. I have known her quite a few years and her son and my son are having a sleepover at her house... they are now old enough to watch each other.... they grow up so fast. Joel, Sandra and Kim drop in and I am thrilled that they are able to make it.... Joel is cutting up the sweet treat he has made for this occasion and hands it out to the women while the girls get their drinks... time for him to go back to his guy gathering but will return to pick up the girls. With more of the ladies on their way out I am able to play catch up with Sandra and Kim - I miss not being at work with you gals... so used to saying hi every day. Joel returns a few hours later and after admiring all the hard labour put in by Max and uncle Paul, it is time for the girls to head out. Thank you so much for coming out and I will see you soon :)
It is now just Carrie and I and we head out to the pool with our towels and premixed drinks in a jug to sit poolside while we float on the inflatable chairs I purchased for the event. With the stereo on and the floating lit flowers we can feel the heat of the front moving in. We float about chatting into the wee hours.... the school year keeps Carrie and I busy with little time to get together and I have missed her dearly. The tears would flow later when I have to say bye in the morning.... amazing how fast the time goes by and how little of it you have. We promise to not let the time slip by us so fast in between visits. We marvel at the sheet lightening in the sky and life is good. Thunder, although in the distance warns us of things to come and we make our way out of the pool... it is early in the morning and we know that we need our sleep.... not 17 any more!! Thank you Carrie for being such an awesome friend!!
Sunday becomes a hot and lazy day and as I wave at Carrie from the driveway, wiping tears from my eyes, I am happy and blessed by those that have come into my life and have been my friend over the years.... I just can't believe how busy life has been and I am sad that we only see each other on occasion.
William arrives home first and he agrees to float in the pool with me but chickens out when he realizes how cold it is. Instead he hands me the dog's rope and pulls me around the pool from the water's edge.... we giggle and I remember pulling him around in the same fashion as a small child in a blue bin with yellow nylon rope handles and hearing him squeal with delight as I towed him around the house behind me. My, how he has grown so tall and handsome and how I sometimes see that little boy in his face. He always could make me smile and today was no exception. I love you so much Will!! He turns to me and says ' love you momma' and smiles that charismatic smile that the girls love so much.
Brenda A and her family arrive soon after - they are here for dinner and a swim - the pool is now refreshing in the oppressive heat and we are able to float in the chairs while watching her daughters swim about. Lydia and Daddy arrive with Mitchel, whom they have picked up on their way back from Stratford where they stayed the night with family. Uncle Paul will come back next week. We will miss his company for now but have plans for fun outings when he returns. Brenda helps with dinner and I enjoy her company - always there helping out and just being sweet. I love you!! I miss not living just around the corner... you would have joined me on the porch watching the storm roll in later in the day. You leave before the storm hits and lots of hugs later I will see you tomorrow afternoon for the facial I have booked for the two of us!!!
The storm hits and its power is incredible.... the lightening lights up the sky and the streetlights below shut off with the temporary brightness. The winds are whipping the trees about and the rain slashes at the windows. Lydia is scared and gets into our bed while Mitchel attempts to console her with hugs. Mommy is here and I crawl in next to her.... she coils her body around mine as we fall fast asleep. Mommy loves you Lydia - always and forever. Mommy loves you Mitchel for always being sweet and kind and forever you will be in my heart. I am blessed with three beautiful children and a husband who keeps trying to be his best no matter what. Love you all.
Thank you to everyone who shared in this weekend!!! Sending out special Birthday Wishes to Dr. Annette Richard for Saturday and to Sara J. who has birthday today. Love and hugs to you both.
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