All quiet on the southern front

I'm almost afraid to write about the peace that exists in our home for fear of jinxing us. I have to say the last couple of days have been free of drama and trauma. I have actually enjoyed my family!

When we last spoke (OK, when I last wrote), we'd survived the family birthday party for the June birthdays and Beth had gotten herself tattooed. Wednesday and Thursday have been nice days. We hung out in the house most of Wednesday. Alli and I did make a quick Target run that afternoon. (Boy Wonder watched Elvis for us again!) It was nice to have her alone for a few minutes. No exciting conversations - just chatting, but that's a big step from where we have been. Thursday was busy. Elvis had his therapy appointments which are 110 miles away (one-way). Alli was going with us but overslept. She did get up and get him ready which was a big help. We dropped Beth and her friend off at a wave pool near his therapy appointment. (Alli and Beth's bio cousin's daughter turned 7 today and her party was there.) We went on to therapy and then picked them up afterwards.

We had house guests from Tuesday night until Thursday night, or rather Alli and Boy Wonder did. His brother and cousin (both about 18?) spent two nights with them. They spent a lot of time playing X-Box and some time swimming. I asked Alli if she felt like she was living in a boys' dorm. She said a little but they were nice kids and she didn't mind them being here. Before they left, BW's brother came back through the house to find me. He wanted to thank me for letting them come and for the food. (They ate leftovers from the birthday cookout almost the whole time.) His brother is really shy and quiet, at least around me. I think it's the first time he'd said more than one sentence to me at the same time. I appreciated the fact that he came and thanked me. He is a good kid.

I discovered late this afternoon that I think our neighbor's house is on a lawn and garden tour this weekend. I really wish she'd told us, as I'd have made the front of our house look a little more presentable. I plan to get up in the morning and trim some shrubs and pull the weeds. Her yard is beautiful! She works out there all the time. Alli's point of view is that by our yard looking so bad, we make her yard look even better by comparison. I guess she's right, but I hate for the neighbor lady to be embarrassed by our yard. It looks better than in years past, but it desperately needs to be mowed. Two flower beds are just weeds. We'll hide the trash cans at the end of the house and find a way to camouflage the pile of junk waiting for the next oversize-item pick-up day. And, despite all my efforts, the sad shape of our yard will still just make the neighbor's yard look that much better. Perhaps that is my lot in life. I'll be the Goofus to her Gallant.