If Chaos Were Organized (Excerpt)

Just a reminder to all Bobos, dues can be paid annually at any time. This really shouldnt be a problem for you, even with the economic times as bad as they are. I am fully confident in our ability to be stupid, no matter how much money is involved.

In case youre wondering, I renewed my membership today.

So Im outside working in the garden and hear some buzzing above the table we have setup for the kids to eat snacks and also where I had their towels (they were playing in the pool).

I looked up and saw a huge wasps nest in the holly tree directly above the table. So first I move the table and then I worry about the kids playing out there, so I go into Dad protector mode. I dont actually see any movement and its later in the day, so I decide Ill just chop off the branch its on and get rid of the whole thing.

Mistake #1.

The tree limb cutter didnt cut all the way through on the first try. So the branch kinda worbled and woke up the whole hive. Apparently it wasnt as late in the day as it should be.

Mistake #2.

So the buggers chased me across the yard and stung me three times I was yelling like a girl, as the situation warranted. As you  can see by my picture, the clippers are still hanging in the tree branch that they failed to cut.

When I got done whacking the ones on my shoulder and taking my shirt off, Alia asked me what happened. I said I was stung by a wasp. A: Whats a wasp? Me: Its kinda like a bee.

A: Oh, a bumblebee. You must smell like a flower.

So I called Jean, told her the whole story. Told her to buy some wasp spray. When she got home, I looked at the stuff - Hot Shot, With a 27 foot stream.

Woo Baby!! Im taking full advantage of THAT.

I unloaded 1/2 of the can on the damn thing, and then another 1/4 from the other direction (once things settled down).

Now I have to wait 24 hours to take it away, as the wasps who werent there will come back to the nest and get their comeuppance.

The kids are just a pile of talkative recently. Connor has alot to say, although we still have trouble understanding him. I would say we're about to about 80% understanding of what he is saying. Now whether others understand that much is yet to be seen (heard). Maybe Jean's comprehension is a little higher because she works with him everyday, but it's still not where I think it should be. Alia enjoys singing and knows the words to dozens of songs. They are both into imaginative play and direct each other to play parts, such as the princess, or the rescuer, or the bad guy.

What's great is that they are moving in the combination of thoughts and phrases that are culled from previous conversations and are putting it all together.

Yesterday, they came to visit me at work as part of our recent car fiasco.

When they came in the front door:

Me: Connor, say hi to Marie.

Connor: Hi Marie. This is my sister Alia.

When they came back to my office:

Me: This is where I go everyday when I leave you guys and go to work.

Connor: This is a nice place.

When I showed him the pictures of themselves on my 'keep my happy' wall:

Me: Connor, who's in the pictures?

Connor: That's us.   <- Note the use of the of the plural pronoun. Usually he identifies himself and Alia separately, so it's nice to see the combo.