I'm getting soft

I'm starting to collect all this crap for my pond. If someone would have told me I would have this stuff around my house 20 years ago, I would have told them to take a pill.

It's surprising how you begin to mellow over the years. I used to cut off teddy bear paws just to see little kids cry. My, I have come a long way. Do I hear clapping? Well, I didn't cut them off when they were looking...it was an accident. sort of.

Some wine was involved. But to my defense ...the very next day I sewed them back on.

So, can see I have come a long way.

Kid's used to drive me crazy in the old days.... I loved my nieces and nephews and at the same they.drove.me.crazy. They were so needy. awww yeah..they were little kids! I didn't see it that way, I guess because I never had any.... these little boogers were freaking loud. And they never quit TALKING! Get three of them in a room and it made your ears bleed. Then the fights..oy. It only got worse when they got older. But, I never gave up, I spent a lot of time with them when they were young. Especially the three I am talking about..on Gord's side of the family of course.

My own two nieces were angels. heh. Hi Lisa and Cheri!

I remember one time when I took out the "other three" camping with their mom's. I was hell bent on making sure these kids would behave on this trip (yes, we had gone on a few before this) ..I had set out chores for everyone to do. Little did I know, nobody listened to me. Meal time was a nightmare....I don't like this..I don't like that! Does it have onion in it? Does it have mushrooms in it, does it have FOOD in it? Ferfucksakes...kids, help me out here. The mom's scrambled around trying to pacify them. I sat a shook my head. WTF. Then the fighting. Yes, the kids did have a good time swimming and stuff, and some fishing, and back to fighting and trying to light the campsite on fire. Just kid stuff.

On the way home...we decided to stop in a little restaurant near the camp and have something to eat before we headed home. WRONG. Now this was just a little snack place where you could order chicken, burgers and fries. Every kid, could not agree to what was included in their order. And negations they made with the moms was nuts...I don't like that, I hate that. My brain was just about as fried as the chicken by the time we got out of there. And they had few melt downs to boot. Ahem, they were tired. Yeah, so was Auntie Joanie balonie...very tired.

Three days, three kids, and moms and me.....I was pissed!

They basically ran the whole show.

So, on the way home...I will never forget this. All three of them were in the back seat and I was driving. Two girls and one boy. Yes, that makes three. All around 7-9 years old. They started to fight with each other...again. There was all the..."kid's cut it out shit" happening, but they didn't...I guess BECAUSE THEY WERE TIRED... they weren't babies...they were being asshole kids.

So, I took matters into my own hands, because I "had it up to here" ... So I looked at both the mom's ..got there attention...because they couldn't or wouldn't stop the fighting..and said quietly that I would put an end to this.

I slammed on the brakes...that got their attention....and then I told all three of them to GET OUT. They didn't seem to know what I was saying...I said..you kids have ruined our vacation with your fighting and I want you to get out of my car NOW and walk home. Crying ensued. Promises were made to stop fighting.

It was a very peaceful trip back home after that.

Auntie Joanie balonie...needed some respect...and she got it.

Just a note: this was not a new tactic...my dad did that a lot of times when bro and I were fighting in the backseat of the car...that road looks lonely if you have to walk it.