Moving right along

Needless to say, lots going around here.

Wife and I had our first dance lesson last week and we go back tomorrow for number two. The first one, not surprisingly, was pretty much a sales pitch. Our instructor went through some basic steps with us, told us this dance studio could be our "family" (I appreciate her enthusiasm but I have a family, thank you) and then sold us a package.

It was actually quite reasonable and we'll get three more private lessons in before the wedding, and we have the opportunity to go to some group activities. I think the lessons will serve their purpose -- to keep us from looking foolish at the wedding reception.

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We had a big graduation party for Younger Son last Friday night. It was a lot of work but well worth it. We did this for our older two, so it was a given that we would do it this time around.

It took Wife several days of preparation to get ready. Daughter was a big help and I helped where I could, as well as Younger Son, of course.

Fortunately, it was a beautiful night, so we were able to have folks outside.

Early that day I went to get in the car to run an errand and saw a snake lying in the sun on the driveway. He was about three feet long and brownish in color with some little flecks of color on his back. I honestly could not tell if he was a "bad" (poisonous) snake or not, but with Wife and Daughter nearby, I knew he needed to go.

I went to get the shovel, which was under the deck. This probably took all of ten seconds but when I got back, the snake was gone. I looked all around and decided he had just moved on.

I told Wife about it and told her that, even though I thought he had probably slithered far away by now, it would probably be a good idea to keep the garage doors close.

Fast forward a few hours later. I was working at my desk in the playroom, which is over the garage. I was also on the phone. I heard an earth-shattering scream and I knew in a flash that Mr. Snake was back.

The scream came from Daughter who doesn't care for any type of moving creature other than dogs.

I got off the phone and ran down the stairs to the garage. Daughter was on the stairs shaking. Wife's friend Mary, who was helping us get ready for the party, was also down there. She had seen the snake go behind a long table leaning against the wall, which we would set up later for the party.

I armed myself with the shovel again while Mary pulled the table from the wall. I gave him about ten whacks. He appeared to be motionless but when I lifted the shovel, he began to move again.

I was at an odd angle. Mary propped the table against my leg, told me not to move and to hand her the shovel. She finished him off.

I'm sorry if this was a "good" snake but he had to go.

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Younger Son will graduate this Sunday and we'll have one more major event behind us. His baccalaureate service was last Sunday and it was lovely. Since it is religious in nature, it is optional, but most students participate.

The graduation candidates wear their gown without their caps and it always takes my breath away when they march in to the organ muscic.

These passages just keep happening.

Things are picking up

We can feel the momentum gradually picking up around here. We have known, since Older Son's engagement in October, that we should enjoy these days where our schedules are not so full because, frankly, it just ain't gonna be that way much longer.

And we have enjoyed these past couple of months. It was cold as all get-out and Wife and Older Son were busy with all the W-2s, 1099s, etc. that January brings for them, but for the most part, it's been a pretty relaxing pace here at home, a pace that will soon be in the rearview mirror.

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Wife left for Little Rock yesterday afternoon. This weekend is our annual "B&B" trip with our old friends. I wrote about it last year and it's a scarcely 24-hour outing where there's lots of talking and eating. We've done it for 20-plus years.

Wife's mom has been needing to schedule some minor out-patient surgery and Wife's dad is in a boot from falling and breaking his foot a few weeks ago. Wife suggested that they try to schedule the surgery around this weekend, when she would be heading that direction anyway, and they accommodated that request.

I drove home from Memphis last night and, longing to see my Sweetie if only for a few minutes, I called Wife and asked where she was. As luck would have it, we were only a few miles apart and I told her where to exit and we would spend a few minutes together. Although I often scoff at them, I must admit cell phones have added a huge dimension of convenience to our lives.

Of course Younger Son rolled his eyes at the fact that I would come home to stay with him and then head back that direction in a few days, but I'll get to go to his rugby game tonight and frankly, will enjoy a couple of somewhat peaceful days at home.

I'm going to head west Saturday morning and meet the crew somewhere in Northeast Arkansas. Wife will drive my car back home Sunday and I'll ride back to Little Rock with my friends, check on the in-laws and stay with them Sunday night, then head to Memphis Monday morning to work for a couple of days there. I know, lots of driving and every time something happens in the Mid-east the price of gas goes up, but gotta do what you gotta do.

Wife called shortly after 10 this morning. They were already home from the hospital, her mother was resting comfortably and her dad was getting around OK. Wife will enjoy being with them and I know they'll enjoy having her.

Wife graciously told me if I decided not to come this weekend, she would be fine with that, and would understand perfectly. I told her thanks, that I would take it into consideration, but right now I'm sticking with my plan.

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Next weekend is the first party for Older Son and FDIL, an "Auburn Tailgate Party" given by some of their college friends. The following weekend we leave for our spring break trip with Younger Son and friends. Sometime in April we're going back to Little Rock for a party being given there for Older Son and FDIL.

There will be showers and other nuptial events that, mercifully, men do not attend.

We'll have three graduations in May -- Daughter from college on the 9th, FDIL from grad school on the 15th and Younger Son from high school on the 29th (according to Wife's calendar). Somewhere in there we'll throw a big open-house type graduation party for Younger Son, as we did with the other two. I think we're going to try and go to college orienation with Younger Son the week after his graduation.

And somwhere in there we must get Daughter moved home.

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June 18 will be THE big day, of course. I would like to think Wife and I could get away for a few days after that but I will be running very short on two important components of a vacation: money and vacation days. But that's OK. The therapy of my routine life will be just what I need when things start to slow down.

For now, I had best fasten my seat belt, sit back and enjoy the ride.