A Ghost From Easter’s Past

I have often wondered what happens to things one hides in their yard for a variety of reasons over the years that never get found. Specifically, Easter comes to mind, not only because Easter just happened but also because while hiding Easter eggs for my 3 and 5 y/o nieces I found a little piece of yard history. Many moon ago I can remember hiding a certain tractor for my son when he was quite a bit younger. There is no doubt that he had found it because from that day forward he would ride it evverywhere, including inside the house when nobody was looking. Then, as years pass, interests change, and he used it less and less. Then, it disappears but nobody really cares or misses it. This weekend all of that changed.

After loading and counting the 347 plastic eggs of various shapes and colors, my son and I set off into the yard to hide them for my nieces. Now that my own children are “too old” to hunt eggs, they typically help hide the eggs and escort the young ones around helping them in their search. As we moved around the yard placing eggs here and there we made a strange discovery where the grass hits the woods. Indeed, we had found the long lost tractor which I never knew was lost in the first place. Oddly, it was like finding an old friend. Who knows how long its been out there but both of my nieces claim they never saw it before and my son didn’t even remember leaving it out there.

How did the hunt go? It was fantastic. My two nieces tear-assing through the yard in their matching white dresses did not disappoint, they found both of the muddy spots where they stopped off to make pies. This didn’t bother me at all but their mother was a different story. Did you know I single handedly ruined their dresses that they had year to take one picture in for memories sake. Boo hoo, its just mud. After the hunt we made a grave discovery, 6 of the plastic eggs are missing in action. After a quick survey before the sun began to set we were only able to locate 2 of them. Oh well, I will probably come across them when I now or clean up the yard, and if not I might find them next year. I must have found a few real sweet spots in the yard or they are so damn obvious that they are actually in plain sight somewhere. Who knows. Better yet, who cares. In the end, my nieces used the old dirty tractor to tote their cache around the yard until their mother decided fun time was over. All in all I consider the day a success, we ate well, had fun, and there were no trips to the emergency room. Makes me wonder when little girls were expected not to play in the mud. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

So True, So Very True!

A Mess In A Mess Caused A Mess

This past Sunday I was down at the creek behind my house wandering around to see what I was up against. I have spent the last few summers clearing the area behind my property because it seems that it is a choke point where all the junk from up the creek ends up. There is one area that is so narrow that in the heat of the summer one can almost walk across it without getting their shoes wet. This seems to be a favored spot for all things in the creek to just give up and stop. It doesn’t seem to help when an old tree falls in a recent thunderstorm and chokes it off completely. Which is what I found. In the beginning I was kind of happy it fell from across the creek and not from my actual property and then reality set in and I realized this was going to make it harder to pull out and cut up since the base of the tree was on the other bank. As you can see it has already created a blockage and once it starts it takes a fair amount of time to get it all hauled out. After assessing the mess I went back up to my shop to get my tractor, a chain, a chainsaw, and my son. After getting everything together my son and I roll down to the creek in the tractor. He is getting at driving the Beast. He backed it into position, although I wasn’t real happy with the angle of decent, so I had him pull out and reposition so it would be safer. The overall plan was to drag the tree across the creek so I could cut it up. Then load everything into the bucket of the tractor and take it to the burn pile. So far so good, we are ready to start the yank across the creek with my son at the wheel of the Beast. The whole operation took about four hours of solid work for my son and I. After we loaded the last load of wood into the bucket I told my son to go dump it into the pit and then go hose down the Beast.

 

After all the work was done my neighbor comes down to see what all the noise and commotion was all about. Perfect timing since we are done now. After telling him what we had been up to for the last few hours he asked if I had a little time to talk. Sure, why not. y’all might remember my neighbor Charles from other posts I have written talking about my very Christian neighbor. If not, y’all will need to go back and review. For those who remember, good for you, we can continue. Charles wanted to inform me of changes I would be seeing next door as well as ask me for some needed assistance. So, I bite, he has me curious. He went on to explain that he will be moving out within the next day or so and probably won’t be back. My curious side took over and asked him what was going on and where are they going in such a rush. He stopped me right there, they were not all going to be leaving, just him. Charles went on to explain that they are having difficult times in their marriage and as a result he was told to leave and that she wants an immediate divorce. He said he has been stying in a hotel for the last week or so because she won’t talk to him any further. Anyway, she gave him permission to come home and pick his belongings up which she packed and set in the garage. Her and their three teenage daughters were out running errands at the time and she felt this was the best time for him to come since the girls are unaware of the pending divorce. So, he loaded his Escalade up with his boxes and when he was getting ready to leave he heard us back here and headed down to see what was going on hoping it was me since he had a favor to ask me which he laid out next. He wants me to look after his property, mowing and such in his absence because he knows the house will be going up for sale soon since she will not be afford to live there without his income. I never knew his bride didn’t work. However, they are not definite in any plans, but he does know she has spoken to a lawyer already. To say the least, I wanted to know what happened so I bit the bullet and asked Charles if he would mind telling me what had happened to set her off into instantly wanting a divorce. Hell, what do I know, this could have been coming for years. My knowledge of them is what I see across the fence and what he tells me in the past, which hasn’t been much come to find out.

At first he was reluctant to really go into any details. After a deep sigh Charles explains to me that he would rather I heard it all from him rather than through the grapevine. He reminds me that he has been married for 18 years to his wife. Together they have three daughters, 7, 13, and 17. However, about 6 years ago he found that their marriage was in a slump because he was no longer interested in his wife sexually. So, completely by accident, at a church function, he met someone who really understood him and his sexual desires. At first it was all about the sex, this person brought out everything his wife wasn’t able to. I thought this strange to be telling me, but okay. Charles went on to explain that this relationship is still in full swing which is why he is in the doghouse with his wife. Recently, a few weeks ago, she began to suspect that he may be cheating on her. So, she began asking him subtle questions. Behind his back she was looking through texts on his phone, phone records, and people he was associated with. Quite by accident, he says, she found out the truth and was not happy with any of it. He knew the day would come and never knew exactly how she would handle any of it but didn’t think she would be acting this extreme. But, as he found out, she believes the relationship has crushed their marriage with the lies, the sneaking, and the deceit. In the end, he doesn’t blame her for the anger she feels towards him and understands that she is really pissed. Just when we were about to wrap up the conversation he tells me it is time for him to go and he has someone waiting in the car on him. Fair enough, I will do what I can, when I can, with your yard and stuff. About that time a man comes down the trail, he sees us talking, and proceeds to approach us. He asked Charles if he was ready to get going since they had some stuff to pick up before it gets to late. He introduced himself to me as Robert. After he shook my hand he reached down to hold Charles’ hand. Charles paused and told Robert that he was just explaining their relationship to me so I would have an idea of what was going on. In my head I am thinking…………did I miss something? Hand in hand the went back up the trail and disappeared into the trees. Ummm, what in the hell just happened?

Later in the evening my wife went next door to talk with Beth to see if she needed anything. My wife being herself, she took a bottle of chilled wine and some snacks, hoping she would talk to her, woman to woman. It didn’t take long and they began to talk some. Beth explained that they will be putting their house up for sale very soon due to some very unforeseen changes in their current marital status. After some talking for a while my wife said Beth kinda broke down, she could see the tears in her eyes and told Beth that she could talk to her if she wanted to, no worries. Since her daughters were all upstairs getting ready for bed Beth told my wife that she is heartbroken with everything that has been going on with her husband. She is angry with her husband for what he has done to her, their family, and to their marriage. Then she dropped in my wife’s lap with how upset that she is that Charles has been having sex with this man and then coming home and having sex with her for quite a long time. Beth said that she thought their marriage was going pretty good for sometime now and then she started noticing changes in him that she didn’t understand fully. He was asking her to do things sexually that have never been talked about between them ever before and out of the blue here they were. She didn’t go into any kind of detail with my wife except that she thinks back and can remember when the things sexually in their relationship began to change but thought that the counseling they were in had given new insight to trying new things in the bedroom. Overall, she feels let down by Charles because they have been living such a big lie. She got to the point where he had to move out because she could not stand to look at him. She has forbidden him to speak to their daughters about why they are now separated. They think he is out of town on business but that won’t last forever. Beth doesn’t want her girls to know that their dad is choosing life with another man over her. After they exchanged their goodbyes and condolences, my wife headed home. I am sure there is some things she isn’t telling me, small details of sorts. My wife is kinda upset with Charles. She told me that never in a million years did she expect to find out that our neighbors would be splitting up because he has a boyfriend who he is choosing to be with over his wife and daughters.

My wife asked what I thought about all of this going on. Well, it’s actually none of my business and I am just as surprised as everyone else. Well, not as surprised as Beth I am sure. This all got me thinking a bit, knowing now for sure that their house will be going up for sale. I need to look into that pretty good because if the price is right I would like to buy it. Why? It’s simple, I would rent it. What better way to pick your neighbors than to own the house they live in. Plus, it’s on a good plot of property, right around 4 acres. I could use a little extra land in the back of mine down by the creek. Who knows, I suppose I should run this by my wife. She might not see all of this as an opportunity.When we bought our property we did try to buy that lot but were told somebody had already put money down on it. I did, however, buy both lots to the left of me. I didn’t want my neighbors and their lives into mine without them putting forth a little effort to get to me. I don’t know what to say about Charles. I guess, good for him finding what he was looking for in a relationship. On the other side I feel bad for his wife and family since his actions will ultimately change their lives as well. Proves to say that one never knows their neighbors as well as we think we do. I am just glad it was an affair and not something like they were running a prostitution sex ring out of their house or them having a meth lab or something where the law had to get involved. Domestic issues get messy but in the end nobody has gone to jail for doing anything stupid yet.