Hillbilly Gothic: Life is...

Just wonderful on the water in spring time! I have spent the last two afternoons on the water with my wonderful husband. Alone. As in just us. That is something that does not happen all that often. Typically we have friends or children or both with us. This weekend it was just us!!! Please do NOT get me wrong we LOVE it when friends ride along, we enjoy being with them and the conversation and the laughs, but sometimes it is so peaceful out there just cruising and hearing nothing but the John Deere rumbling. This afternoon was a little chilly so I spent the whole trip on the engine box wrapped up in a towel, because it was so cold I did not realize the amount of sun I was getting on my face. I look like ... well a sun burnt me.

Dude had a good weekend too. He spent the weekend with friends. I love the amount of independence he has been exerting lately. He is growing into a fine young man.

My son, Bud, came over yesterday afternoon so the Waterman and I could go out to dinner. Did you read that.. we went out to dinner! Dinner at a restaurant with REAL napkins. Real napkins in these parts are a rarity. The food was ok.. but the company was AMAZING. Have I mentioned lately how in love with the Waterman I am?

Back to Bud. That kid is absolutely the most amazing person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The twelve agonizing hours I spent in labor with him was worth each and every terrifying second. He is 15 going on 30. The maturity level of this kid is something I am not even sure I have met yet. He gets his drivers license in a year, learners in 3 months and in no way am I afraid he will go out and do something stupid. You know something stupid like driving as fast as you can to a 90 degree corner to see how fast you can go and how close you can get before slowing down, I should also mention this corner had a brick wall at the end; or like taking off and driving to Florida after being up for two days partying; or drag racing; or drag racing through a stop sign. (you had to be really good to do that and not get hit.. I never got hit) OH I should mention all the above STUPID STUPID STUPID things listed I did and that BARELY scratches the horror story surface. I am lucky. My parents weren't. I should say I am lucky with Bud because the kid has a great head on his shoulders. Dude unfortunately is mini me when it comes to personality, he won't be driving until he is 40.

I say I am not worried about Bud doing any of those things but I am worried, very worried. For every mature 16 year old on the road there are 20 kids that were just like me. Let's see how fast I can go. What happens if I am going 65 and yank up the emergency brake? Can I drink 20 beers and drive? Can I pee in church parking lots with the cops watching and not get arrested? Believe me, these things cross a kids mind at 16, 17, 18.. that is what worries me. What the other people on the road are doing.

Not to mention what my daughter will attempt to talk him into doing. Hmmm maybe I am just as unlucky as my parents after all! They should hand out Xanax prescriptions to parents when their kids start driving. Ok I am going to have a nervous break down now.

But I will leave you with pictures of my brats when they were babies.

JW