The Turkey Story, or Remind Me Why I Married Him Again?

I had TM proofread this, and he griped at me for telling anyone this story *grins* and said I needed a disclaimer. So, here it is: This happened 20 odd years ago and we have all grown and matured a lot since then( well, some of us have ). TM was 19, I was 17 and my nephew was 15. Despite the disclaimer, he is still not fond of turkeys.

It was a beautiful spring day and early in the morning we started out on an adventure, my future hubby, my nephew and I. My nephew is just 2 years younger than me and more like my kid brother than a nephew. He had talked me into going to some caverns in Alabama and making a day trip of it. TM and I hadn't been dating long at that point and more to impress than nourish, I packed a very nice picnic lunch, complete with basket and tablecloth and cute little sandwiches with the crusts cut off, and all sorts of little goodies.

Well, we hiked up and down the caves for a very long time. To me, if you've seen one hole in the ground, you've seen em all, but the boys chatted and pointed to first one rock and then another. We listened to the tour guide's canned speech and chuckled politely at the points that were supposed to be funny. Being slightly claustrophobic, I was one very happy girl to see a sunny blue sky when we finally exited. I went to the car, retrieved the picnic basket and headed to a picnic table. I spread out the tablecloth, and set out the sandwiches and drinks and started laying out the rest of the food. We munched happily and chatted for a while then I spotted a wild turkey emerging from the woods.

"Oh wow, look" I said quietly. I fellas turned around and we watched stunned as the turkey bravely started towards us. Being the idiot that I am, I figured he was hungry and was probably used to tourists feeding him, so I threw some bread. Oh, if only I'd have known what I started! He jumped and grabbed the bread before it hit the ground then let out a loud "hoop!". Weirdest sound I ever did hear! I didn't know at the time that he was saying "Hey ya'll, we got some live ones here!"

All of a sudden the woods came alive! Turkeys started appearing from all around us. It reminded me of that scene in "Birds", where the woman is walking around with birds everywhere and nothing is really happening, but you know it's gonna, and soon.

Well, I was raised in the 'burbs, and my only experience with turkeys were the ones invited for Thanksgiving dinner, so when all the birds started closing in on us, I got a bit nervous. All three of us were peeling off and tossing bites of bread and sandwich as fast as we could, as the turkeys proceeded to come closer and closer. The turkeys were pecking at our feet by then and demanding a better lunch than what we were providing! My nephew hopped up onto the top of the table, and we followed suit. At that point, there were at least 30 turkeys gathered around our feast.

So there we were, 3 Yankee idiots standing on top of a picnic table surrounded by turkeys. They were gobbling up a storm and I was sure every turkey in the county had joined our little picnic! My future hubby and nephew were pale and looking scared. My nephew stuffed what was left of his sandwich into his pocket and said "Let's make a break for it!" Before I could get a word out "Whaa ?" he and TM were gone, running like wild men for the car. A couple of turkeys followed, but the rest just looked at me, knowing I was all that was between them and the rest of the food.
Turkeys started hopping up onto the benches and I shouted "Shoo!" at them a few times.

I figure I must have been quite the sight, standing on top of the picnic table, surrounded by turkeys and waving my sandwich at the ones brave enough to get on the table. It took me a few minutes lost in utter stupidity to realize this was a battle I was gonna lose pretty soon. I grabbed the tablecloth ends and carrying it like a big ole gunny sack, slung it over my shoulder, picnic basket and all, jumped off the table and ran like Hell for the car!

The fellas were laughing so hard I thought they were gonna wet themselves, as the turkeys chased me all the way. My nephew opened the door for me and I slammed it shut right behind me. Needless to say the air was blue in that car as I berated the fellas for deserting me and leaving me to the mercy of the gang of turkeys.

I did get the final word in, though. TM said "We just didn't know what to do. Those turkeys were crazy! We were afraid they might bite or something."
I just looked at him, fuming and said, "We'll I may have had something to fear from them, but you two didn't".
"Why's that? " my nephew wanted to know.
"Because turkeys aren't cannibals". It took them a full minute to grasp that one before they groaned and laughed.

The Dead Rose Bloometh

The year before last my children bought me a miniature red rose for Valentine's Day. It's tiny little dime sized blooms covered the small planter and I enjoyed it very much, while it lasted. Most of the plants sold around holidays are force bloomed in hot house conditions and not meant to be kept around for very long. This was no exception. Within a short period of time, the petite rose bush whithered and the leaves grew brittle and dropped. It was nude and dying, it's branches black and shriveled. Sadly, I asked TM to quietly toss it in the garbage can so as not to upset the children.

Unbeknown to me, TM didn't trash the dead plant. Instead, he sat it near the base of one of our pecan trees and left it alone. I was sitting out on the porch one day months later and he came around the house with a small plant. I looked at it and couldn't believe my eyes- the rose was alive. Fresh green growth covered the top and there were even small buds starting to emerge. A plant that I was sure had died was alive, and not only that, it was thriving. It soon bloomed and grew. I transplanted it into another pot and it kept growing.

What was once a tiny 3 inch tall bush is now over a foot tall. It's first blossom of the season is about to open fully and it has many more tiny buds. Soon, it will be alive with brilliant red rose blossoms covering the deep green leaves. All from a 'dead' plant I had long ago given up on.

I have learned a lesson from my little plant. A lesson I very badly need to incorporate into my everyday life. I tend to go with the worst in things, rather than search for the good. And I often give up far before I should. I didn't fight for the rose, or even think about trying. It was gone, it was over, move on. Mind you, it was only a little plant from my children, but I do tend to do the same in life. It's something I really need to work on.

Persevere. Giving up is all too easy.

I've been terrible..

Started the blog then promptly forgot about it.

Life has been busy. We're trying to line up another job for TM this summer so he can go back to school in the fall. He received almost a complete ride with scholarships and grants, so there is no way he's going to pass up this chance. We've just got to find him something either 2 or 3rd shift, and preferably something where he will have a little study time during his work shift. It's got to have insurance as well. I'd risk going 2 years without, but with the children being so young, 5 and 7, it would be taking a huge risk to go without. One broken arm and we could lose the house. Not a risk we're willing to take. With everything else falling into place, the $ for school, the timing...I keep telling myself to have a little faith and it will all work out. Mean while, I'm hunting every source I can find for job listings. If I could wrangle one that paid enough, I'd do the hours myself, but I just don't have enough of a work history right now to do it. TM does.

I am a bit bummed at present. I was supposed to go spend the weekend with the woman I love, but TM twisted his ankle at work and the trip had to be postponed. He's in a lace up medical boot and on crutches, and pretty doped up on pain pills, too. He'll be fine and he's feeling much less pain, but it really took all the wind out of my sails this weekend.
I miss her. Really need to feel her next to me, feel her heartbeat under my fingertips, the gentle brush of her lips across mine, the warmth of her presence..*deep sigh*..2 weeks. Two weeks and I'll be there.
When you love someone, being away from them for long periods of time is difficult. I feel her near me all the time, her love, her warmth, her strength, but it's not the same as holding her in my arms and being held.

Two weeks.