May Merriment

May is finally here. I’m ready for the rest and relaxation that comes with this month.

The community clean up was a rousing success, and seeing the 25 or so kids and adults from our church working their way down Ruddle Road inspired me to de-clutter around our house.
We pulled some weeds and some dead plants from Gary’s over active attempt to kill said weeds.

He also managed to kill a few azalea bushes, some tiger lilies and almost all of my hostas. We planted a few rose bushes and a couple of other flowers in their place. They are probably doomed to death, but we planted them anyway.

Although our grandmothers had green thumbs and could grow practically anything, both of our thumbs are decidedly brown, apparently. The joke in my family is that I can kill fake plants. We try, we really do. We just don’t succeed.

Gary finally got his shop built out in the back yard, so all of his stuff that belongs out there and not in and around the house has finally found it’s way to where it goes and not tucked in, around, over and under places it doesn’t particularly go.

I did an extreme make over on Logan’s room; his closet in particular. He was at school during this event. He thinks I simply re-organized, and was amazed at all the room in his closet that I found by moving things around. His dad and I were wise enough to dispose of bags of junk, old clothes, toys and other things he didn’t know he could live without before he got home from school. I won’t tell him if you won’t.

It’s amazing how many treasures a 12 year old kid can accumulate since the last de-cluttering occurred. We have fairly simple rules when it comes to keeping his room picked up. His bed has to be made, and nothing can be on the floor. Clutter really bothers me, but I want to make it easy for him to follow the rules. He has hooks and shelves and drawers and baskets to help him keep things in their place, and mostly does a pretty good job, considering the fact that he is a 12 year old boy.

Still, things do multiply, and it seems that everything he gets comes with multiple pieces and parts. Going in and mucking things out every once in a while makes it easier for him to follow the rules, and keeps both of us happy.

May is a good month for me for other reasons, too. I will celebrate my 15th anniversary this month. My publisher, David, often refers to his "Dear Sweet Sainted Wife." I’m not sure what kind of title would suit Gary, but I do know the man deserves some type of medal for bravery, courage, valor and honor.

Fifteen years of living with me should merit some reward other than a near constant state of confusion that comes from living with me. My family refers to it as "only in Mom’s world."
I prefer my world to be sparkly, have rainbows, hearts, butterflies, furry critters, hugs, and lots of caffeine. It doesn’t necessarily have to have much to do with reality, as it’s a happy place filled with sunshine and light. Someone bought me a coffee mug last year that says "Welcome to my world. It’s okay. They know me here." Sums it up nicely.

It’s a trick living in my world with my husband, whose world in mainly dark and gray and cloudy. It’s a not very happy place because its filled with reality and just the facts. That’s the way it is, and things are probably getting worse. He can’t really help it; his family tree was rooted that way.

My family are optimists with a "the glass is half full and the waiter is coming around to fill it back up right away" mentality. Gary’s family are pessimists with a "the glass is almost empty, there’s a leak in the glass, and all the waiters have left so no one is coming to fill it back up" mentality.
It is truly amazing that we get along, much less that we love each other and that our relationship thrives. Miracles do still happen. The fact that my sparkly world and his gray world can co-exist is proof of that.

May also means the end of school, much to my son’s joy. The true beginning of summer, and the promise of all that can bring. May is here, bringing with it renewed hope and for us, ongoing happiness. It’s going to be a great month.