Weekend Happenings

Good Friday morning!

There are NO birthday pics in the Gallery today. Just volleyball pics. And I hope to have Labor Day tubing photos next week, but everything depends on the Tropical Depression in the Gulf. We (the Faulkner Five) are like every other Alabamian this holiday weekend... watching and waiting.

RANDOMNESS #1 - The JV volleyball team won their game last night. I know losing builds character and teaches a million life lessons, but there is something to be said for a good win. It puts a spring in your step... a smile on your face... and a song in your heart. (And the players seem to like it, too.)

RANDOMNESS #2 - I arrived in my driveway yesterday morning to witness a distressing sight. Tank, our neighbor dog, was VERY tangled in his lead. Tank has a very nice, fenced-in backyard. However, from what we can tell, Tank ate/destroyed/demolished the screen along the very nice screened-in back porch. (We assume it was Tank because after the screen was repaired, Tank was put on a lead far away from the back porch.)

Tank was trying to untangle himself, but after a few moments of watching him, I could tell he was too tangled to figure it out... even though he is a very smart dog.

Because of all the fences separating yards, I couldn't just walk over and help him.

I thought about climbing over the fence, but I was pretty sure a 50 year-old woman stuck on a fence in 100-degree weather would make the local news.

I opted for driving around the block, and I parked in Tank's driveway. There were no cars at home, but I went to the front door and rang the bell just to be sure. I waited. No answer.

I made my way to the backyard, opened someone else's gate and walked over to Tank. Barking from six dogs (my two beagles included) alerted the whole neighborhood that an intruder had walked into Tank's backyard. It was deafening.

Tank was indeed beyond tangled. As I approached him, he lurched at me making the problem even worse. I tried to pet the walking fur coat and assess the situation at the same time.

This is what my quick-minded 50 year-old self deduced.

1. Tank had tied three knots in the lead around the tree.

2. Tank was uber-excited and when he stood up on his hind legs he was barking in my face.

3. He was also breathing in my face. Tank had bad, bad breath.

4. He was very, very hot as he jumped on me again and again. It was like someone throwing a large fur rug on me over and over and over. I began to sweat profusely.

5. Because I was wet from sweat, I failed to notice that Tank was salivating... A LOT. This comes into the story a little later.

I started to work. At one point, Tank was on his back and I was on top of him unwrapping the lead around two of his legs. (If we had been wrestling, I think I would been declared the winner!)

On our way around the tree untying the knots, Tank kept jumping on me knocking me against the trunk of the tree.

Sweat and saliva (Tank's) was all over my body. I was a mess.

But... I finally untangled Tank.

I patted his sweet, furry head and started back to the Big Gold Van. As I crawled into the driver's seat, I looked into the mirror and saw sweat dripping off my chin. At least, I thought it was sweat. It turned out to be a drool string from a Tank kiss. Yuck!

I started to back out of the driveway when I looked at the front door of the house. It was open. Someone was home. I had walked into a private backyard and wrestled a giant dog to the ground... while the owner watched.

I'm just glad the police weren't called, because at certain points during the rescue, I know I DID NOT look like I was trying to help.

Yep. It could have been ugly.

All this to say, that was my good deed for the month of September. I am done... until October.

RANDOMNESS #3 - Jacksonville's first football game was last night. We were unable to go because it was a Thursday night game AND Roxie had a game, also. It was too, too much for the middle of the week.

We got home in time to watch the last few minutes on the Internet, and it was an exciting last few minutes, I tell you. We came from behind, scored a touchdown and a field goal to put us in the lead by one point. Then we kept the other team from scoring their touchdown before the clock ran out.

Two victories at Faulkner Farms (circa 1842) in one night!

The Boy was happy, but tired, and he was glad to be coming home a little early today. Just in time for high school football tonight.

Tis the season!

Weekend Happenings

As I stated above, all of our Weekend Happenings depend on the Tropical Depression.

Plan A

Friday - Attend high school football game
Saturday - Cut grass, work at Chick, clean, cookout and watch Auburn game
Sunday - Church, go tubing at the river with friends
Monday - Recover from tubing at the river with friends, fix dinner for kids' friends

Plan B

Friday - Attend high school football game
Saturday - Cut grass, work at Chick, clean, cookout and watch Auburn game
Sunday - Church, go to Dollar Movie with family and friends, eat many "hot and ready" Krispy Kreme doughnuts
Monday - Recover from eating many "hot and ready" Krispy Kreme doughnuts, fix dinner for kids' friends

Both Plans are good. Both plans will work. But we've kind of got our heart set on Plan A. Especially the Sunday/Monday part.

As always... We'll see. We'll see.

Have a GREAT Labor Day Weekend. Make memories with family and friends. Stay safe. Stay dry. Have fun.

Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday morning!

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda