My street is crazy. More Good Samaritan stories.

I live on a main road. A pretty busy thoroughfare used my most travelers getting to where-ever they are going. It is safe to say that accidents happen. A few years ago my mailbox was "relocated" by a woman.  And just this past week the same thing happened to my neighbor's mailbox. Along with a telephone pole. Really, why do people not like our mailbox. And why don't they just say something to us about it instead of ramming their vehicles into them? I guess interpersonal communication really is dead. Darn social media!

Let me explain:

Last week was the kids spring vacation. A whole week off of school. (Cue nervous, wide eyed, "What am I going to do with these guys for a whole week," look?) Not to fear, a play date was scheduled. The eldest has gone over to this particular friend's house a few times and she has played here. Sometimes my wife and the middle child hang out for an hour or so during the date of play to catch up and let the younger siblings play as well. So this time that scenario was to occur at our house. Almost an hour into the playing, I get up to get some water when I see a car drive onto my lawn and I hear some crashing. I grab my phone to call the authorities, which would have been great if it weren't for the dog loosing his poop from people being in the lawn. Apparently my wife was asking what had happened but I could hear her over the dog and the fact that I was trying to talk to 911 about the automobile that took out a telephone pole and ripped wires from my house. As I am relaying information to the dispatcher, I see a woman emerge from the pickup truck with three (!) kids. All appear to be fine. I motion to them to stay away from the downed wires and they sit on my front stoop to wait for the authorities to arrive. And it just so happened that an off duty fireman was driving by as it happened.  He must have assessed them as I was talking to the dispatcher because I don't remember doing that. We set out some goldfish and water for the kids to try calm them down and it seemed to work,

All while this is happening, there are electrical, phone and cable wire strewn across my driveway, prohibiting any escape.  It looks like the parental portion of the playdate will be a little longer today. So as the police, fire, electrical, phone and cable companies come and assess the damage it dawns on us that we will have to feed our guests (Not those involved in the accident.  They got to go to the hospital to get checked out). But no power. And all we had were a handful of slices of bread.  PB&J's! Who doesn't like that? Thankfully everyone did. It was great because that was about all that we could give em.

After about three hours we were able to move our friend's car and let them escape, um go home. IT was a nice playdate with just a little added excitement. It was a good learning experience. We got to see how telephone poles were installed and how the different utility companies help each other do one common task. They really do work like well oiled machine. I'm sure it wasn't their first rodeo.

It turns out that the driver had turned around to scold one, or all three of the children when she drove off the road.  Everyone was lucky that no one was seriously injured. Otherwise it could have been a much darker playdate. Really, what is the cost of a pole, a mailbox or a vehicle in relation to a life? Or four? I bet the driver feels really bad now. I hope this opens her eyes. Or keeps them on road!

Let this be a lesson; Drive slow and always, ALWAYS keep an eye on the road. It's not your place to move mailboxes with your car!

I'm getting old

My birthday is coming up.  Its not a huge one; just the run of the mill "Half Way To 70" birthday that all people throw a crazy party for. (At least that's what I'm telling myself) 35 is the new 20, right?  Well if that is the case I certainly don't feel it.

Case in point:

The other day I took the two younger ones to a store to pick up some necessities. It had rained the night before and this establishment apparently lets their shopping carts be al natural (stores them outside).  So no cart ride for the one year old, just riding in the sweet and comfy seat of daddy's arms; being shipped between right and left just as the feeling is being removed from the hand.  No big deal.  Only a few things to get.  And besides, I have the middle one to help carry stuff. (HA. Nice try.)

So we (I) grab a basket as we walk in the store which the older one carries.  She carries it for a total of 30 seconds; right about the time it comes to put something in it.  Granted the somethings were two bottles of syrup so they were pretty heavy. C'mon kid. Help a brother out! Onward we go; me with baby AND basket, child with not a care in the world. When we get to the next items to get, I set the basket down and look around for the rest of the things we need.  They were all in the same area and I figured just leave it on the ground and make trips back and forth instead of lugging it with me.  A great idea, I thought.  That is until the middle child comes over with the most helpful voice, "Here, daddy. You left this back there."

So much for that idea of not carrying the basket.  Somewhere in this exchange of baby and basket wrangling something went in my back.  It wasn't immediate.  I didn't really feel it until the ride home. But boy did I feel it.  I must have tweaked something just right (or wrong, depending on your outlook) because later that day I couldn't do a damn thing.  It hurt to breathe. It hurt to fart, and that had become an issue because I had Kashi cereal for breakfast and that stuff cleans you out.

Long story short I blew my back out, but it is on the mend.  Nothing a little Alieve and a warming pad can't cure. It is not 100% as of yet but it'll get there.  It better.  I'm not ready for an old man back problem.  I'm not even half way to 70 yet!