Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Rich in Daughters

Lineup
Laura (left end) was barely five here. Don't know what made me think of this pic.

How are my neighbors? They're doing good!

And here Matt would want to emend, "Superman does good. The neighbors are doing well."

Tonight we walked up the street to a graduation party for a K(C)athy's oldest daughter. Actually, the other K(C)athy moved out a few weeks ago, after a long, long divorce-and-house-selling process. She's gone to a better place. (Not heaven, but a nice townhouse in the one neighborhood that has indoor tennis courts. We're glad for her and we still see her.)

So one K(C)athy remains, and she has six children. Four of them are beautiful girls. I mean, yes all children are beautiful in their own way, of course, but her girls are really beautiful, and nice people too. They range from 18 to 5. And she has two bonus boys. When I first moved here, her youngest was a baby, and I thought, "Six kids!?! Does she know what is causing that to happen?" But now that her youngest is in school, her family plan is starting to look kind of smart. They are your basic big happy family. There is always something going on and somebody to help with it. Especially smart to have all those girls. So many girls! Looking at her tonight, the words came to my mind, "That woman is rich in daughters."

Normal Neighbor was there, and we were remarking that in no time, our girls would be finishing high school. Then she cried and cried through the slide show of the graduate, while I started planning what song I want to use in ours. Not like PLANNING planning, just idly musing, you know.

Her own dance

So, the neighbors:

K(C)athy is sending her grown daughter to college.

Normal Neighbor is cancer free and just got a new chocolate lab puppy.

Frenemy Neighbor has dropped off my radar completely. We never see each other except to wave from our cars, and our girls no longer seek each other out. And I unfriended her on fb after she posted a Glenn Beck screed about how the Great Depression really wasn't that bad.

The older couple on the corner opposite us who didn't believe in global warming, they moved this weekend. To Arizona. Their replacements are already installed in the house but I haven't met them yet.

Conspiracy Guy remains as ever. His daughters still while away a lot of time at my house. The other day, I took Hank to the neighborhood pool party, and they begged begged begged him to take them as well. So he did, then sat in a corner with earbuds in his ears, not in good sight of the pool, while they swam and played. I guess he figured the lifeguard and I were on top of the situation.

My Gravelly-Voiced Tennis Friend broke two ribs this weekend when she got run over by a jet ski. I think those things are dangerous. She could have been killed. And I'm thinking that she won't be playing Summer Mixed Doubles. She told me that it hurts like a mother.

Pretty Neighbor is doing fine and has been navigating the same end-of-school craziness that I have. We are both a little forlorn at the lull in tennis right now, but there is a new rec center near us and we're thinking of trying a pilates class there tomorrow.

Oh, OH, remember when I introduced you to my neighbor who keeps an opossum as her beloved pet? Miss Terry, BLESS HER HEART. Anyway, she was at K(C)athy's party and at one point she suggested to our hostess that she go home and fetch the possum, Louise, and bring Louise to the party. That suggestion made K(C)athy awesomely uncomfortable, as her revulsion at the very thought of it warred with her Southern upbringing, and her inclination to try to please her guests, all her guests, howe'er crazy they may be. She said, weakly, "Um, maybe if you hold her and don't put her down anywhere?"

(Here let me note that this party was BYOB, as the graduate's grandparents were providing all the refreshments and they are strict teetotaler Baptists. And in the middle of this scene of Potential Possum Visitation Discussion, I felt that maybe the one bottle of pinot noir I'd brought wouldn't see me through an Actual Possum Appearance.)

And Miss Terry then said she needed someone to drive her up the block, wait while she fetched Louise, and then drive her back. And K(C)athy was like, "Well, I don't know if that will happen..." Then she slowly walked away, looking transfixed as though something very important elsewhere required her attention. So Miss Terry went home and there was no Louise.

So that happened, and we had some cake and little chocolate eclairs, and then we walked over to see Normal Neighbor's puppy, with his baggy puppy skin and huge paws, and then we came home. Thought you might want to know what the nabes are up to. Where did I start this post? Something about daughters.

'Night!
xo

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

You have some crazy neighbors down there. Read some of your other posts, I'm so glad you're doing well. Single digit jeans!

Stacy said...

Love your post! We are still driving home due to some detours.. Everyone is still awake in the van except Zach and B, so I read your post out loud and Chase loved it while Morgan chuckled under her breath in the back seat with 10 pages to completion of her Karen Kingsbury book.. I guess after reading, Im thinking I am rich in sons! Missed seeing you..xoxo

Beth said...

I must see photo proof of that puppy.

And I so, SO wish that Louise had made an appearance. Oh, Louise. Such a perfect name for an opossum.

Elizabeth said...

I'm shocked that you de-friended someone on FB.

Just shocked.

In all seriousness, I love this post.

AlGalMom said...

I almost cheered when Possum Neighbor showed up--I hoped and hoped she would.

And I'm delighted that Normal Neighbor is cancer free. That is really good news.

Amy said...

Those pics of L are precious. Thanks for the neighborhood roundup, good to hear how everyone is doing! I'm so happy that NN is cancer-free. What about Rebel Yelling Mom? Anything happening with her?

I need updates on Laura finishing 5th grade!!

Anonymous said...

You will be surprised to learn that, for a six month period in my young adolescence, I had a possum as a pet.

Best parts of owning a possum: 1) their remarkably human little paws 2) going for walks with the possum in the pouch of your sweatshirt 3) having a snuggly little baby possum

Worst parts of owning a possum: 1) possums do their business in water, so bath time usually took a couple tries 2) sometimes, THE SMELL 3) eventually having a hissing, fully-grown possum.

Christian said...

Sitting here on a giant motorcoach that's barreling through Seoul's evening rush hour, I shed a little tear. I'm gonna miss Frenemy Neighbor. I already do.

Cassi said...

You make me wish I had neighbors.

I do have pictures of my daughter in that exact same setting --one of those week-long summer dance "camps"?

We have a skunk that's been visiting our yard nightly . . . I wonder if your neighbor would like another pet?

delaine said...

Love your round-up of the neighbors. Especially love the picture of Laura at the mirror. That's always been one of my all time favorites! So you have a lull in tennis? Rest!! We are coming to see you Friday, if that's okay.

Amy said...

A classic SubMat post! I know I am not alone in always feeling that not only do I know you, but I know all your wackadoodle (and normal) neighbors. Not as well as I know you, of course, but I would say hello if I saw them on the street. If they were wearing say a T-shirt that identified them. Maybe you could make that happen, for thoughtful gifts? "Conspiracy Guy" - in black, of course. PN, pink... xo
ps, that you defriended FN is a beautiful and just thing.

Amy said...

Defriending her for that reason, I meant.

Which brings me to my second point of my second comment, being two more things I love you for: "emend" and "screed."

Becky said...

T-shirts! When my blog gets huge and THEN gets made into a movie, I'll go on tour with all the neighbors! Who will be wearing t-shirts with their epithets emblazoned on them.

Abrupt, how did you come by the possum pet?

I had to unfriend her, because we are heading into a long election summer and I just can't. I also unfriended another neighbor--I blogged one time about how she wouldn't talk to me while I had cancer--because she posted some terrible racist thing about Obama. A few months of peace went by and then she SENT ME ANOTHER FRIEND REQUEST. Which I accepted, what was I to do?

I look forward to the pleasure of unfriending her again soon--she's on thin ice.

Camp Papa said...

Rich, indeed!

kathy said...

Thanks for the update of the neighbors. Laura is precious and has grown into a beautiful young lady. Savor the moments.

Nina said...

Hmm, let me just say that even looking at it across an ocean and almost a century, that Great Depression business did seem to be quite bad, guys. I'm sad for Miss Terry that Louise wasn't welcome at the party, but I feel Louise might not have enjoyed it so much anyway.

Allison said...

I just love your blog and your neighbors. Thanks for posting. Emend! Who knew?

Anonymous said...

I am like that, too, with the babies & the do they not know how that keeps happening? After 3 I start to think, oh, sure, they get it on, but obvsly they never want to have an uninterrupted conversation, so ok! Unless they are filthy-rich & then it's just, yk, outsourcing.

M said...

Thank you so much for giving voice to the very phenomenon I encountered just two weeks ago when helping serve the hs grad reception. I met a beautiful mom of 4 lovely daughters (no sons) who I'd previously been only vaguely aware of through my own daughter's volleybalI experiences.

I was just mesmerized by her engaging countenance and pondered for days what it might be like to be, as you say, "rich in daughters." I simply could not conjure words to describe my sense of this woman. You, Becky, are magic in that way. And, in my case, timely. : )

Aimee said...

Run over. By a JET SKI? What the what? Good heavens, I'm glad she isn't hurt any worse than she is.

And...your neighbors. They are something. Possum. Hmm...

Hooray for Normal N'bor!! So happy for her. Puppy pics post-haste, please!

Michele R said...

I was thinking of Possum Lady just the other day. Another blogger wrote of saving 7 baby possums found under her porch. I have chuckled for 2 days now thinking of your neighbor wanting to bring her possum child over to a party.
So glad NN is doing well.
Adorable photos!
Maybe one day I will be rich in daughter in laws.

Anonymous said...

And to think I almost forgot about that possum!!!

Veronica said...

Glad the nabes are doing well. Those pics of Laura must be from near the time y'all left California, because that's how she still looks in my mind's eye.

Mary B. said...

There's a funny and sweet Greg Brown song called "Rich in Daughters." I know this because I happen to be rich in daughters (three!). Sorry to be such a braggart, but you'd understand if you met them.

Mary B. said...

Whoops, it's called "Daughters." But the chorus begins,"I'm a man who's rich in daughters..."

Becky said...

Mary, I love Greg Brown! Somehow I have never heard that song though. Or maybe I have and I forgot but those words took up residence in my unconscious somewheres.

Zion said...

Good to know how all of the neighbors or ex-neighbors are doing. I also love hearing about your friend with the 6 children. My husband, his parents and my mom and dad all came from families around that size and we want to have a big family too (including adopting) so it's nice to know that it can be done well.

Crystal Keilers, that's me. said...

I feel like I should be paying to read your blog. The best entertainment I've had all week (i guess that also says something;).