Life Be Life'ing

Me = Nice Lady

When we pulled into our new neighborhood late Monday night, my eyebrow raised at the fact the neighbor across the street had a car parked on the lawn.

Um...no.

No worries...I knew I'd get my "Nice Lady" on and handle that soon.

The next morning I saw the young man sitting in his car with the driver's side door open and I walked over in nice-lady mode with a big old grin and my hand out.  

Me:  Hey neighbor!  Nice to meet you...I'm Mo...wait...you out here smoking weed in your car?  Seriously?

Him:  *Looking.Sheepish* - Uh...um...well...

Me:  *sigh*  Baby it's too early for all that...and why you parked on the grass?  Where they do that 'et?

Him:  *Nervous.Smiling.Laughing*

Me:  We'll try this again, baby.

Then I walked off shaking my head but still as "Nice Lady."  Yall know how we do.  

This morning I walked outside to see if the flower boxes I'd put up were receiving full sun.  The young man was outside putting air in his tire.  I waved and walked over.  

Me:  You ready to try this again?  (Laughing.)

Him:  Yes ma'am.

We shake hands and introduce ourselves.  He tells me where he works and I notice he's dressed for work ready to roll out.  

Me:  What do you think about the flower boxes?  Should I keep them there or move them to the back?

Him:  You can keep them there.  They look good there.  You got it going on with them flower boxes.

Me:  Thank you baby.  Now...why you park that car on the grass like that?  

Him:  It has a leak and I don't want to mess up the driveway.

Me:  But you're okay with it messing up the grass?  You can power wash the stain out of the driveway.  Once you kill the grass with oil...it's gone unless you do a lot of work to treat it right?

Him:  I guess I never thought about that.  And...we be blocking each other in and stuff.

Me:  Well park on the street if you know someone is going to have to pull out.  Don't park on the grass Baby...kinda makes it look like the hood when you do that.

Him:  Yes ma'am.  Imma try.

Me:  If you ever need a spot...you can park behind my truck in my driveway.

Him:  Yes ma'am.  Thank you ma'am.  

Me:  Well you have a good day at work okay?  I'm probably going to do some baking this weekend.  I'll bring yall some cookies okay?  Meet your mama 'nem.  Your mama 'nem stay here right?  I thought I saw you helping her to her car the other day.

Him:  Ooooh...that would be nice!  Yes ma'am.  My mama stay here.

Me:  Okay.  I'll be by this weekend!  Now let me go finish working.  

And so it begins.

The Robinator:  You out here gentrifying the neighborhood in less than a week.

Me:  You know how I do.

 

P.S.  We did discuss early morning weed usage albeit briefly.  He says he needs it to get through his day.  I simply nodded and told him that I guess you gotta do whatcha gotta do.  I'll have him setting up his patio to get his weed usage on out back of his home soon.  That should be private in my opinion. 

Temporary Digs!

Needless to say...it is going to take a lot of work to get a one level rental house with ecru walls in shape enough for us to call home.  I'm already missing 13700 big time.  I need color in my life and rent houses just won't let me be great.  I was going to do temporary wallpaper but the walls aren't smooth.  They are like...textured.  Ugh!  Why do builders even do that anymore?????  Does anyone know?

We arrived around 9:00pm last night and got up at 5:00am to start unpacking the truck before Robby rolled out.  Shelly is coming on Saturday to help but yall know I will probably be finished by then.

Our bedroom dresser has two extremely long scratches across the top.  Joy.  It's not a move unless something nice gets messed up.  *sigh*

That garage is going to be straight up storage.  In our old house we had three living spaces.  In the temporary digs?  One.  I'm not about to recreate the furniture wheel when we move in our new house because I like my furniture.

Now...everyone hold hands and sing an old Negro spiritual with me because baaaaaaaaaay...ever since Day 1 of The Monnie & Robby Show, he has had a mancave.  Did you read the part where it says we only have ONE living area?  Yup.  Dude no longer has a mancave so that means all sports all the tie in the one living space.  *sigh*  We might kill each other in this house.

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This is going to be the office so I was wondering if I should just bite the bullet and make it a mancave.  Only problem with that is that the house is so small, this room is behind the living room so I will hear his games anyway.  LOL!

I'm sure the question everyone wants to ask is...Where is poor old Jaru and how did he fare on the trip?

Humph.  His stankin' azz is posted up.  He walked around confused for a minute looking for stairs.  Then he came back talking some...THIS IS?????  I can't stand that dog.

The micro patio is going to need some major creativity to get it right so I can get my outside chill on.  Once I do the powerwashing I think I will be able to make it uber cozy.  Since it is on concrete I can do a firepit thingy.  I've always wanted one but Robby wouldn't let me get one on the wood deck.  Go figure.  Humph.  He spoils all the fun.

The neighborhood is super quiet but, as always...one house stands out in particular.  They park a car on the lawn.  *BLINK*  WHERE THEY DO THAT 'ET?????  There is a two car garage with an adequate sized two car drive up to the garage.  Why in the hell do you have a car on the fuggin grass?  Come on people!  Have some class about your azz!  I'm sure I will meet them soon enough, smooze them and then gently ask WHY in a nice lady way that makes them question the same.

The drive was ecruciating and I am not looking forward to packing and moving ever again but baaaaaaaaaaaaby...in 16 months I am going to shoot up outta here like a cannon!

Okay...gotta go do the mandatory move-in Home Depot / Target run.  Oh...and MUST.HAVE.WINE for 5:30 on the dot so MUST.FIND.WINE.STORE.STAT!  If yall hear that I'm in the hospital for an infection, it won't be Ebola, it will be from bleach poisoning (which is a very real thing that I found out when Shelly got bleach poisoned disinfecting her house from her renters).  Send flowers.  You know...of the hydrangea variety I love so. (Reminds me...have to find a local florist.  UGH!  And a hair stylist!  DOUBLE UGH! AND LORD!!!!!!!  A BROW TECHNICIAN!  KILL.ME.NOW!)  

QUESTION:  The last time you moved...did anything nice get messed up or broken?

Pinterest Secrets

A friend just asked me if I still used Pinterest because she never sees me post much over there anymore.  I was confused because I post on Pinterest all the time lately.  More than ever it seems because I'm dream house dreaming/planning.

Then I remembered...oh.  LOL!  

I kinda have those boards locked up.  LOL!

Do you have secret boards on Pinterest?  What do you tend to put in them?

Me on Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/creoleindc/

"Don't Put Me On that Blog"

Elder and I

Elder and I

Early on when I started blogging, I got into an argument with a family member about "being on the blog."  See...they always worried about their business being put out there.  You know...cuz they have SOOOOOOOO much interesting business. (Note sarcasm.)  So...I stopped talking about their azzes.  You'd swear I grew from weeds in a forest how much I DON'T say about my family on my blog cuz hey...I might be a bad azz in my head but we all know that I don't want no trouble when it comes to my family.  We fight dirty with each other at times even if we'd be the first people right there when we need each other.

Now it doesn't mean that they don't read the blog because I was shocked to find out how many do...and I still find that interesting seeing as though many of them think the internet is for email only.

Dealing with family every single day is a major part of who we all are.  Especially me.  I mean...I love my people.  I love where I come from.  I love the total complex mix-mash of practically everything good and bad that we are.  We are straight up 'bout THAT GUMBO LIFE.

But I don't talk about them on the blog.  LOL!

A couple of years ago, one of my cousins asked me why I don't ever put them on the blog.  I told them that it was easier to not write about them than to figure out who had a problem with it and therefore I don't have to wonder who is walking around mad about what the hell ever.  I mean...I put a picture up once of a relative that I thought was beautiful.  She got mad because I didn't crop out a basket of laundry she was folding while watching television.  Said it made her living room look junky.  It wasn't mind you...I mean...she was simply folding clothes but hey...her perception of how she wants to be seen should be up to her.  I took the picture down and apologized.  No biggie.  

I said all that to say that I hardly ever talk about my family on my blog but I'm going to today.  I want to talk about my Uncle, my father's youngest brother.  Why?  Because he's nothing short of amazing to me.  I've been getting to know him more adult-to-adult and he's a pretty great Elder.  He brings me joy because he's kinda like me.  He's taken the best of who are and made it work for him.  Our family's love of outdoors, good food, music, laughter, etc.  He loves good wine and good people.  He straight up LIVES life to the fullest.  

And it shows.

This past weekend, he went to a big salsa dancing event with his lady friend and then the next morning they got up and did a breast cancer awareness walk on three hours of sleep.  Throughout both events he sent me pictures, which is a good thing, because even though he joined Facebook a couple of months ago...he's real lax on uploading pictures.  LOL!  And hell...I like to see pictures because it makes me smile.

Unc looks exactly like my father...which isn't surprising because we all look alike.  But he looks like him so much so that it's hard to look at him sometimes and not get gripped by the shadows of whys.  When he hugs me, he hugs me tight.  And then...he just lingers there with a hand on my arm or across my shoulders.  He's easy with his praise and he is quick to express his pride in you.  He is good at seeing you exactly as you are.  He's a talented architect and wants to help me plan our next house.  He understands that I don't ask for help with anything and why.  And this is why he has no problem offering. "Why would you pay all that to someone else when your Unc can help you?"

Good point.  We'll see.  It's hard for me.  You know why.  Thanks for understanding.

I'm really proud of my Uncle and I love how I feel when I'm around him.  He makes me laugh out loud often and I enjoy interacting with him and this is why I put him on my blog.  LOL!

Slowly but surely my Elders are joining Facebook and posting pictures and whatnot and I'm enjoying seeing sides of them they don't necessarily show us "kids."  I love looking at the old pictures they post from when they were younger because I don't really get to see those since I've lived away from everyone for a very long time and pack in what I can when I visit.  I love how the pictures trigger stories I haven't heard and how they introduce me to other family members I don't know...but know...you know?

Yeah...you know.

So...your Elders.  Any of the cool ones on Facebook?  Are they bringing you joy?  

Those of you who blog...what's your family's take on being "on the blog?"