Summer Preview from Hell

Yoe Day.

In Cameron, Texas, this is an official school holiday. It's true. I didn't make this up. To begin with, why WOULD I? The district has designated students from the schools go and put flowers at the grave of Mr. Yoe.

Yeah, well, I can't think of anything else to say about this. So we'll move on.

So Thursday was the Ever Delightful and Yet Oh So Odd Yoe School Holiday - no school. Today they didn't have school either - why? An unused weather day. This would make sense except that the kids had to go to school on Good Friday to make UP for a weather day. Huh. That's logical.

Now, take four kids home for a super-long weekend, and toss in a new puppy. Yes, a new puppy. This lady at Walmart was holding up a sign which read "FREE UGLY PUPPIES". How can you NOT stop and see in the box, yanno? So I did. And because it was Yoe Day, I had all four kids with me.

Can you see where this is going?

They weren't ugly - well, maybe a couple were a bit ... different looking. Weird. Odd. Yeah, okay, some where ugly. They're 1/2 black lab and 1/2 "some neighbor's ugly-ass dog". Oooooooh-kay. I picked up one, held him up face to face. He's all black except for this little white "soul patch" under his chin, and he had this look of "WTF, Mate?!" and I fell in love.

So I called B on the cell.

"Hooooooooney!!!"

B: "What?!" he asked warily, knowing the tone meant trouble.

Me: Free ugly puppies!

B: NO!

Me: Please?

B: NOOOOOOOOOO!! We have enough animals.

Me: Yeah, yeah, you're right. I know you're right.

I hang up, and Cooper, holding one of the truly ugly ones looks up at the one I'm holding and says, "Samson would have a baby brother" - which sounds so way meltable cute from a four year old little boy who isn't quite understanding why his pleas of having his own baby brother will forever go unrealized.

I get out the cell.

B: NO!

Me: I haven't said anything yet!

B: What?

Me: Cooper says Samson would have a baby brother.

B: Cute, but no.

Me: Fine! (and I hang up.)

Now, my middle daughter, age 12, is just like me. Looks the most like me, people-person like me, runs at the mouth like me and drives me nuts on a regular basis in a way I'm sure I did my own parents on a regular basis. She's also twisting things to suit her own purpose as often as she can - like her father did. *blink*blink*

Carly: It could be your Mother's Day present since I know Dad didn't remember to get you one yet.

Shandie (ever so cynical 15 yr old): She's got ya there.

Me: ~evil grin~ Indeed.

We take it home. His name is Spencer, and compared to Samson, this puppy is TINY. And he's going to be THE fattest, useless thing ever to grace the planet because my younger three children refuse to put him down long enough to allow the dang dog to develop a single leg muscle.

Samson thinks Spencer is a chew toy.

The kids fight over who holds him, who feeds him, who takes him potty. Screaming, arguing, blah blah blah.

And only two weeks of school left until they're home ALL THE TIME. Thanks so much, Mr. Yoe, for giving me a glimpse of the summer to come - two weeks early.