Block party

Tonight we had an unofficial block party. Some of us with kids migrated over to Josh and Jamie's house --where the pool was, at about 4:00. We stayed till almost 8:00.



It was great. I love my neighbors! I love the street we live on. I love that it is so safe. We had Kenny Chesney blasting in the background, a kid pool, mini roller coaster, ride on toys, squirt guns and dirt.

(Katie, we tried to have better music than last night. Was it too loud?)


We got hungry so we ordered pizza. It was so much fun hanging out.



This is probably my favorite way to spend a summer evening. Welcome May! Here are some photos of the night.

Let me tell you about this last one:

Josh came over to the adults and announced that he had a prize. "Who wants a prize?" He asked.

Now, we weren't all born yesterday and we knew that it probably wasn't going to be anything good. Even though he had no takers, Josh continued. "I've got a free bird to whoever wants it! I'll even throw in the cage."

Ahh. No.

We were right. It wasn't anything good. I told him I'd trade him two dogs for the bird. Another guy offered to take the bird along with $500. Everyone else just said a flat out "No."

Josh went on to explain that the bird was in the upstairs bathroom and wouldn't go back into it's cage. He said that birds freak him out and he didn't want to go get it. Sonya, another neighbor offered to go catch it. She did. They put the bird back in it's cage and on the front porch. I guess so it could have some fresh air. (I do the same thing with my dogs.) In fact, my dogs were out at the block party with us.

10 minutes later ...

Josh walks over to the door, looks in the cage and says, "Where's the bird?" About that same instance, Mamie (beloved dog of mine), trots between the cars on the driveway right by me and then parades through the yard, in front of all the kids and adults, with a bright yellow bird in her mouth.

Yes.

In front of the kids.

She then goes across the road to my house to enjoy the rest of her meal.

I've got my hand over my mouth in shock.

My dog just ate my neighbor's bird.

I didn't see any point in now rescuing the bird. I'm sure it was hurt badly. I didn't follow her over there, but Eric, another neighbor, did. He pulled the bird from her mouth, wrapped it up in the magazine he was holding and came back to the party.

Everyone thinks it is horrid and hilarious at the same time. No one wanted this to happen, but it did take care of the "unwanted bird" problem.

Eric now has rejoined the group, he points the rolled up bird toward Josh and says, "You want your bird back?"

I insisted that I would buy them a new bird to replace the one Mamie killed. They insisted that it wasn't necessary.

Really, what I think would be fair is that they have to keep one of my dogs since I took care of the bird problem for them.