Well, the youngens who flew the coop have returned to the nest. Their wings are not clipped, but they have changed colors.
The boy got back from his first cross-country adventure and now believes that everyone who lives in Los Angeles owns a plasma television. LOL
He had a fine time, got to meet some interesting people and learn what it feels like to be a minority. The friend he traveled with is bi-racial, and the family that was kind enough to put the boys up, was black. Those are about the only details of the journey I’ve been able to pry out of him so far.
Oh and that flying is way cool LOL
Daughter and I traveled to the airport to retrieve lads and luggage from their late-night arrival. She was anxious to share with him, her how-I-managed-to-worry-our-mother-even-more-while-you-were-in-California new hairdo.
Yep, she’s done it again. Son’s previously mentioned friends-who-are-girls-but-not-girlfriends, and befriended his sister while he was away, got the bright idea to drive across the state for a hamburger. And take my baby. (Oh don’t give me that nonsense about how she’s a teenager…she’s my baby dammit and always will be).
She came bouncing in the house, all excited. “Mom! They invited me to go to St. Louis with them!”
Stay calm, stay calm, don’t attempt to throw her in a bag and protect her from the world for the rest of her life.
“Oh?” (oh my sweet jesus why oh why?)
“Yeah! We’re gonna drive down there for a White Castle burger!”
{{Flashback to my wild and crazy youth, when such foolishness was a way of life but I would no more have told my mother than stick a needle in my eye.}}
I am relieved she is open enough to share the plan with me. I am horrified, as a mother, by the plan. I am cognizant of the fact that a negative reaction will cause her to choose a needle in the eye over sharing any future adventures with me.
“Well, that should be fun!” (if you stay alive please sweet jesus keep her alive)
So off she went, and I was alone. It was freaky. Sure, I spend days alone here when Husband is at work, the boy is makin’ French fries, and she’s at school, but this was…different.
The boy was off in La La land, so I wasn’t drivin’ him to the golden arches. The girl wouldn’t be sittin’ at me feet in the evenings, giggling over an anime’ or video game website.
I felt very old. It was the quietest 4th of July I can remember. It sucked. (Oh how eloquent of me)
Her escapade went well, and when they returned, they dyed her hair black with red tips, just to have some sport with ol’ Ma. Oh, look at you. Did you have a good time? Just ignore my bleeding palms, sugar. No, I’m not digging my fingernails into my skin to control my temper. It’s stigmata darling, mommy got religion while you were gone. I’m channeling Francis de Sales - patron saint of writers. Yes dear, I am going to blog about this.
They’re all sleeping now. I peek in at their faces, so sweet in slumber, and smile. I know they won’t be here forever, but for now…I think I’ll get good and drunk and not think about it - LOL!
Hope all of you had a lovely holiday, and stayed alive. If you’re dead and perusing this from the afterlife, please let me know how big my readership is out there. Tell Francis - he’ll channel it to me.
Posted by Marti @ 
OMG - ROTFLMAO that was HILARIOUS. But seriously, black with red stripes? Are you going to post pictures? Wow. I hope I can be as calm as you are.
July 9th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
You are not alone, Marti. Bonnie, Margaret and Vicki all are going through this.
My suggestion to everybody is the same, of course: So it goes. But they’ll be back.
Good luck, kid.
July 9th, 2006 at 5:16 pm
Hey Marti-
You chronicle your life so well.
Glad that for now the kids are safe.
It’s funny how things change as they get older and you have to let go.
Hard to do but a neccesity, if only for their sake.
Interesting to see the world thru your eyes and to know what you’re really thinking.
Hang in there, the grandkids will be pouring in any day now…
smiles,
~m
July 9th, 2006 at 6:32 pm
I’m guessin’ you didn’t want to hear about grandkids just yet, right??
July 10th, 2006 at 3:15 am
I didn’t know about St. Francis. I am so no educated! Black hair with red tips sounds adorable to me–I wish that back in the 80s, when I was a young adult, I’d tried going hair-funky. Never thought of it, though, and now’s not the time.
You’re a good mom! Hair will grow out, but it’s hard to not worry about the roadtrips teens make, for sure, and what they do when they’re away. But, as you say, she shares with you, so there’s a good possibility that she wouldn’t do anything that would make YOU stick a needle in your eye!
Happy Monday:)
July 10th, 2006 at 5:34 am
I was testing co-posting at my old Blogger site, as many of the bloggers I visit only allow a Blogger ID, and if they backtrack who left a comment, it would take them to my old blog. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to transfer the comments from there to here, so again, I had a dumb idea - LOL
This came in over there from LZ Blogger
Funny but I think I had a “White Castle” Burger is Overland Park, Kansas one time. That (at first glance) that would seem a LOT closer that St. Louis? The “SLIDERS” taste the same where ever you have them. So maybe it is just the FUN of the drive and not the food?! ~ jb///
My reply is:
Yes, there used to be several of them in the greater Kansas City metro area, but they closed all of them. I liked them - was sorry to see them go!
And yes, I think it was as much for the adventure of a road trip - LOL!
July 10th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
First off, White Castle Burgers are nasty. I rejoiced when they closed here. Bleh! Besides, don’t they sell those wretched things in the freezer section at most grocery stores??
Even so, a road trip to White Castle is better than the Road Trip that leads to Padre on Spring Break.
While the wild hair may take some getting used to, be grateful it’s the hair and not a tattoo…or multiple piercings. Hair color can be corrected, and as soon as the novely wears off, so will the color.
Good luck, though.
July 10th, 2006 at 6:52 pm
My oldest will become a teenager this fall, and I’m not looking forward to it one bit. Because I remember how I was.
Take lots of pictures of your daughter so you can embarrass her when she’s 30-something.
July 10th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
Marti? Where actually was your son staying when he was in LaLaLand? He didn’t say anything about Compton, did he?????????
July 10th, 2006 at 11:56 pm
My girls went to an all day country music festival last Saturday. They were sweet and good, didn’t drink or smoke, called home regularly, and even conned a free autograph for me from Keith Anderson. (He wasn’t supposed to sign them but they told him I had to stay home to take care of the cows and he said farm girls get special treatment. He gets my vote now. lol)
They were also about an hour and a half late getting home and nearly killed me. Arrghhh.
You say it so well! The part about how it feels to be a mother to almost grown-ups I mean.
July 11th, 2006 at 9:44 am
Glad to know you survived the ordeal, Marti, and live to tell the tale (and give the rest of us a great laugh!).
July 11th, 2006 at 9:46 am
Sorry you had to spend the holiday by yourself, but you did get a terrific post out of it! Hope the rest of your summer goes a little easier!
July 11th, 2006 at 11:08 pm
LOL, they had to drive across the state for a White Castle? They must be a little more rare around there than they are here. The restaurants, not the burgers. Ew, rare White Castle.
July 13th, 2006 at 9:33 am
I run into that alot since the 17 y/o got his license and vehicle. He is a much better behaved child than I was but I still worry sooooooo much about his decisions he will have to make.
Chris
My Blog
July 15th, 2006 at 4:24 pm