Creeking Hillbilly Mom

This morning, we went walking up the creek. Without a paddle, but with 3 dogs and a metal detector. The running score this year started today. So far, it is Metal Detector-0, Hillbilly Mom-1. The #1 son was running the detector. It is his, after all. He found nada. Not even a piece of barbed wire like last time, though he did find the rabies tag on one of the dogs' collars, but I am not counting that. I, on the other hand, with only my naked eyes, found a curved piece of metal thingy, about eight inches long, with a little chip out of the side. HH says it looks like a part of a plow. I don't know how he would know that. It's not like he has ever used a plow. I also found a thingy that looks like a piece of a plate. It's white and smooth, with a little ridge on one side. I suppose the upcreek neighbors might need to stop setting the plate out with the garbage. I'm afraid to even think about the baby and the bath.

We also found some itty-bitty crawdads fighting over a worm. We found them by accident, when I sat down on a rock in the middle of the creek to take a break. At first they looked like leaves. They were kind of muddy-colored, except for one. He was a pale whitish orange. The one with possession of the worm was really chowing down. He had that worm gnawed almost in half. When the others tried to creep in and get a piece, he backed away. Then a big one, bigger than my little finger, went after him. We knew he was the boss, because he had BOTH his claws. Which made me admonish the boys, "It's all fun and games until somebody loses an appendage." Too bad we weren't planning a fishing trip. Those little crawdaddies would have made good bait. It's supposed to rain all week. Maybe we'll go back next weekend and see what has washed up.

HH has gone to town. His buddy, Buddy, told him he could have an icebox from his house in town. Not a refrgerator...an ICEBOX. What Buddy is doing with an icebox, we'll never know. He could be part of some freakish Manhattan Project or something. What we are going to do with an icebox is a better question. Maybe HH will tire of it soon, and chuck it into the sinkhole--nature's wastebasket. I hate it when he does that. Maybe he will put in under the lean-to side of the barn that he enclosed with a giant Save-A-Lot sign. Hey! HH couldn't turn it down. They were going to throw it away!!! Maybe he will put the icebox in the Mini-Mansion. It is coming along. Though it still lacks a roof, all the sides are on, and the porch as well. Eat your heart out, Redneck Diva! A chance for a $250 piano, or a FREE ICEBOX? Uh huh. You heard me. FREE ICEBOX! Makes you want to pull up stakes and high-tail it to Missouri, now don't it?

There are four-and-a-half weeks of school left. My boy gets a trip to Six Flags on Friday. Thursday night is a 'fun night' at school, though I don't know how much fun I will be having, what with missing my favorite TV night. Next week, we have a night to orient next year's freshmen, and the next week is the academic banquet. It's a busy time of year. But the best time of year.

Like I tried to tell you last September...the school year is almost over.