Being a grown up

My life seems so full these days. I never really thought of myself as lonely before but suddenly my life is full of people. I love our community. We couldn’t ask for better neighbors. Beside Kate and Andrew and their children right next door there are may other we have gotten to know from young married folks to several couples near our age.


There are several of us who bike together and some of these ladies often invite us/me over for coffee in the morning or drinks in the afternoon. But the most fun of all are the children in my life! Ryan comes and helps with the yard. He does such good work that several neighbors wanted to hire him too. So for the past few weekends he has come and spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday night with us.

Yard work is not the only thing bringing Ryan here. He and Allie are an item. They are very cute together and I think it is so sweet. They are both such nice kids. I really love spending time with them and also with Drew and his buddies. I have gotten in a few more games of paint ball on the sly. And a few rides on his scooter.

But there is a little trouble that I have to work through. I was out on the boat with the children. We got back about a quarter to 3, a bit later than we said we would. Everyone was on the dock as we came back in, Kate, Ryan and Tom. They were a quiet bunch as we tied up.

That didn’t last long. “You’re late.” Tom began. “You said you would be back at 2!” Kate chimed in right behind him. Then Ryan starts in as he helped Allie from the boat “You really had your mother worried. Why didn’t any of you take your phones?” It was really Ryan that got my attention. I swear I am going to start calling the boy ‘Tom Jr.’! They had identical looks on their faces.

“I’m so sorry.” I began, “It’s all my fault. We…” Tom cut me off with “I didn’t doubt that for a minute.” As I shot him a dirty look Allie said “Mom you knew we were with Cassie, we were alright!”

Kate was kind enough to pretend that that was not a ridicules statement. I think the eye rolling by both Tom and Ryan in unison was a bit much. Tom said “Come on up to the house Cassie I want to talk to you.” Talk my butt! But I didn’t need him saying any more there so I told the children that I had had a wonderful time and that I was very sorry to have gotten them home late.

Three guesses of the position I was in during our ‘talk’. Strangely enough Tom actually seemed more into talking than spanking. I think putting me over his lap to talk has become a force of habit! He fussed about being late but that wasn’t his focus. “Cassie our neighbors are raising fine children. They listen to their parents and do as they are asked and YOU are not going to be a bad influence on them! You are an adult and when you indicate it is alright to stay out longer than their parents say then they think they can listen to you and I won’t have you getting them into trouble.”

Unfortunately the fact that he was probably right hurt more than the spanking. Although he built up some pretty good intensity as he discussed the lack of cell phone on the excursion. But when he let me up and gave me a hug I guess he said something I really needed to hear “Honey, Allie is not Sue. I know you enjoy spending time with her but you HAVE to be the grown up. Now I am telling you if you cause her to get in trouble with her parents I will wear you out! Do you understand me??” I do understand. I love that girl and it would kill me if something I did backfired on her. I will behave. Well only around Allie, but you know what I mean!

There is another trip in the works. I’ll tell you all about it soon.