Memories

What a day today has been. Started at 7:00, getting up, getting grills (yes 2 of them) ready, going to store to swap out bad slaw, get some ice, and grab a biscuit and gravy from Jacks. But coming from the car to the house , a bag of ice turned my gravy & bisuit up sideways, and when I got in the house, all my gravy is in the bag. Not a good way to start my holiday! Got concrete pool deck sprayed off and pool vaccuumed, strarted cooking meat. Six grills full, ribs, hamburgers, wieners, country back bone, chicken and smoked sausage. We fed 12 adults, 2 teenagers, and 5 kids. And a ton of meat left over as usual. Uncle Sam's BBQ place is gonna be hurtin.
I'm reminded of a holiday, I believe it was the fourth of July, about 6 years ago. I had been preparing the back yard as I did today, and the neighbor who lives behind me (I'm on a corner) had come over to the privacy fence to talk. He mentioned how much he missed watching all my boys, including Brandon with one leg, enjoying the pool during the summer like they used to. There would be 4 or 5 friends come over while Janell and I were at work. As long as their chores were done, it was O.K. The neighbor mentioned how much fun it was to watch them jumping off the roof into pool. I said, "excuse me, did you say the roof?". He replies, "Oh yeah, they would line up across there, and one at a time off they'd go. I said "oh really...?"
He looked surprised and asked if this was news to me. "Yes it certainly is, but you don't mean all of them do you? Are you saying Brandon was in on it too?" Sure he replied. Now how he got on the roof with one leg, I never found out, but he would hobble across that roof on 2 crutches and 1 leg, balance, drop the crutches and jump." Needless to say this was somewhat disturbing. Now I knew Brandon could go deer hunting with a special designed tree stand that his grandfather built for him, and that was a sight to see him climb 30 feet up a pine tree and settle in for the wait. But this pool stunt was incredible. So around the table that holiday, when both Garrett and Kevin are rousting it up and stuffing their face, I popped it on 'em real smooth. "So, anyone care to tell me how Brandoon used to get on the roof when all you guys would be swimming in the summer?" Heads were bowed getting bites, but eyes looked up at each other like "Ah Oh". One head shook and then the otther like ESP was in effect. "Did you tell him....No I didn't tell him I figured you did" " I didn't tell him". They had been caught but it was 6 years after the fact, so no discipline needed, but did we ever get the laughs that night...............Didn't have any revelations or laughs like that today. Just a strained attempt by all to have a good time, but to be careful not to say anything that could be mood changing. Man could he put away some BBQ ribs. We had way too many left over........