i think i have a lot of explaining to do to the neighbor

she is probably wondering why she keeps seeing my grubby thieving hand reaching up over her fence…

my sister told me there was an episode of i love lucy that involved stealing from over the neighbor’s fence.  well, i think i channeled that yesterday.

it was kind of my fault for trying to teach them colors.

see the pink flowers and the bright orange fruit?

ihave?

no, say pink!  orange and PINK!

ihave.

then they started with the toddler fingers pointing at the oranges and flowers.

uh oh.

oh yes, preeety…now look, ball!, (in my best “let’s acknowledge and then deflect” voice.)

then came the toddler demands.

i have.  i have.  i have.  I HAVE.

i tried to explain the morality of the situation.  that was met by screaming.

I HAVE! (in her best “this is not going to end well for anyone” voice.)

so naturally, i reached up and grabbed the flower.

the fence is tall.  i had to jump.  a few times.  the flower, like the orange her brother wanted, did not come off.  there was a lot of waving of branches, but the flower stayed securely attached.  at this point i was screwed.  the kid knew i had caved and her screams and my tugging on the tree were as close to a burgler alarm as you can get in the backyard.  finally the flower came free.  the orange took a few more yanks.  the neighbor either ignored me or was completely unaware.

lucy would have been proud.