My sister Liz was going to be in New York to sing with a group at Carnegie Hall and had invited me into the city to stay with her for a few days. I hadn’t been in the city since she moved out of her high rise apartment there six years ago and moved South to be in the country.

For weeks we reminisced about all of our favorite places that we used to haunt; restaurants, spas, museums, and parks.

A week before the trip I got a phone call from her. “I just e-mailed you the itinerary for New York.” She said.

“Okay, great!” I put the phone on speaker and laid it on the couch cushion next to me while I grabbed my laptop. “I’ll pull it up right now.” When I went to my mail, hers was the first e-mail that popped up. “I’ve got it!” I called as I clicked on the link. “Wow! It’s three pages long!”

“Well, I am going to be in the city for a week.”

I began scanning the itinerary. “You actually have the time my boat arrives and the Pier I’m docking at?”

“Of course I do.” She laughed. “You’re part of the itinerary.”

I was flipping through the pages. “You’ve booked teas, facials, Broadway shows and dinners! All I can say is wow!”

“Yup. Everything is booked and waiting for us.”

I looked at the night of her performance. “Wait. There’s a dinner cruise after your performance?”

“Sailing around New York Harbor with the city as the backdrop!” I could hear her sigh. “It’s going to be beautiful!”

“I’m sure it will be but you’re not boarding the boat until eleven at night?” I’m glad we were on the phone so she couldn’t see how big my eyes were.

“The concert is over around ten so by the time everyone gets back to the hotel, changes clothes, and gets across town to the Pier, eleven is almost cutting it close.”

In my head I was chanting “Don’t be a party pooper. Don’t be a party pooper.” But I couldn’t help but be honest. “I’m usually in my pj’s by eight.”

“But this is New York!” Liz cried. “We’re going on an adventure!”

“You’re right.” I nodded to myself before I let out a small sigh. “I’ve got to change my mindset.” I scanned the itinerary further. “Wait. Some of the breakfast and dinner reservations say they’re for eight people.”

“I know!” I could hear the excitement in her voice. “I want you to meet my friends that are going to be singing with me!”

“But you know how nervous I get when I have to meet new people.” Once again I was glad we were on the phone and she couldn’t see the pained look on my face. It was moments like this that I could see how socially different my sister and I were. She loved parties and events. She loved going to them. She loved planning them. She was the-more-the-merrier type of person.

I, on the other hand, was perfectly content sitting at home, in my pj’s by eight, reading a book, and sipping a glass of wine all be myself.

“They’re really nice couples.” She continued. “You’re going to love them!”

“I’m sure they are.” I said with a smile as I chanted in my head “It’s okay to get out of my comfort zone. I’m going to be okay.” I looked back at all the wonderful things she had planned for us. “Thanks for setting everything up.”

“You’re welcome.” She started to laugh. “Now get packing! We’re meeting in New York in less than a week!”

“I can’t wait!” I said before we hung up the phone. I looked back at the itinerary. “I’m going to have a good time.” I said as my son Alex came into the room.

“Doing what?” He asked.

I turned my computer around so he could see the email. “Aunt Lizzy sent me the itinerary for when we’re in the city.”

Alex began reading it and I saw his eyebrows go up. “Dinner reservations for eight?”

“I’m meeting her friends.” I said with a little hitch in my voice.

Alex laughed as he patted me on the shoulder. “Good luck with that. You always love to meet new people.”

“You’re not helping!” I cried.

“You’ll be fine.” He called over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen. “You’re going to be with Aunt Liz.”

“That’s true.” I looked back at the itinerary. “It really is going to be an amazing trip.”

“Hey, can you do me a favor?” Alex asked as he came into the living room where I was sitting on the couch doing some needlepoint.

“Sure. What do you need me to do?” I put my needlepoint down on the cushion next to me and looked over at him.

“I’m not getting my hair cut until next week and I was wondering if you could clean up the back of my neck until then.” He turned around to show me where it needed to be trimmed.

“Oh…” I must have looked surprised when he turned back around because he quickly said. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“No. No.” I got up to follow him into his bathroom. “It’s just that you’re always making fun of my hair cutting skills on my plants that I wasn’t sure you really wanted me to do it.”

“No. I trust you.” He opened his vanity drawer and pulled out his clippers. Plugging them in he turned it on and quickly turned it back off before handing it to me.

“Wow!” I took the clippers from him and turned it on and off myself. “You must really trust me if you’re going to let me use this.”

Alex turned around again showing me the back of his neck. “Just these stray hairs right here.” He was pointing to two patches of stray hair.

“Okay, sure.” I began finger combing his hair down to see where it needed a trim. I took a deep breath in before turning on the clippers. “Well, here goes nothing.”

“Wait.” Alex sounded a bit panicked. “You know you’re not cutting my hair, just cleaning up the back of my neck until I can get to my REAL hair cut?”

“I know.” I was running the clippers down his neck, every once in a while blowing away the cut hair.

After a few minutes I turned off the clippers, stepped back and sighed. “Well, it’s not perfect.”

Alex started to laugh. “What’s that suppose to mean?” He said as he took the clippers from my hand.

“Exactly what I said.” I went to get the hand mirror from my bathroom so he could see what I’d done. I walked back to his bathroom and held up the mirror. “You know I’m not a barber.” I could see him straining to see what I’d done.

“Am I going to have to wear a hat until next week?” He asked.

“Where I trimmed isn’t going to be covered with a hat.” I took a closer look. “Maybe a scarf.”

“WHAT?” He was still looking for any damage I’d done. “It’s June!”

“Yeah, maybe a scarf wouldn’t look right at this time of year.” I moved the mirror for him to get a better look at the back of his neck.

“I’m still not seeing where you did anything wrong?” He was turning his head in different directions.

“Oh, well that’s good then.” I put the hand mirror down on his sink and patted him on the shoulder before I walked out of the bathroom. “When you see Denise at her salon next week just don’t say I had anything to do with it.” I called over my shoulder as I headed back to work on my needlepoint again.

“With what?” He called. “I still don’t see anything wrong!”

“And that’s all that matters.” I said as I sat back down on the couch and picked up the canvas I’d been working on.

“Do you want to go check the garden?” My son Alex asked as we sat on the back porch enjoying a warm spring evening.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Not really.”

I had somehow become the head gardener in our one year old garden. My husband Steven had put in a HUGE, and I mean huge, garden last year with raised beds, surrounded by a six foot fence covered with bird netting to protect the plants.

The winter before he put the garden in he spent every night watching videos on how to work with only natural ingredients to get rid of any mold or pests that tried to ruin his hard work. He started the plants by seed. Racks of plants under grow lights lined our basement walls. I often thought about what the neighbors must have been thinking when they saw the grow lights reflecting from the basement windows on chilly nights, wondering if they thought we had started a pot farm.

Last summer he spent every evening working his crops. Several kinds of tomato, peppers, and lettuce. Snap peas and cucumbers. Honestly I can’t even remember all the plants he had put in, but it was a lot.

This year when I asked when he was going to start planting he shook his head and told me it wasn’t going to happen this year. He was just too busy.

So that’s how I earned my reluctant gardener badge. I sighed again as I got up from the porch and headed for the garden gate. “I suppose we should check on them.”

Alex and I had already planted some early spring plants a month earlier. I’d actually hoped Steven would see the plants growing and trigger his need to feel the earth between his fingers as he took over the garden. But I was wrong.

I went over to the raised container that I’d planted some onions, beets, and arugula in. I looked at Alex and shrugged my shoulders. “They look the same to me. What do you think?”

Alex inspected the plants. “They haven’t gotten much bigger.” He stood up and patted me on the shoulder. “But at least they’re still alive!”

I had to laugh. “That’s true.” I stuck my finger in the dry dirt. “I guess it was a good thing you mentioned coming out here. They need water.” I went and got the hose. Steven had created a wicking system for watering. I placed the hose in the tube that went down to the bottom of the planting beds. While I waited for it to fill I looked over at the snap peas that had somehow made it through the winter and was already producing some beans. Some of Steven’s lettuce had come back in another bed.

“When do you want to go out to the nursery and get the tomato plants?” Alex asked as he looked at the snap pea plants seeing how many were ready to harvest.

“Maybe next weekend.” I said as I looked down at the concrete pavers that the garden was sitting on. Weeds were beginning to pop through. “I guess I should get some Round-Up for those.”

Alex’s eyes got big. “You can’t use Round-Up in the garden!”

I had to laugh at how horrified he’d looked. “I know. I was only kidding.” With my one hand still holding the hose, I leaned over and pulled a few of the weeds out from between the cracks. Handing them to Alex I pointed over to the covered bin Steven had used for the green trimmings. “Can you toss these in there?”

Alex came over and took them out of my hand. “Are you putting your herbs in again this year?”

I looked around the garden and began to wonder where I was going to put each plant. “I am.” I nodded. “And maybe I’ll add some flowers this year, too.”

I walked in the front door, dropped all my bags on the chair in the living room, and saw my son Alex walking down the hallway. “Well, that certainly was a long day at work.” I complained as I tossed my keys in the basket on the kitchen counter and headed for the couch.

“Sorry about that.” Alex said as he followed me to the couch. “Do you want to order out for dinner?”

“No, I’ve got chicken in the fridge that’s been defrosted.” I kicked my shoes off and laid down. “I’m just going to rest my eyes for a few minutes and then I’ll start dinner.” I fluffed the pillow before laying my head on it.

Alex grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and placed it over me.

“Thanks.” I sighed. “I’ll be good to go in a few.”

“Alright.” He was headed back to his room. “Have a nice nap.”

“Not a nap.” I reminded him. “I’m just resting my eyes.”

What I thought was several minutes later I heard keys in the front door.

My husband Steven and Alex were walking in carrying a take-out bag from the diner. “I got dinner!” Steven said as he held up the bag.

“What?” I tossed the blanket off of me and sat up. “But I was going to cook chicken!”

“Well, we thought you needed the sleep.” Steven said as he headed for the dining room while Alex headed for the kitchen to get the plates to set the table.

“I was just resting my eyes.” I reminded them.

“You’ve been resting your eyes for the last hour and a half.” Steven said as he pulled the food containers out of the bag.

“And you were snoring.” Alex laughed as he set the plates out.

“Really?” I looked at my watch. “I swear it only felt like a few minutes!” I looked over at Alex. “And by the way I don’t snore.”

Alex was still laughing and nodding his head. “Sure. Okay.”

“We got hungry so we figured maybe you’d like a break from cooking tonight.” Steven handed me my container. “I got you a chicken parm sandwich.”

“Oh, my favorite!” I sat down at the table and opened the container. “I swear I was only planning on closing my eyes for a few minutes.”

“We know.” Alex handed me a napkin. “But you looked like you needed the rest.”

“I guess I did.” I picked up the sandwich. “You must have read my mind because I was planning on making chicken parmigiana for dinner tonight.”

“I know it’s your favorite.” Steven opened his Cobb salad. “I was in the mood for a salad anyway.”

“What did you get Alex?” I was looking over at his container as he opened it.

“I got a grilled chicken wrap.”

“That looks good, too.” I took a bite of the chicken and sighed. “Now that I’m having this tonight I’m going to have to figure out another recipe for tomorrow nights chicken.”

I looked over at Steven as he shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t ask me. I’ll be happy with anything you make.”

“Ah, thanks.” I looked over at Alex. “What about you?”

“I’ll be fine with anything as long as you don’t make grilled chicken wraps either.” He took a bite of his wrap.

“I guess I’ll just surprise you both tomorrow. Unless I happen,” I made air quotes with my fingers. “to ‘rest my eyes’ again tomorrow.”

Steven was shaking his head and laughing. “There’s only one free pass a week.”

I shrugged my shoulders and laughed. “Hey, you can’t blame a girl for trying.”

My son Alex and I were driving down the road when I noticed a line of trees draped in blooming wisteria vines.

“Oh… isn’t that beautiful!” I said as I pointed to the clusters of purple flowers covering dozens and dozens of pine trees along the side of the road. “Quick! Roll down your window. I wonder if we can smell them from here.”

When I didn’t see anyone behind us I slowed down a bit as Alex rolled down his window. “There it is!” I cried as I could smell their heavy scent.

I inhaled deeply again. “That brings me right back to my childhood.” I looked over at Alex. “And your childhood, too.” I looked in the mirror as they slowly disappeared from sight. “I used to stand under our wisteria arbor every spring fascinated with the delicate flowers that reminded me of a cluster of grapes.” I sighed at the memory. “Of course you had to swat a few bees out of your way as you stood there.” I shrugged my shoulders. “But that was the price you paid for being out there when they were in bloom.” I looked over at Alex. “What about you? Do you remember standing under the arbor smelling them?”

Alex shook his head. “I remember them but it was more of a smell that I associated with school coming to an end and wanting to be outside playing with my friends.” He began to laugh. “I don’t remember just standing there smelling them.”

I had to laugh myself. “That’s true. You and your friends were pretty busy just running around the yard. I guess thinking a bunch of little boys would be standing there smelling flowers would seem a little odd.”

“But those pine trees back there were completely covered in them!” He pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “I never realized wisteria was so invasive.”

“It’s a pretty fast growing vine.”

“How come ours didn’t do that?”

“Because your Dad was out there trimming them all the time.” I sighed. “That’s one of the reasons he doesn’t want me to get one for this house.”

“Hey, I don’t blame him!” Alex shook his head. “That was crazy how they took over those trees.”

“Yeah. Eventually their vines will kill the tree.”

“Well, I like the woods in our backyard.” Alex looked over at me and patted me on the arm. “Sorry, but I’m with Dad on this one.”

“I get it.” I sighed again as I pulled into our neighborhood and saw another wisteria vine covering some trees along the side of the road. “I’ll just have to enjoy wisteria season a new way!” I pulled over, left the car running and opened my door.

“What are you doing?” Alex asked.

“I’m going to snap off a few of the flowers and bring them home.”

“Are you serious?” Alex looked around to see if anyone was looking.

“It’s an empty lot.” I said as I stepped out of the car. “It’s not like I’m going into someone’s yard.”

I trotted over to the low hanging flowers and snapped a few off and trotted back to the car.

“Here hold these.” I handed the flowers to Alex. “Be careful they’re delicate.”

Alex sighed as he gently held the flowers in his open palms. “Why can’t you do these things when I’m not in the car?”

I looked over and smiled. “Where would the fun be in that?”

My son Alex had been spending some time on the back deck when I heard the back door open. “It’s beautiful outside.” He called. I could hear the sound of something being put in the kitchen sink.

“Dishwasher’s clean!” I called back.

“Okay, thanks.”

I was sitting on the couch, working on my laptop, when he came around the corner and stood in the living room.

“You should really try and get outside today.”

“I know. I know. But I just want to finish this up before I head out.” I was still typing when I looked up and saw he was holding a book. “Hey, what are you reading?” I tried squinting but couldn’t see the title.

“It’s about an economist who started a hedge fund.” He held the book up for me to see.

I nodded as if I were interested. “Does he get the girl in the end?”

Alex looked confused. “What?”

“Well, I like a book that has some twists and turns but in the end everyone lives happily ever after.” I pointed to his book. “So is he married? Does he get the girl in the end?”

Alex looked at the back cover. “I think he’s married.”

I was still nodding. “So, what about kids? Does he have any of those?”

Alex shook his head still looking confused. “I think so.”

“How many?” I closed my laptop and moved a pillow behind my back to get more comfortable.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “I think he has two.”

“So, he does get the girl and live happily ever after. Sounds like a good read to me.” I opened my laptop again. “Maybe when you’re done you can let me borrow it.”

Alex burst out laughing as he held up his book. “There’s no way you’d find this interesting.”

I didn’t look up but continued to type. “You’re sure right about that.” I shrugged my shoulders. “But since you just kind of gave me the Cliff Notes on the parts I’d be interested in I guess I can skip it now.”

Alex walked over to the couch and sat down next to me. “Okay, really. When was the last time you read anything about finance?”

I stopped typing, looked over at him and smiled. “Last week when I read my bank statement and balanced my checkbook.”

He laughed again. “Okay, I guess you got me with that one.” He got up from the couch and started to walk to his bedroom.

“Hey!” I threw up my hands. “I feel like life’s tough enough. When I read it’s for a little escapism. That’s why I usually prefer a light read.” I called.

Alex stopped and turned around. “I get it.” He held up his book again. “You’re just not interested in this stuff.”

“But I’m glad you are.” I smiled as I blew him a kiss. “Because if I ever get enough money and want to start my own hedge fund I’ll know exactly who I can go to.”

Alex laughed as he started walking down the hall again. “Just let me finish the book before you start asking me to open a hedge fund for you.” He called.

“Sing us a song you’re the piano man…” I sung in the phone when my sister Liz picked up.

She started to laugh.

“Okay, so I’m not a very good singer.” I laughed to myself. “But did you know Billy Joel’s 100^th concert at Madison Square Garden is going to be shown on TV tonight?”

“I already have it taped.” she answered.

“Oh.” I was confused. “But it’s on tonight.”

“They must be replaying it because it was on a few days ago.”

“Aw. I was going to ask you if you wanted to watch it together and we could reminisce about when we went to see him in person.” I looked at my glass of wine sitting on the coffee table, ready for the concert to begin.

“How long ago was that?” she asked. “It’s got to be about six years!”

“Well, I can tell you we were in the balcony, on the right hand side of the stage and the man next to me was playing air drums. It turns out his high hat was right in front of my face!” I couldn’t help but laugh. “He was wailing on that cymbal all night long!”

Liz started to laugh again. “How do you remember all that?”

“Because I don’t go to many concerts so each and every one of them is memorable to me!” I picked up the remote for the television and clicked it on. “The concert is starting in about five minutes. Are you in?”

“I’m sorry.” She sighed. “But I’m not going to be able to watch it with you tonight. I’m going out with some friends.”

“Aw. That’s too bad.” I reached over and picked up my glass of wine and took a sip. “I was looking forward to watching it with you.”

“Why don’t you watch it now and when I get the chance to watch it later I’ll call you and we can talk about it then?”

“That sounds like a plan.” I looked over at the television and could see that the concert was about to begin. “I gotta go. It’s about to start.”

“Enjoy. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Have fun with your friends!” I hung up and dropped the phone next to me on the couch. I was taking another sip from my glass when my son Alex walked into the room. “Hey, do you want to watch Billy Joel’s 100^th concert with me?” I patted the couch cushion next to me.

“I was just coming out to get something to eat. Tommy and I are in the middle of a Call of Duty game. Why don’t you ask Dad?”

“He’s downstairs watching a movie.” I put my glass back on the coffee table. “That’s okay Liz and I have already been to his concert.” I pointed to the television. “I just want to see it again and I’ll catch up with your Aunt Lizzy tomorrow.” I grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and threw it over my legs. “I think I’m finally getting to that age where watching a concert on the television, sitting on my own couch, and sipping some wine is even better than being there in person!”

Alex kissed me on the top of the head before he headed into the kitchen. “Have fun!” He called over his shoulder.

“Oh, I will!” I grabbed my glass again, held it up for a quick salute before taking another sip and settling in for the night.

I was struggling to carry several grocery bags up the front walk. Standing at the bottom of the porch steps, still holding all the bags and trying to get my house keys out of my pocket, when the front door opened.

“Do you need help?” My son Alex asked.

“I’ve got it.” I said as I struggled up the front step and into the house. “I’m afraid if let go of any of them they’re all going to go.”

Getting into the kitchen I lifted my arms and placed all the bags on the counter top. “Whew!” I took a deep breath. “They were heavy!”

Alex had closed the front door and came into the kitchen. “Why didn’t you call me to come get some of them or at least make two trips?”

I shook my head and frowned. “What would be the challenge in that?”

“Challenge?” Alex began unloading the bags.

“Seeing if I can get an entire grocery carts worth of food into the house at once.” I rubbed my arms where the bags had hung from. “A couple of bruises are going to be popping up in the morning. I can just feel it.”

Alex was putting the frozen food away. “Well, I’m glad I saw you coming and I could get the door at least.”

I gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I love coming home to a doorman building.”

Alex laughed as he went back to the grocery bags and began unloading more. “I wouldn’t call it a doorman building.”

“I would!” I put the bread away in the cabinet. “Your Aunt Lizzy couldn’t wait to live in a doorman building when she was in the city!” I tossed him a box of crackers for him to put away. “There was always someone there to open the door for you. Someone to accept packages when you weren’t home. Always standing guard making you feel safe.” I looked over at Alex. “With you working from home I get all those benefits!”

Alex looked over and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess.”

“Not only do you open the door for me when I get home, I also don’t have to worry that a package is going to be left out in the rain.” I reached in another bag and took out the lettuce, celery, and carrots. opened the refrigerator, and put them in the vegetable drawer. “When I come home the package is sitting on the chair near the door so I can see it as soon as I walk in.”

Alex nodded his head. “That’s true.”

“I also don’t have to worry about intruders because you’re almost always here!” I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “It’s like having my own personal Queen’s guard!”

Alex laughed as he folded an empty bag. “Okay, let’s not get carried away!”

“Okay, maybe not the Queen’s guard but definitely a doorman building!” I was folding my own empty bag when I looked up and saw Alex looking at me with his eyebrows raised. “What?” I asked.

“Didn’t you say Aunt Lizzy used to tip her doormen?”

Now it was my turn to laugh. “Yes, she did. But that was at Christmas. My doorman gets tipped every night with dinner!”

“That sounds fair.” Alex laughed then scooped up the bags and grabbed my car keys. “I’ll put the bags back in your car.”

I went and opened the front door for him giving him another kiss on the cheek as he passed me. “Looks like someone’s working towards an extra helping of pasta tonight.”

“There’s a storm a’brewing.” I said as I rubbed my hip and looked out the window.

“Really?” My son Alex took out his phone and checked his weather app. “There wasn’t any predicted in the forecast for today.”

“I don’t care what the weather app says.” I began flexing my fingers and couldn’t help but cringe as my joints felt sore. “I’m telling you it’s going to rain today.”

Alex looked out the window. “There isn’t a cloud in the sky.”

“Now that I’m getting older I’ve become a human barometer.” I rubbed my hip again. “I’m telling you rain is on the way.” I slowly walked over to the cabinet to get a glass. Then went to the sink to fill it with water. “My achy joints don’t lie my friend.”

“When did you start feeling achy?” Alex leaned against the counter.

“I woke up with it.” I took a sip of water. “But it’s only getting worse as the day goes on.”

Alex looked out the window again. “Maybe it’s not the weather that’s making you sore.” He looked over at me and took a step back. “Maybe you’re getting sick.”

I shook my head. “I can tell the difference between my aches.” I pointed to my hip. “This one is definitely weather.”

“Well, I was headed out for a walk. Do you want to come with me?” He pointed to his room. “I was just going to grab my sneakers.” He headed down the hallway. “Maybe that will make you feel better?” He called over his shoulder.

I took another sip of water before putting the glass in the dishwasher.

Alex came out of his room carrying his sneakers.

“Maybe you’re right.” I arched my back hoping that would relieve the ache. “A walk might be just what I need right now.”

We both grabbed a light jacket before heading out the door.

We’d been walking for several blocks when I felt a splash of water hit my face. I looked over at Alex. “Was that a raindrop?” I asked as I held my hand out to catch another one if it fell.

Alex looked up. “Hey! I just felt one too!”

I felt another hit my hand. “Yup! It’s definitely starting to rain.”

It began to rain harder so we both turned around to head back home.

“How can that be?” Alex asked as he looked up at the cloudless sky.

“It’s a sun shower!” I said and couldn’t help but smile. “I’ve only seen a few of these!”

We were picking up the pace of our walk as we began getting wetter.

With our house in sight Alex jogged the last few yards to open the door for me.

The rain was already beginning to let up.

“I said it was going to rain!” I laughed as I hung my damp jacket on the door knob of the coat closet. I rubbed my hip again. “I told you I’m a human barometer!”

Standing in the open doorway Alex cleared his throat. “I think your exact words were, ‘There’s a storm a’brewing’.” He pointed over his shoulder. “I don’t think a sun shower counts.”

“Hey, rain is rain.” I shrugged my shoulders and was still rubbing my hip. “That’s all that matters to these achy joints.”

Alex shook his head as he took of his jacket. “Well, now that the rain is over maybe you’ll start feeling better.”

“Nope.” I shook my head as I began rubbing the joint by my thumb. “I hate to say it but this still feels like more is on the way.”

My husband Steven and I were sitting on the couch, both of us scrolling through our phones, when I remembered something I wanted to ask him. “Hey, did you notice that our forsythia is really popping this year?”

Steven looked up confused. “Forsythia? Where do we have forsythia?”

Now I was confused. “You haven’t seen it?” I got up and went to the back door. Steven was right behind me. I stepped outside and pointed to our fence by the trash containers. “It’s been sticking out of the top of our garbage pail corral.”

“I thought I cut that down last year!”

“Cut it down! Why would you cut it down?”

Steven pointed to the forsythia. “Because it’s just a few yellow sticks growing through the fence!”

“But that’s what I like about it.” I argued. “It’s a scrappy little fighter! You said so yourself.”

Steven began shaking his head. “When did I say it was a scrappy little fighter?”

“Well, you didn’t actually use those words, but you said you cut it down last year and here it is making it’s way through the fence…” I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s a survivor!” I held up my pointer finger to make my point. “Which makes it a scrappy little fighter.” I reasoned.

Steven just sighed. “You don’t think it looks ridiculous?”

“Sure I do. But a little burst of sunshine color on a dreary day certainly makes up for how ridiculous it looks sticking through the fence like that.”

Our son Alex came out the back door. “What are you two arguing about?”

Steven pointed to the forsythia sticks poking through the fence. “Your Mom doesn’t want me to cut that down.”

I quickly interjected before Alex had a chance to respond. “Your Dad cut it down last year and yet it’s back.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I think it should get some respect for it’s survivor skills. That’s all.”

Alex laughed. “Survivor skills.”

He looked over at me and saw that I wasn’t laughing.

“Oh, you’re serious.” He stopped laughing and began backing up towards the door. “Well, you two seem to have this under control so, I’m going to head back inside and get back to work.”

Steven looked back at me and shook his head. “You realize that when I start trimming around the yard I’m going to be cutting it down again?”

“Sure.” I pointed back at the forsythia. “But right now it’s a pop of color that makes me smile.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Besides every time you cut it back it just seems to come back stronger. That’s what I call a survivor!”

“Okay. I’ll make you a deal.” Steven said.

I was feeling cautious. “What kind of deal?”

“If you stop calling it a survivor I’ll wait until after it blooms to cut it down.” He held out his hand for us to shake on it.

“Deal.” I said as I took his hand, pulling him closer so I could give him a kiss on the cheek.

I was following Steven back inside when I couldn’t help but turn around to give the forsythia one last look. “See you next year.” I whispered.

“I heard that!” Steven called over his shoulder.