Can I keep it?

  There is no denying that things change as you grow older.  Once your kids grow up and leave home to do their own things, the house seems a tad empty.  Gone are the days of toys left on the stairs, of  late night junk food splurges and of endless pets.  Yes, we still have cats...even some that are not ours...but gone are the days of kids "finding" poor helpless animals that need homes.  There was the time that Oldest Son found a little black dog on the side of the road and I heard "He was SO hungry, he was eating a stick!  Can I keep him?"  Of course we did and "Slick" became a member of our family.  There was the time that Darling Daughter found a tiny kitten with a broken tail and I heard "She bit me, Mom!  Can we keep her?"  Again we did and Ms. Put joined the crew. Funny thing about that cat was she was actually two cats.  Unbeknown to us, Ms. Put had a twin brother who decided the Little Bayou House seemed to be a nice place so he stayed...Mr. Tup (Put spelled backwards) was welcomed to the clan.  Son (the younger) was a wee toddler when we heard a puppy crying in the woods.  He and I rescued her from certain death as whoever tossed her out of the moving car had tied a rope around her neck.  This rope had become hopelessly entangled in the brush and the little brown pup could not reach food nor water.  "My puppy!" said the small child that was previously terrified of dogs.  I gave the kids an ultimatum with this one.."Give me ten reasons why we need another dog."  They were stumped at number nine until I heard whispering in the bedroom.  Out came three young kids with one pup bedecked with a large red bow.  "Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!  We got you a puppy!"  We kept "Little Orphan Annie" and she grew into a huge Great Dane mix of a dog.  Son was also the one who "found" a turkey.  Don't ask...just trust me on this one.  Son found a turkey who was welcomed into the fold as Mr. Tom.  The saga continued for some twenty years with cats, dogs, otters, snakes, rabbits, ducks, geese, squirrels, mice, birds, calves, chickens, turtles, frogs, a rat (not one I was too overjoyed to see...thanks Daughter!), possums and many others. You name an animal and, at some point in time, we probably had one.  I was never surprised to hear a chorus of excited voices chiming through the screen door with "It followed us home!  Can we keep it?"  The answer, although sometimes made without a bit of commonsense, was always "Sure, as long as you feed it and take care of it."   I figured that all this interaction with critters was good.  I miss those days...in some ways.

  Now it is my turn.  "I dunno!  I turned around and there it was!  I think I will keep it!"  Yep, I think I should keep this "pet".  A pony showed up unexpectedly at the doorstep the other day.  I am not sure just what I will do with this pony except keep it for the Grandlittles.  I am quite sure that they will know exactly what to do when they see it.  And I promise that I will take good care of it!  So...welcome to the family..."Clyde"!

  "Clyde" did just suddenly appear at the front doorstep.  I heard a ruckus outside and when I went to investigate, I found my brother unloading the pony from the back of his truck. This is one he had bought years ago when there were youngsters at his house.  "Here.  This is for the babies.  It might need a bit of a cleaning but it is in great shape for being nineteen years old!"  I had to agree.  The old rocking horse was, indeed, in great shape albeit rather large for me to store.  Space is limited in the Little Bayou House so right now, a tent left over from the last clue hunt has been designated as a "barn" for our fine steed.  As soon as the weather permits, a good cleaning and possibly a new paint job will be given to the pony.  The Grandlittles will have something new as entertainment when they come back to the Bayou!  

  "It followed me home, Ma!  Can I keep it?"  Sure....welcome Clyde.  You are now a member of this crazy, pet-filled home....even though you are made of plastic!  Whoa there , Boy!