i was born on my mother’s birthday so we usually tried to spend it together when possible. The Summer after i bought the property she decided to come to me and this time she was bringing my grandmother. I was so excited to show them what i was building. I was excited to show them the land. I was excited for them to meet Cashew for the first time. I was excited for them to see all the trees and the vast amount of undeveloped wooded spaces. I was excited for them to see the hills! I just knew that if i could get them out there and set their eyes upon it, they would see all the beauty and the magic that i could see; that they would suddenly see all the raw freedom and boundless opportunities that piece of land provided. I anxiously awaited their arrival. I hadn’t had butterflies in my stomach in such abundance since the day i took my certification exam. Finally, they arrived!
I told them both to stay in the cars at first. I let the dogs out. They immediately went into “large unidentified object in the yard” mode and set to snarling, barking, and jumping around the car. I was not going to scold them for this behavior as it was a behavior i wanted from them most of the time. Instead i ignored them all-together and did my own thing hoping they’d follow suit. I stepped off the porch and walked up to the car, waving and touching the car saying in a high-pitched baby voice of excitement, “Hi, we found our guests, oh i’m so happy to see you, yes, so happy to see you, hi guys!” Both dogs looked at me with question marks on their faces. Then immediately they got it. This car was a scheduled and expected visitor. They changed their whole demeanor and immediately set to happy jumping and tail wagging. I picked Cashew up so she wouldn’t trip my grandma with her bull in a china shop meets energizer bunny gait pattern. Then i told them they could now get out of the car safely. Cashew squirmed and wriggled in my arms. She did not want to be missing all the action!
I gave them a quick tour around the land and then we carried in all the birthday gifts and food they had brought to eat. There was barely enough room for it in my little 384 square foot tiny house but we made it work. We used the dog crates as a table and i brought in a couple extra chairs from the extension shed. I really enjoyed the company and the good food. It was probably my most enjoyable birthday yet. But what really made it for me was the fact that i had a house to invite my mother and grandmother into. It was the first time in my life i had owned a space to share with family. My mother and grandmother were good sports about the dogs. They were wild and Cashew was still securely in her head-butting phase. I tried to render them calm in the house but in the end i think they just decided not to get up from the chairs unless the dogs were outside.
My mother made gluten free german chocolate cupcakes, my absolute favorite! We were each one year older and if her grandpa were still alive, he would be too.
Realizing i didn’t have any non-bulky, non apocalypse prepper-type back-pack styled purses for formal occasions, my grandmother took me shopping for a tiny purse at the shops in Fredericksburg. We ended up finding a peach bar of goat milk soap and presents for the cousins too. It was nice to spend time with my mother and grandmother in the hill country for a day. I wouldn’t have minded having them out more often but, for now the occasional visit would have to do.