A late night suprise

Nate left for China again about a week ago. This time around hasn't been nearly as hard. The kids have settled into a good routine and Sketch is sleeping through the night. We're not eating out as much and I manage to have something other than Diet Dr. Pepper for most of my meals - unfortunate for my waist-line, that something is typically chocolate (or ice cream.)

I've spent my evenings in quite contemplation and solitude (aka, TV.) All except for last Wednesday night. Let me set the scene:

[Fade In]

Scene: 9pm. Woman (that's me) surfing the net and chatting animatedly on the phone while enjoying a gentle breeze coming through the open window.

(loud noise) KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK

Cecily: "Oh my gosh! Who the heck is knocking on my door this late at night?"

Angel (that's my friend on the phone): "Someone's knocking at your door?"

(Cecily peers out the open 2nd floor window and sees no parked car. She rises from the computer and quickly makes her way downstairs.)

Cecily: "Yeah - I'm gonna keep you on the phone in case something happens. Then you can call the cops and explain when they find my body."

Angel: "OK. I'm here."

(Cecily looks through the peep hole in the door, only to be startled when she realizes that it's being blocked.)

Cecily: "Oh my gosh - the peep hole is blocked. Who knocks on your door this late and then blocks the peep hole?"

Angel: "They're blocking the peep hole?"

(Cecily yells through the door - as much for Angel's entertainment as anything else.)

Cecily: "GO AWAY!!"

Angel: "Who is it? Who's there?"

(Cecily moves into the family room and looks out the window, hoping to catch a glance of the visitor.)

Cecily: "Um . . . there's a pink flamingo in my yard."

Angel: "What? A pink flamingo?"

(Cecily opens the front door and finds no human visitor. Hysterical laughing commences.)

Cecily: "There are pink flamingos all over my yard!! Someone put pink flamingos all over my yard! And there's a sign on my door - that's what was blocking the peep hole."

Angel: "I think you just got flamingled."

Cecily: "I've gotta get my camera. I'll talk to you later."

(Cecily races back into the house to get her camera so this experience can be properly documented.)

[Fade out]

Apparently "Flamingling" is a common fundraiser back East, although I've never seen or heard of it before. The back of the pretty pink sign held a de-flamingling order form with the following available services (compliments of the Mission Viejo 1st Ward Young Women):

• $10 donation: Prompt flock removal.
• $20 donation: Prompt flock removal and next stop designation.
• $25 donation: Prompt flock removal, next stop designation, and a friendly note for the new flamingo hosts.
• Additional $15 donation: Revelation of who sent the flock to my house.
• Additional $100 donation: Anti-flamingling insurance so the flock won't come back.

I kept the flamingos around for a day and then sent them on their way. The Things were disappointed once they were gone, but I guess flamingos are fickle that way.

I wish I could've gotten a shot of the whole dozen. Such a lovely sight.