Strange as it may sound, lawn ornaments, garden gnomes, dwarfs, garden fairies and some road work paraphernalia have found their way into our family lore. Some families golf together, others play tennis, we traffic in a different sort of family togetherness.

Growing up in a small town there is really only so much trouble to get into. I mean, we found it as much as possible but most of it was relatively benign. But we have a running streak of some “trouble” that may or may not have included ransom notes for plastic pink flamingos; missing dwarfs of the Snow White variety and an unmistakable road-work barrel replete with flashing light.

Everyone bonds in their own way. At the time it seemed perfectly normal for us to “borrow” our friend’s yard full of plastic pink flamingos and leave a ransom note asking for Snickers bars in order to get them returned in pristine condition. Our friend’s mom did not share the same sense of humor and they were eventually returned and we did not get a Snickers bar, either.

The orange barrel confiscation was more of the “nothing else to do” brand of stealthy behavior. In a town that lacks in traffic to begin with and on a dead-end street that had NO traffic several orange barrels with flashing lights seemed to be a bit heavy handed. So we offered our own style of “editing” and lifted one. If I remember correctly, we got busted for that one because the flashing light beam was seen from under the basement door. Ah, youth and stupidity.

Then while in college, my younger sister had a sleepover and among her friends also “invited” the neighbors’ dwarf named Sleepy, or was it Doc? Anyway, he has been living with my Mom and Dad since. I mean they are empty nesters.

It all came full circle this week when my sister aka Snow White came home to find these guys dancing under her tree. In true fashion, the same dwarf character is missing from her set as the neighbors. Thankful for the quirky, quaint and cuckoo of our clan.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G