She who....

gets the last laugh.

Well, I now know where Frankie went yesterday afternoon...it didn't take long to figure out.  I found her in the sun room watching a movie...with the sound turned down...sneaky little rascal.

She said she had to use the bathroom and would be right back, so I didn't miss her at first.  But, when I just happened to walk by the bathroom and saw the door open and the light off...Well, let's just say it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out I'd been snookered.  However, I didn't find out until this morning the lengths she had gone to...really, she posted in my blog I was maniacal and a monster.  Well, now the posting of Facebook from my granddaughter makes sense...I didn't understand why she wanted me to drag Frankie "back by the hair".  I was not aware how far Frankie had gone to escape.

Okay, okay, I admit...I was a little hard on her yesterday.  But, you have to remember, it was at her insistence we put away all the Christmas decorations, and I might have become a little maniacal about it...but once I got into the groove, my butt was moving, girlfriend...it was moving.  And yes, I might have been a little bossy about how the job got done, there were piles of decorations hither and yon (for a while), but I don't think I was anywhere near being a monster.

(I did allow her to have lunch, talk on the phone and even take the necessary potty breaks.)  So I don't think that qualifies me as a monster either.  I did not breathe fire, growl fiercely, or threaten her life and limb.

As it got dark, all the boxes had been filled, and we were ready to place them in their proper places in the garage, or various closets.  Frankie was frazzled...it was sooo funny.  Her hair was askew.  Her make-up slightly out of place, and her clothes covered in sparkles.  And, as she climbed the ladder in the garage for the last time I could tell she had learned her lesson.

Frankie: (Leaning against the rungs of the ladder).  "I hate you!"
Me:  "Really?"  (I try not to look smug).
Frankie:  "Yes, I really, really hate you.  You dang near worked me to death."
Me:  "Awww, really?  I am sooo sorry."
Frankie:  "No you aren't."
Me:  "You're right...I'm not..." (picture me grinning broadly). "Need I remind you it was your idea to get rid of the decorations...'today...it won't be bad...the sooner we start, blah, blah, blah.'
Frankie:  (Quizzical look on her face.  Elbow on top rung of ladder.)  "So...you been teaching me a lesson?"
Me:  "Yep."
Frankie:  "And that would be????
Me:  "Don't mess with an old lady...if you remember back to early December it took a couple of days to put all the decorations up...I would have taken a couple of days to take them down...YOU on the other hand decided we could do it all in one day.  And, we almost made it."
Frankie:  "What the heck 'you talkin' about Willis?'  Almost done, almost done.?"

( I knew she had not noticed.)  I help her off the ladder and lead her to the morning room.

She gasps, I laugh.

There in all it's unlit glory was the Christmas tree...still flufed, full of unlit lights, ornaments and garlands.  I thought Frankie was going to break her gusset.

She pulled at her hair, stomped about, made a monster-ific growling sound and left the room.

Me:  "Frankie," I call out,  " 'We'll start early in the morning...it won't be that bad...the sooner we start, the sooner we'll get done.' "

All I hear a "GGGGGrrrrrrrrrr-r---rr----rrrr."  Fading into the distance.  Maybe I am maniacal and a monster.

Baaaaaa, haaaaaa, haaaaaa.