Brian, Margaret’s conceited neighbor, had no clue the intense, deliberate reaction he would inspire when he filled in her cherished pond while she was gone. Margaret, an elderly woman who appeared to be lonely, came up with a scheme that completely changed Brian’s life. Let me tell you, having seen my fair share of drama, at seventy-four years old. However, nothing could have equipped me for the chaos that broke out in my own backyard.
I’m Margaret, and I’ve spent the last 20 years residing in this quaint little home. It’s been my little piece of paradise, where I’ve seen my three children grow up and now greet my seven grandchildren for weekend cookouts and summer splashes. There is always someone stopping by, bringing love and laughter into the space. The jewel in the crown of my estate? A lovely pond that my beloved grandfather excavated by himself. It has always served as the focal point of our family get-togethers. The grandchildren enjoy playing in it, and to be honest, there are moments when I feel like they care more about the pond than they do about me! Before roughly five years ago, when Brian moved in next door, everything was fine and dandy. That man had a bee in his bonnet about my pond from the very beginning. He would call out across the fence, “Margaret!” I can’t stop staring at those frogs all night! Is there nothing you can do about them? “Oh, Brian, they’re just singing you a lullaby,” I would merely answer with a smile. Without charge!” He, however, was not having it. “And the biting insects! They are proliferating in your pond like crazy! I would respond, “Now, Brian, I keep that pond cleaner than a whistle.” The source of the mosquitoes is most likely the pile of debris in your backyard. He would puff and sputter, but I would get on with my day. I was mistaken to think he would ultimately get used to it. I made the decision to go see my sister who lives in the next state over one day. I was excited for a few days of gin rummy and gossip. I had no idea that when I returned, I would see something that would chill me to the bone.
Upon entering my driveway, I became aware of an irregularity. There was no longer the typical shimmer of water to greet me. It was replaced by… dirt. I heaved myself out of the car, my heart sinking to my toes.Sweet old Mrs. Johnson, my neighbor across the street, hurried over. “Ah, Margaret! I’m so happy you’re back. They claimed to be following directions when I sought to stop them. “Who should stop? What directives?” I was lost in thought, gazing at the muddy area that once held my cherished pond. “Yesterday, a crew stopped by. According to Mrs. Johnson, “some company hired them to empty and refill the pond.” “They had all the paperwork, but I told them you weren’t at home!” I had been taken completely by surprise. In a day, twenty years’ worth of memories vanished. And I knew just who was responsible. I whispered, squeezing my fists, “Brian.” “How are you going to proceed?” With concern imprinted on her features, Mrs. Johnson inquired. I positioned my shoulders squarely. “Well, I’ll let you know what I plan to do. Does that man believe he can bully a kind elderly woman? He’s going to discover the hard way why you never cross a woman like Margaret! I started by giving my relatives a call. Lisa, my daughter, was furious. “Mom, this is not right! We must dial the police number! I said, “Hold your horses, sweetie.””First, we need proof.” Jessie, my granddaughter, spoke forward at that point. “Grandmother! Do you recall the bird camera we installed in the oak tree? Perhaps something got caught in it! As luck would have it, that tiny camera ended up being our covert tool. After watching the video, we could clearly see Brian leading a team to fill up my pond. He appeared to be a young child who had just avoided getting caught stealing cookies from the jar. “You got it,” I said, a smile forming on my face. Brian appeared to assume that since I’m elderly and live alone, I’d just accept it. He had no idea that I was hiding a few tricks from him. My initial action was to give the local environmental department a call. “Hi,” I said in a kind voice. “I want to report that a protected habitat has been destroyed.” Confusion was audible from the individual on the other end. “Habitat protected, ma’am?” “Oh yeah,” I answered. You see, there was a rare species of fish living in my pond. Years ago, I registered it with your organization. And without authorization, someone simply filled it in.When it comes to endangered animals, those agency people don’t play around, I can assure you. After a few days, they were at Brian’s door demanding an eye-watering fine. “We represent the Environmental Protection Agency, sir,” one of the representatives stated. “The illegal destruction of a protected habitat on your neighbor’s property is the reason we are here.” Brian’s expression turned pallid. How come? habitat that is protected? It was merely a pond. “Mr. Thompson, a pond that was home to a rare species of fish that was registered.” We have proof that you destroyed it without the required authority.”This is absurd!” Brian’s voice rose as he sputtered. “That elderly woman’s pond was a bother! I was being helpful to the neighborhood!That “favor,” sir, carries a $50,000 penalties for breaking environmental protection regulations. Brian was in complete shock. “Fifty thou—You have to be kidding! It’s all a miscommunication. The pond was that. I overheard their chat in private and had to smile. I wasn’t finished, though. With all due respect, my grandson Ethan is a highly successful lawyer in the city. I rang him. “Ethan, sweetie,” I spoke. “How about helping your grandmother take a stern look at a bully in the neighborhood?” Ethan was only too glad to assist. Brian was issued with papers for mental distress and property damage before he could pronounce “frivolous lawsuit.” I could have stopped there, but I needed to play one more card.
Karen, Brian’s wife, had always seemed like a good person. I decided it was time for a quick conversation after seeing her get home from work one evening. “Evening, Karen,” I murmured. “A moment, please?” Despite her fatigue, she managed a smile. Naturally, Margaret. What are your thoughts?I told her the truth about the pond and invited her over for a cup of tea. I told her about the fish and frogs, the kids learning to swim in it, my grandfather digging it, and the summer nights spent by it. As I spoke, Karen’s expression changed from bewildered to horrified. “Margaret, I didn’t know,” she exclaimed. “Brian informed me that the pond was filled per the city’s order for security.” “All right,” I patted her hand. “You understand the truth now.” The days that followed were peaceful. When Brian’s automobile vanished, the rumors in the neighborhood spread like wildfire. Word got out that after finding out what Brian had done, Karen had asked him to leave. Then, one morning, I heard equipment rumbling when I woke up. I almost lost my balance when I glanced out my window. My yard was being worked by a crew, and they were digging! Running outside, I saw Karen in charge of everything. She grinned at the sight of me. “Good morning, Margaret. If it’s okay with you, I felt that it was time to make things right. It came out that Karen had contracted with workers to fix my pond. She confided in me while we observed them at work. She murmured, “Brian’s been involved in some shady business dealings.” “He was simply lashing out at his own problems, which is what led to the whole pond thing.”Nevertheless, the environmental office dismissed its allegations after the pond was repaired. Ethan also persuaded me to drop the lawsuit in the interim. That boy has a gift for language. Brian, on the other hand, with his tail between his legs, skulked off to another state. Karen, however, started to visit frequently. She even began assisting me with pond maintenance, claiming it was the least she could do. Karen turned to face me and a twinkle appeared in her eye as we sat by the recently rebuilt pond one evening, watching the sunset reflected off the water. “You know, Margaret, I’m glad Brian messed with your pond. I never thought I’d say this.” I arched an eyebrow. Oh, I see. And why is it the case? She grinned. “Because I might not have realized what a wonderful neighbor I had right next door if he hadn’t.” We chuckled and clinked our glasses of iced tea. Who would have guessed that a small pond could be both so troublesome and beneficial? Thus, here I am, seventy-four years old, with a pond that has been restored, a new buddy, and a tale that will be discussed for years to come at family get-togethers. Indeed, life has a way of taking you by surprise. If there’s one thing to take away from all of this, believe me when I say this: you should never undervalue a resentful grandmother and a capable family lawyer!
Kathie Lee Gifford Celebrates Birthday of Grandson Named after Her Late Husband — He Looks ‘So Much like His Grandpa’
Kathie Lee Gifford recently celebrated her grandson’s birthday.
Gifford’s grandson once dressed up as his late grandfather.
Gifford’s son and his partner are in a happy relationship.
Kathie Lee Gifford is best known as a co-host on “Today” on NBC. She has been a staple on the network for many years, and fans have become acquainted with her family as she often talks and posts about them.
Most recently, Gifford shared the news that her grandson had celebrated his birthday. Fans and friends alike took to the comments section of her post to wish the young man a happy birthday and express how much they loved the family.
Gifford shared a photo of her grandson strapped into his car seat, beaming at the camera, and wished him a happy birthday before saying::
“So grateful to God for the gift of Frankie.”
Gifford’s grandson is named after her late husband, Frank Gifford, who passed away in 2015. Many fans mentioned they could see Frankie’s grandfather in the child, while others thought he looked more like his father, Cody.
Other fans wished little Frankie a happy birthday, while others talked about how cute the tot was. Some people thought Frankie looked like his mom, but most saw a strong resemblance to his father and grandfather.
One fan said that he was clearly doing his namesake justice and they knew Frank would have been proud. Another called him his “father’s twin” while others called him “adorable.” An adoring commenter said Frankie was “like his Grandpa and daddy.”
Frankie Dressed Up As “Big Frank”
In keeping with the sentiment that little Frankie looks so much like his late grandfather, Gifford’s daughter-in-law, Erika, shared a sweet comparison photo of the pair in January this year. The first photo showed Frank Gifford as a young man, and the following picture showed Frankie dressed in an almost identical outfit.
Erika called Frank Gifford “Big Frank” and her son “Little Frankie” before saying they were proud of Frank’s previous NFL team, the New York Giants. Frank holds a football in the first photo, while in the second, Frankie chews on a plush toy version. Fans were charmed by the pictures.
Some once again commented on how alike the pair were, while other fans thought the comparison photos were “the cutest.” Gifford herself commented on the snaps saying how adorable the comparison was.
Fans mentioned that Frank, Cody, and baby Frankie all looked very much alike. Some fans thought that Frank would have loved to meet his grandson and said they were three generations of lookalikes in the family.
Others simply said baby Frankie looked “so much like his Grandpa” as others again talked about how proud Frank would have been of the tiny tot.
Who Is Gifford’s Daughter-In-Law and Her Son’s Long-Term Love?
Gifford shares a close relationship with Cody’s wife, Erika, and when he proposed in 2019, Gifford shared her joy that her son had found the love of his life and was set to tie the knot with her.
Shortly after the proposal, Gifford took to Instagram to share a photo of her son and then-soon-to-be daughter-in-law kissing as Erika held up a bejeweled left hand. Many people sent messages of congratulations on the post.
Cody’s sister, Cassidy, also shared the news of her brother’s engagement on Instagram, saying how happy she was for the pair and that she was excited to welcome Erika into the family as her sister.
Fans commented on the engagement posts and said Frank would have been proud of his son. A year later, Cody and Erika caused mass excitement again on their September wedding day.
Gifford again used Instagram as her news platform, sharing that her son and daughter-in-law exchanged vows on Labor Day weekend. She featured a photo of the bride and groom walking and holding hands as they gazed into one another’s eyes. The caption read:
“God gave us a glorious day to celebrate this glorious couple. So grateful.”
Before Erika and Cody got engaged, they had been together since 2013, and Gifford was more than ready to welcome Erika into the family officially. Erika shared that although 2020 had been a challenging year for many, their wedding was a silver lining in a dark cloud.
Erika shared that only their closest family and friends had been in attendance, and they had taken all the necessary precautions to make it “the most blessed and perfect day of [their] lives.” However, the wedding had its share of hiccups.
Erika had a personalized veil, but the word “the” was misspelled as “The.” She joked it was to be expected from a year like 2020. Gifford commented that it was a testament to their love that they didn’t let slight inconveniences ruin the day.
Cody and Erika welcomed their son into the world two years after they tied the knot. When naming his son, Cody knew he wanted to honor his father and name his baby after him.
Cody and Erika named their son Frank Michael Gifford, and when Gifford found out, she admitted:
“I was surprised Cody named him after his dad because Cody knew what it was like to grow up in the shadow of a great man. But I guess he’s never gotten over, really, and he never will, the loss of his dad at an early age, and he was his hero, and he still is.”
Gifford shared that when she got the news that her son was expecting a baby, she told him that his father would be so happy with all the positive things happening in their lives and that he was smiling down on them.
Little Frankie’s name does not only honor his late grandfather but also a family member on Erika’s side. Frankie’s middle name, Michael, is a tribute to Erika’s uncle, who passed shortly before the little tike was born.
Frankie was born three weeks premature, but he and his mother were healthy following the birth, and he has now grown into a bouncing, happy, and healthy one-year-old who is adored by his family and his grandmother’s fans worldwide.
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