micro, Sorry about your cousin. I can understand your frustration about the phone message system too. You're going to have to train yourself to go through them, and clear out the old ones on a weekly basis.
The kids got a bit rambunctious last night, so I told them to go outside to each of the security cameras, and dance/shake their bootys in front of each of the cameras. That means they would have to go around the entire place, and the extra movement in front of each camera would burn off the excess energy. Understand, my yard is pretty well lit, and with the Christmas lights up, there was no visibility problem. Off they went, then all of a sudden, they came running back in screaming, and the middle child was crying, and afraid. A noise spooked them. They were in fear for their lives. Their mom, and I had been sitting on the patio watching them, and we knew what spooked them. When they went under the big Oak tree, they roused the birds that live in it.
I can't let the kids be afraid like that, so I told my daughter to get a broom, and give it to the middle child. Of course, the oldest had to get his nerf gun, and gave one to his baby sister too. Off we went. All of us. When we got to the tree, the birds were not happy, and fluttered their wings. When grandma, and mom kept walking, they walked with us. We told them to listen carefully. Now they know what the fluttering of wings at night, sounds like. I used to do this with my kids, when they were growing up. They learned the different sounds the local wildlife made both in the daytime, and at night, and were unafraid, except for alligators, and bobcats. They knew to quietly, and steadily withdraw from the area when they heard those 2 sounds.
