There's no place like gnome

I have a college friend who owns his own landscaping company. Which means he's pretty into yard stuff. He and his wife invited the parentals and I to dinner a few weeks ago. I noticed there were some gnomes hanging out in his yard. He and his wife have a game. The gnomes "mysteriously" move around the yard. The parentals and I thought that was a lot of fun. So we helped one of the gnomes move.

A little while after that, my friend got the parentals a gnome of their own. I had some good fun moving him during a party at the parentals' house. He moved from the fish pond to underneath the wine bottle tree. I figured that was appropriate, being a wild party and all!

About a week or so ago, I came home to discover a gnome in my front "yard." It was cute and tiny and holding a flower. I immediately accused my friend, only to learn that they had been gnomed as well. Next on the accused list? The parentals. Oh yes- we had figured out the guilty parties.

A few days later, I came home to another gnome in my "yard." This one is slightly bigger, but still very cute and sitting with a bird in his hand.

Yesterday morning, I walked out of my house to find this note laying on the ground...


I immediately went into gnome-napped mode. I knew my gnome wouldn't leave the yard voluntarily. Even for a vacation with friends. Until I got the following picture texted to me by Pops...


Apparently, little gnome DID go on vacation. Along with my friend's gnome. I'm thinking of grounding him when he comes home though. I didn't give him permission to leave the yard, even if he is with the parentals.