Negative

I got the results of my COVID test back already today--negative.  Hooray!  Not a surprise but nice to hear nevertheless.  Now if everyone else's results are the same I will get hugs for Christmas.  All I really want.

We got a little dusting of snow overnight.  See it on the pots and the arms of the Adirondack chair?  It was funny that it showed up on the pavement but not really on the grass.  Usually it's the other way around.  But it got warm enough this afternoon that it all went away again.  Sounds like we have one more chance for snow before Christmas but they're not holding out a lot of hope for a white Christmas.  Lala reminded me that last year it was 60 degrees in Milwaukee on Christmas Eve.  Now that I think of it I bought snow pants and boots for IT last year just in case we had snow to play in and didn't need them.

I spent quite a bit of the day surfing the patterns on Ravelry trying to find a top-down doll sweater to knit in January.  The knitting guild January program is top-down sweaters and I don't want to knit a me-size sweater so the program chairperson suggested a baby sweater or a doll sweater.  I decided on a doll sweater, that way I can pass it along to LC for her American Girl doll.  I found one, and it was free too.  So I printed off the pattern, went downstairs and found needles, dug out a skein of yarn  that needed winding into a ball, now I'm all ready for the guild meeting on the third Thursday of January, whatever number day that is.  I'm too lazy to look it up right now.

The rest of the day I did laundry.  How does one little medium-old lady make so many dirty clothes?  Honestly I only put on clean clothes every other day or so (except undies and socks which I put on clean daily) and I make my jeans last for four or five days.  Who shoves all those clothes down the chute?  I'd accuse the neighbors of bringing theirs over but I recognize them all as mine.

The Downy Woodpecker came by today.  He didn't even try the pellet feeder, he went straight to the suet cake feeder and had his snack.  I can't figure out what happened to all of the birds that used to come to the feeders.  I haven't seen a Junco or a Sparrow in over a week.  Where are they?  Is some neighbor feeding them something fancy to lure them away?  I always think that the open birdbath should be a draw but no one's coming much.  *sigh*  I'm not getting a birdie tree this year in case that's what attracted the rats two years ago.  Maybe that's it.

I finished the December Preemie Hat #3 tonight while I watched Antiques Roadshow.

 

 

 

21 December--Barbara Malcolm, The Seaview. 

A few days later I was tucked into my corner of the lobby surveying a pile of fabric scraps that I hoped to turn into interesting little tablecloths or placemats when I felt a hand on my back.  I turned thinking it was Iggy wanting to make up but instead found myself staring into Calvin Brooks' eyes.  I leaned back in my chair hoping to dislodge his hand from my shoulder blade.  "Can I help you, Calvin?" I said in the stiffest voice I could muster.

            Calvin’s hand felt hot and wet through my t-shirt.   He began to move it, massaging my back and shoulder, straying lower and lower to the center of my back.  "Maybe I can help you, Rosie, with your plumbing.  You know I am a good plumber."  He winked at me and leaned down pursing his flabby lips as if to kiss me.

            My stomach rolled at the thought and I pushed myself to my feet, placing my chair between us.  "Help me do what exactly?"  I folded my arms across my chest.

            He rolled his hips, stepping around the chair and nudging it toward the wall.  "I can help you do a lot of things, Rosie.  I have a good imagination."

            The look in his eyes made me cold and a little frightened.  "I have a good imagination too, Mr. Brooks, but I can't imagine having anything more than a business relationship with you."  I tried to back away but he had maneuvered me into a corner.

            His hand smoothed my hair back and he cupped my jaw.  "We will have whatever kind of relationship I want to have, Rosie.  You will come to enjoy it."

            I felt his hot breath on my face and wondered where everyone had gotten to.  He pressed his bulk into me as I stood in the corner and I realized that I would be in real trouble if I didn't start to fight him.  I put both of my hands flat on his chest, he purred as if he were getting what he wanted, and I pushed him away as hard as I could.  He stumbled back and nearly fell over my sewing table.  The machine wobbled and slid, nearly falling off, but he caught it and himself just in time.  He reached out as if to touch me again but I batted his hand away.

            "The only help I need from you is to have my hotel's plumbing replaced," I said keeping my voice low.  "I cannot believe that you would suggest such a thing.  You must realize that I have been spending time with Iggy and that I have made friends with your wife."

            He shrugged and lifted his hands as if weighing something round and soft.  "Sometimes one man is not enough; sometimes one woman is not either."

             “I’m not interested, Calvin," I said, "not interested.”

            A nasty sly look crossed his face and he said, “I don’t care if you are interested or ready, Rose.”  He pressed himself to me and rocked his hips.  “I’m always ready and that’s what counts.  Let me pluck your thorns, my sweet Rosie.  Let me pluck you.”  He purred and began to reach for me.

            I shoved him away.  “Don’t you ever touch me again, Calvin Brooks.  Don’t even shake my hand.”  I balled my fists to keep from smacking him.  “The only reason I’m not screaming the house down is that I like Dru and you’re Iggy’s friend.”  I shook my head and hugged myself.  “I can’t believe you did that, can’t believe you’d think I was the kind of woman who would betray your wife and the man you say is your best friend.”

            He stood across from me, a smile playing across his lips.  “You won’t say anything, Rose, I know it.”  He stepped forward until he was too close again, and shoved me down in my chair.  “You won’t say anything to Dru and you won’t say anything to Iggy if you know what’s good for you.  You need me if you want to open this place so you can play hotel on the beach.  I’m the best there is on the island.  No one else can do for you what I can, so you keep your mouth shut.”  He leaned over me trying to intimidate me.

            I reached out and grasped him firmly between his legs.   “Don’t test me, Calvin," I tightened my grip and made him gasp, "I’ll rat you out in a heartbeat.”  I let him go and pointed out toward the kitchen.  "Out.  Get out of my sight and stay out."

            He backed up as if I had slapped him, his hands protectively out in front of him.  "You do not have to..."

            "Oh, I think I do have to, Calvin.  You obviously have an elevated impression of yourself and a low opinion of women, especially Dru and me.  Now, go and work.  If you decide that you don't want this job, I'll understand and find another plumber."

            He shambled away shaking his head and mumbling about "just trying to be friendly."

I didn't toss anything today, oh, except an ancient bottle of steak sauce I found in a cupboard.  I don't like steak sauce.  Must have been a Durwood purchase.

Writing went okay today.  What I wrote didn't make a whole lot of sense but then what can you expect when the prompt is "write about a scar."  Not inspiring, at least not today.

--Barbara