Something

Today was a better day.  I didn't do much more than I did yesterday but I was in a better frame of mind.  This morning I placed a grocery order to be delivered, my first time, and then showered while I waited for the shopper to get in touch with me.  I like the text contact when they start shopping your order, ask if there's anything that you forgot, and they text if there's something not in stock and offer substitutions.  I even ordered a new DVD player to replace the one that crapped out on me.

The Downy Woodpecker came to the suet pellet feeder, which was totally empty, but he managed to peck around and, I guess, found a few crumbs.

Then he fluttered to the suet cake feeder where there was plenty of stuff to eat.

 

I added a few rounds to the Warm Espresso Beanie, halfway to the crown decreases, so I have plenty hat left to knit for tomorrow night's guild meeting.

Sunset today was pretty nice.  I had high hopes that the clouds would stay on the horizon to be colored by the light but, of course, they drifted off out of range just as the sun started to set.

16 December--Barbara Malcolm, The Seaview. 

            Just then Iggy came in to say that the coals were ready; that Calvin wanted the Dorado steaks.  "Are you women in here gabbing or are you making the rest of the supper?"

            Dru swatted him and then handed him the plate of fish steaks that she removed from the refrigerator.  "We are working, mister smart aleck.  What do you think?  Women always work."  She shoved him toward the back door.  It didn't escape Dru's notice that he detoured around to lean down to ask if I was doing all right.  "Oh my," she said.

            I looked up rather guiltily.  "Oh my, what?"  I looked over my shoulder to make certain no one else could hear.  "He isn't married, is he?  Oh, damn."  I felt cold and guilty without even hearing the answer.

            "Oh heavens no, girl, that is one honest man.  He would never cheat, not even if his woman were a real witch."

            "What then?"

            She covered her mouth with her fingers as if holding back tears.  "Iggy's wife died about five years ago from the cancer.  I thought he would go right after her he was so grief stricken.  Many single ladies on the island and from other islands tried their best to lure him into their beds, into their lives.  He told all of them that he was just not ready for that yet.  Now here you came and there he goes."  She stared out the door he had just gone through.  "There are going to be a lot of disappointed women around here is all I can say."

            I felt very self-conscious that Dru had figured out that Iggy and I were, well, what were we?  I didn't think we were in love.  We didn't know each other well enough to be in love, but we knew enough to be attracted to each other.  It was new for me, and from what Dru said, it was new for Iggy too.

           

            Soon enough supper was ready, and Dru and I carried the tableware out, laid the table, and then brought out all the other dishes.  I knew that Calvin would take credit for making the supper just because he had grilled the fish and he didn't disappoint me.  Iggy and Dru laughed and teased him that he couldn't take credit for all the food when his sole contribution was grilling the fish.  He protested that his part was the most important part so he got to say that he had made supper.

            I couldn't figure out if Calvin was as much of a fool as he seemed or if I was judging him too harshly.  Iggy really liked him, that was obvious, and I had come to trust Iggy's judgment, so I made up my mind to like Calvin too.

            While we ate Dru campaigned to get the men to work faster on the Seaview.  "Rose needs to be in her own home, Calvin, Iggy.  She is spending money better used to build her business on rent at Sydans.  The two of you had better whip yourselves into shape and get this girl home."

            They protested that they had been working hard, Calvin braying the loudest, saying that he had not even begun to work so she could not be criticizing him just yet.  The four of us sat out in Calvin and Dru's back yard under a canopy of tiny white lights.  "It is too dry and sandy back here for Dru to grow vines so we made electric vines for her garden," Calvin said.

            I looked up at the lights overhead.  "It's lovely, Dru.  Calvin, you did a good job on it."  As I had known he would, he puffed up at my words and preened like a rooster with a harem.  I leaned over to whisper in Iggy's ear.  "He reminds me of Errol Flynn cock-a-doodle-doing himself into a frenzy in the dark before dawn."

            Iggy looked at his friend and gave me a solemn nod.

            "What are you two saying?" Calvin asked.

            "We are deciding who is the best worker, me or you?" Iggy said.  "Rose says she had not seen you work yet so she picked me.  I am trying to tell her to give you a chance, Calvin, I really am."

            The two old friends guffawed at that.  Iggy reached under the table and squeezed my hand.

            Iggy and I left after ten, saying that we had work to do the next day.  I saw Dru poke Calvin in the side with her elbow when he started to speak.  I knew that he was going to say that Iggy would never work on Sunday, but his wife didn't give him a chance, bless her.

            Iggy drove us to his house which was far down the island in Mead's Bay.  It was a small house with a large porch and we sat out there, watching the stars and the fruit bats swooping after mosquitoes until nearly midnight.

Today's toss was a couple more Trivial Pursuit games.  I told you that I have a zillion versions of the game and I'm not done tossing them.

Writing today wasn't bad.  I kind of got into a groove.  I got a present in the mail today from my pal Lala.  It's a book of 365 writing prompts for next year.  What a nice surprise.  Speaking of surprises, my brother TW called tonight and we talked for half an hour about his new job and a mutual friend who passed away last month.

--Barbara