Another Frigid Day

Today was another really cold day.  The sun shone most of the day but this time of year that doesn't warm things up.  The good thing was that the awful snow and ice storm that raged across the country went south of us.  I'm afraid that it hit DD in Kentucky though.  I hope they stayed safe.

This Downy Woodpecker visited the suet pellets this morning.  I wonder how it manages to get a taste when the pellets have to be frozen like BBs.

Aw man, I was hoping for a dramatic, moody tail end of sunset shot but all I got was this murky view with a little spot of orange.  Trust me, it was much prettier in real life.

I knitted some more on February Cast Sock #2.  It's so small that I should have made more progress but I spent most of the afternoon writing about being lonely and bored.  I figure if I just sit there and write and write whatever comes into my head maybe, just maybe, I'll rattle loose some real writing.  Like a story.  I'd be thrilled.  I haven't been able to write for a long time and I miss it.

15 February--Barbara Malcolm, The Seaview. 

              By seven o'clock everything was ready.  Silas had come early and set a playlist on Johnno’s spare CD player "so no one has to quit dancing."  I figured it'd be a replay of the tunes Luke and Stanley had showered from the rooftop as they scraped and painted the outside of the Seaview.  Will and Silas' grilled sausages and Elizabeth's baked mini-pigs-in-a-blankets were staying warm in the oven.  Silas borrowed some tiki torches from Johnno and he and Will placed them around the edge of the backyard where they illuminated the bougainvillea with golden light.  The strings of lights that Iggy had strung from the center of the porch roof to the corners of the patio gave a nice soft glow to the table area.  I stood in the doorway looking at all that we had accomplished in a few short months and felt a swell of pride.

            Will and Elizabeth walked down the road from Sydans and we started pulling out the food.  Elizabeth shook her head and clicked her tongue when I put the green pan of salad on the table.

            "Rose," she said, "what possessed you to choose a kitty litter pan for your salad bowl?"

            I looked at her.  "You've been shopping here.  How easy is it to find exactly what you want?  I think the Anguillan motto should be 'Make Do.'"

            She snorted.  "You got that right.  I had the devil of a time finding ingredients for muffins.  I hope you can get hooked up with a restaurant and piggyback your food orders with theirs.  That will make it much easier to have quality food and the ingredients you need."

            "Me too.  I plan to go back to see Cecilia at Scilly Cay in a couple days to see who she  recommends I contact since she's the one who suggested it." 

            By then Marie had arrived.  I looked at her.  She wore an off-the-shoulder dress I'd never seen before and had swept her hair up in a French twist so that her earrings twinkled in the light.

            Will elbowed me.  "Look at Marie.  She's got her trap set for sure.  I pity 'Nando tonight."

            I gripped his upper arm and squeezed a bit.  "I'll push you into the bay if you say one word to her about how she's dressed."  To Marie I said, "Hi, sweetie, you look nice.  Would you please go grab your fruit and cheese platters and bring them out?" She nodded. "Thanks."

            The music started and I heard cars pulling up and voices calling.  It seemed like in seconds the patio was full of people acting like they hadn't seen each other in weeks rather than hours.  All of the guys were combed and dressed in clean, pressed clothes.  "Wait a minute," I said as they jostled into the yard together, "who are you people?  Are you crashing my party?"  They fell silent and stood shifting from foot to foot.  I surveyed the line of young men and kept a small frown on my face.  When my eyes had moved from one face to the next I smiled and said, "You guys clean up nice.  I didn't recognize you."  I stretched out my arms. "Welcome."  I lifted a hand to stop them from moving.  "Before the party starts I have something to tell you.  A few hours ago, after everyone left to get ready for tonight, a woman, a writer, stopped in to ask if I was open.  At first I said no because we haven't had a practice run but then I thought, oh what the hell.  So... she's moving in tomorrow afternoon.  I have a paying guest."

            They cheered and came forward to congratulate me and to be praised and thanked for all of their hard work.  Iggy stood behind them at the edge of the yard smiling at me.  He waited until I had greeted each of the workers and made sure they had something to eat and drink.  I walked over to him standing there in the shadows and put my arms around his neck.

            "Thank you for all of your hard work over the last few months, Mr. Solomon.  You were the rock that kept the project on track and the spark that lit my life during the renovations."  I tiptoed to kiss his warm lips.

            His arms pulled me against him and he returned my kiss.  "I think we lit sparks in each other that will be hard to quench."

            "Do you want to quench that spark?" I asked.

            He pulled me even tighter.  "Oh no, Mrs. Rose, I do not. And now you will have a guest so you need to figure out a way we can be together without you jumping up in the middle of things." He chuckled to let me know that he was kidding a little but was mostly serious.  We stood there holding each other and soon heard hooting from behind me.

            "Mrs. Rose," said Silas, "you want to be careful of Uncle Iggy, he is a terrible ladies' man."          

            Everyone laughed and we broke apart to join the party.  Soon the food was gone (Elizabeth's pigs-in-a-blankets were a big hit) and the table and chairs were cleared off the patio to make room for dancing.  I danced with Zeke,  Edward, Stanley, and Luke.  Iggy claimed me for the slow songs.  Likewise Elizabeth was a popular partner, whirling around with one of the crew after the other but Will stepped in when a ballad played.

            I took a break to sit out a few songs to catch my breath and replenish the snacks and drinks.  I noticed Marie wrapped in 'Nando's arms, the two of them swaying to the music and gazing into each others' eyes.  They fit together well.   While I watched he bent down and kissed her.  Her head fell back and he pressed his lips to the pulse in her throat.  She took a deep breath and laid her head back on his shoulder.

            Iggy came out carrying bottles of beer and soda to put into the new, non-leaky washtub.  "Well, that is an interesting development," he said.

            "Yes," I said, "Isn't it?"

            We finished replenishing the snacks and drinks and stood watching my free-spirited daughter and the rule-following customs agent dance in a world of their own.  When the music ended, 'Nando slid his arm down to her waist, she turned and they walked out of the yard and down to the beach so closely entwined that no light shone between them.

Today's toss was a counting frame from the toy box.  The grandkids have outgrown it so off with it.

The prompt today was to describe your favorite food in five words or less.  Easy peasy.  Rich, dark chocolate ice cream.  There, 5 words exactly.

--Barbara