I Got One!

 


This afternoon I decided to fill the bird feeders because I hadn't seen THE RAT in a couple days and wondered if it was gone.  I spilled a bit of seed & cracked corn on the patio and THE RAT was there to clean up in short order.  Grr.  

This squirrel was quick to climb up on the peanut wreath and it stayed up there eating peanut after peanut.  Durwood had a real vendetta against squirrels but I don't mind them stopping by for some corn or peanuts or a drink of water.





Once I saw THE RAT I decided to move the trap to the other side of the patio step and to sprinkle a few black oil sunflower seeds on the trip plate.  It worked!  Almost immediately!  It took me a little while to muster up the guts to get gloves and a bag and go out and empty the trap, dispose of the contents, rebait it, and set it back out there.  Quite a few people said there was probably more than one rat.  I only ever saw one (at a time) but there could very easily be more than one.  I've got more weenies thawing and will stuff them with poison pellets in the morning and put those out too.

Today dawned gray and wet--again--and I felt so down and dreary that I turned to a blank page in my Bullet Journal and made a list of "Reasons to be Happy" on one side of the page and "Reasons to be Sad" on the other side.  In a very short time the Happy side grew much longer than the Sad side so I gave myself a lecture and resolved to work on being happier today.  Just today.  I'll reread my list and make the same resolution tomorrow.  I had a good trainer session, very sweaty, and on the way home I actually saw blue sky.  Another reason to cheer up.  The sky and sunshine flirted with us all afternoon.  Hopefully it'll be out more tomorrow.  We could all use a sunny day.

 
After lunch I went downstairs and made a quadruple batch of fragrance-free lotion.  It made 4 1/2-8 oz. bottles of lotion.  I've been out of lotion for a while, I've got cocoa butter cream and lip balm but I like lotion for after a shower.  Now I have some, in fact I have a lot.  I looked at the lotion recipe and noticed that the first time DD and I made lotion was in 1999.  Twenty years ago!  Jeez, that's a long time.





I added a few rounds to the Two Hour Bag.  I'm sorely tempted to cast on OJ's mittens but am determined to finish the bag first.  I'll take the yarn, etc. along when I go to The Clearing on Saturday.  I'm meeting my knitting friend, KS, for lunch and a knitting afternoon before I check into TC.  Gotta cram in all the goodness I can.

3 October--Barbara Malcolm, Horizon. 

           My sons and their spouses were subdued at breakfast the next morning.  Sam was especially eager to help make the potato and fruit salads I planned to take to Abel's picnic.  He also insisted I ride with them.  "You'll be much fresher when we get there.  No grandsons crawling over you in the car."

           I refrained from reminding Sam that children ride in car seats these days; I was sure he'd interpret it as a dig that he and Merry hadn't produced any grandchildren.  I suppose getting me to the picnic in a "fresher" state was Sam's way of apologizing for being a total bastard about my relationship with Abel the day before.  I had been tempted to call Abel after everyone went to bed, but Matt and Sara decided to watch a late movie and I was tired from fighting and walking.  Besides if I'd called Abel and told him about the boys' discovery and accusations, he'd have gotten angry and wouldn't be his usual hospitable self, so I was glad I hadn’t called.

          Merry commented on the neighborhoods and estimated property values as we drove.  I could tell by her tone that Sam had told her that it was her mother's accusations that had sparked our argument the day before.  She had the bright look in her eyes that told me she'd been crying, and her voice was high, bordering on squeaky, with the desire to make up.  I decided to let her twist in the wind of her own words for a while.  That would give both Sam and me a break.

          By the time we pulled up in front of Abel's, Aaron and Matt were already there.  They'd parked behind each other, gotten everyone out of the cars, and were standing in a line, their children gathered around them, all staring silently at the house.

         "Oh for heaven's sake," I said as I got out of Sam's car.  "Cheer up.  This picnic will only be a battlefield if you make it one."

         Matt and Lisa exchanged a silent look.  Matt licked his lips and said, "Are you planning to tell him...?"

          I handed him the bowl of potato salad.  "Not today."  I looked each of my sons in the eye.  "Today I'm calling a truce.  No pardons yet, but you all behave here and I'll think about it."  I could see the surprised looks on the faces of my oldest grandsons.  I guess they hadn't imagined that the men, the dads who yelled at them when they misbehaved, could get yelled at too.  "Now, paste smiles on your faces and let's go."

           I led the way up the walk.  Abel had tied helium balloons on the porch posts that made Elizabeth gurgle and lean to try and grab them.  I heard Merry whisper, "Looks like a kiddie party."  I glared at her.

           Before I could say anything, Abel opened the door.  "Come in, come in."  He smiled at all of us as if we were just what he’d hoped to find on his porch.  "Welcome, Logans."

           My family filed silently into the house, standing in a cluster in the entryway.  David, Jim, and the twins stood together in front of me, a grandson fence, looking like they were the ones who'd been yelled at.  I leaned over them and kissed Abel's cheek.  "Thanks for inviting us.  What can we do to help?"

           He took the bowl of fruit from my hands.  "Nothing, everything's ready."  He surveyed my silent family and his smile slipped a bit.  "Why don't we all go out back?"  He turned to lead the way.

           As we passed through the kitchen, David said, "Look, Grandma, Mr. Baker's got a painting that looks like one of yours."

          "Good eye, David,” Abel said, winking at me.  “Your grandma painted it.  I'm her biggest fan."

         The backyard was beautiful.  All of Abel's spring flowers were in bloom and the scent of lilacs floated on the light breeze.  There were two patio tables with umbrellas set on the grass with a pile of toys between them.  The boys immediately ran to sort through them.  Abel put the bowl he carried on a separate table on the deck and directed Matt to put the potato salad next to it.  "I'll just run inside and get the rest of the food."

         Sara said, "Why don't you let us do that, Abel?  Just tell us what to get."  Lisa nodded her willingness to help.  Merry shot Sara a glance that said she wasn’t quite ready to give up her mother’s opinions.

        "That's very nice of you ladies; then I’ll start the grill."  He turned to Aaron, "Unless one of you would like to..."

         Aaron looked at Sam and shrugged.  "Sure thing, Mr., uh, Abel."

         Abel showed him where he kept the charcoal and starter, then went to help the girls with the rest of the food.  "I hope it's okay,” Abel said as he followed them into the house.  “I got burgers and hot dogs.  Everybody likes those, right?"  My daughters-in-law assured him that he'd chosen the perfect meal for a May picnic.  In a few minutes the four of them were back with platters of cut-up vegetables and dip, deviled eggs, and baskets of buns that they arranged on the table holding my contributions and what looked like an entire grocery store of condiments.  When I commented to Abel that I’d never seen so many kinds of mustard and pickles he shrugged and said, “I wasn’t sure what everyone liked so I got it all.”  He slid his arm around my waist and pulled me close.  “Everybody looked so solemn when you got here; anything wrong?”

          I leaned on his shoulder for a minute.  “Not really.  Just a little difference of opinion.”

          “About me?”

           I looked up into his blue eyes and saw doubt reflected there, so I lied.  “No.  Now let’s get this party going.  I’m hungry.”

          “Whatever you say.”  He leaned and kissed my hair.  “Your wish is my command.”

          As he walked away toward the grill I laughed.  “Don’t spoil me; you might be sorry.”

          “I haven’t been sorry so far,” he said over his shoulder

           Matt had wandered toward the back corner of the yard where Abel was putting up a garden shed with an attached greenhouse.  "You building this from a kit, Abel?" he asked.

           Able looked up from checking the still blazing charcoal.  "Yes, it's a kit but I'm adding a few improvements."  He started walking toward Matt; Sam and Aaron followed him.

           In no time, the grill forgotten, all four men had their sleeves rolled up and they were playing with wood, saws, and hammers.

           I watched them for a while, then I spread out the coals, brushed off the grill, and got ready to put the meat on to cook.

           "Isn't that just like men?" I hadn't heard Lisa approach.

           "What do you mean?" I asked.

           "Well," she said, "yesterday Sam had almost convinced Matt and Aaron that you were dating Satan."  She gestured toward the happy, sweaty, hammering men.  "Give them a way to get dirty and they're best friends."

            By the time the burgers and dogs were ready to eat, all the men in my life were smiling.  Sam detoured past me on his way inside to wash up.  “I’m really sorry for all that stuff I said yesterday, Mom.  Abel’s all right.  I approve.”

           “Well, thanks, Sam.”  Under my breath when he was too far away to hear me, I continued, “Not that I need your approval to live my own life, but thanks.”

            Just then, Jim ran up looking at me like I was nuts, and said, “Who are you talking to, Grandma?”

            “Just myself.  Hurry and get cleaned up, we’re ready to eat.”  For the first time in twenty-four hours I took a deep breath and I could feel my muscles relax.

            Abel’s menu was a huge success.  By the time everyone was finished eating only crumbs and smears of catsup remained, most of it decorating my grandchildren.  While we women cleaned up, Abel and my sons went back to working on the shed.  The grandsons had endless wars with the squirt guns they’d found at the bottom of Abel’s pile of toys.  Lisa confiscated all of them after receiving a blast in the face when she stepped into the line of fire while carrying an armload of dirty plates.

As the sun began to set, Abel built a bonfire in his fire pit and brought out s’mores makings.  We sat on log seats toasting endless marshmallows for the boys.  I gathered from the conversation among the men that they were almost done with the garden shed.  I was surprised to hear Sam insist that the three of them would be happy to come back in the morning to help finish the job.  I had to smile at the pleased look on Abel’s face.  Guess I raised them right after all.

Speaking of The Clearing, tomorrow I need to pack.  Today I hauled up a bunch of warmer socks, long sleeves tees, and all of the jumpers and dresses and leggings so I can decide what gets to go and what stays home.  It's supposed to rain again on Saturday (yippee) so I can't forget a raincoat.  And it's supposed to be in the 50s all week so I'll take a sweater too, probably a fleece vest just in case.  Good thing I take my car so I can leave the "just in case" things in there.  I should probably take the car seats out so there's room if more than one person wants to ride with me somewhere.  I should make a list...
--Barbara