Today was a day I'd been looking forward to for awhile. My good friend Tammy was coming up for a visit along with her aunt and mother. I met Tammy through her cousin Dan while I still lived in California, and we related on so many different things. We'd not seen each other for probably close to ten years, although we've kept in sporadic contact, always picking up where things were left off.
Tammy is an author and wrote a series of books called The Shadowcreek Chronicles -- a fantastic series of historically acurate events during the Civil War. She worked for the San Diego Chargers when she authored them...and those guys enjoyed her novels. So did I, and Tony's young nieces, and anyone who has read them...it's hard to find them in book stores, but do a google search and see if you can locate them somewhere...you won't be sorry!
Tammy currently works for the Washington Redskins, and she kindly sent some football things shortly after Luke's first Christmas when he'd look at her Christmas card and say "poop ball!"
Anyway, the first words out of Luke's mouth this morning were "Today Mama's friends are coming to visit, Susanna! Aren't you so excited???" His next words were "I'll tell you a joke. Why did the goat go into the house? To read some books! Isn't that funny, Susanna? Goats can't read, so it's a joke!" "Yes, Luke, it is vewy funny!" "Okay, here's another one. Why did the goat go into the house? To eat some palichinta! Isn't that so funny?" "Yes, Luke, it's vewy funny." "okay, here's another joke! Why did the goat cross the road? To go into the house!"
Susanna's favorite joke that she loves to tell just about anyone is "Why did the bee get married? So he could have his honey!"
Anyway, after a whirlwind of finishing touches on the house (vacuuming the floor, cleaning the bathroom, coming out to find the kids had cut two pieces of paper into about a million tiny pieces all over my freshly vacuumed carpet....which stayed because I didn't have time to deal with it), a business call, a quick shower, getting things ready for our lunch, the kids constantly looking out the door to see if Miss Tammy was here yet (from 8:30 to 11:30!), they finally arrived! We chatted for a bit then sat down to a Carter's feast:
Our fresh spinach with our sliced strawberries and some (non-Carter) raspberries tosse with finely sliced green onions and medium-sized shrimp (yum!)
Our cucumbers and tomatoes tossed with some of my freshly cut herbs and balsamic vinegar and Watkins grapeseed oil
Pesto with grilled chicken
Fresh asparagus
Home made rosemary herbed bread
Our rhubarb crunch for dessert.
We then were off for a quick tour of the farm (as Tony walked towards us to meet the ladies, Luke informed Tammy, "That's my Mama's husband.") then a trip to our market and a walking tour of down-town Park Rapids. As we were approaching town, I heard my boy in a shy, slightly stuttering voice tell Miss Tammy, "I-I-I-I-I....I Love You!" And he shadowed her for the rest of their time together, fighting with Susanna if she dared get between him and his beloved Miss Tammy (until I reminded them Miss Tammy has TWO sides).
Shortly after Tammy and her mom and aunt left, the kids decided they had to make her a card. My mistake was in leaving to check emails quickly. I came down to more of a mess...and something I didn't realize quite yet.
After supper, Tony went to sit on the couch and picked up a hand-crocheted pillow from my aunt. "Is this supposed to be like this?" "What's wrong?" "It's CUT!" I turned to see a pair of guilty eyes looking at me along with the explanation "I didn't think you would notice that I cut it." What? NOT NOTICE?? How could that go unnoticed....for long? My wonderful husband quickly sewed it up (he's so handy with a needle and thread!), and scissors were completely taken away from Susanna until after Papa and Grandma go back to Ohio...and they aren't even here yet!
You might think that's the end of the story, but no...it isn't. Tony took the kids down to the farm while I made a couple of quick Watkins business calls, and when they came home he told Luke, "Go show Mama." Show me what? Luke hemmed and hawed until he finally showed me the knee in his pants...a jagged opening. "What happened?" Just a smile. "WHAT happened???" "Um...." and more smiles. "LUKE MICHEAL CARTER, WHAT HAPPENED?" I'm not sure how many times it took, but he finally told me he cut his pants. "WHY???? Why would you CUT your pants???" "Well, Mama, I didn't think you would notice!"
At least they were an old pair....
2 comments:
Maybe they thought if you didn't put in your contacts you'd never see the cuts! Be thankful it wasn't hair this time.
Glad you had such a nice visit with "Miss Tammy".
No, we won't bring the kids any new scissors.
Love you all
I remember one teacher (4th grade, maybe?) who gave someone stacks of paper, had them stay in from recess and cut them to shreds since they cut something they weren't supposed to. This was the same teacher who gave a kid who had thrown spitwads a bunch of construction paper to make more...
Post a Comment