A Part of B.A. - Buenos Aires - Big Apple

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

The day was cool and golden. While they waited for the sun to warm up the morning and the flower beds, Mom worked with Linnea on the couch while Collette escorted Frances to the kitchen.

“Frances, didn’t you bring your math book?” Mom had asked him as the three walked in the door that morning.

“Wha?” Frances’ eyes grew wide. “I thought you had it.”

So Collette created her own set of math problems for Frances who was only temporarily distracted by tearing the eraser on the end of his pencil into tiny red bits over the kitchen table.

Light reflected off the pictures set in the window above the table. It gave the illusion of a fast-moving river around a cliff base on the yellow wall. Collette and Frances watched it for a few moments before continuing with the lesson.

Meanwhile, it was hoped that Carrie-Bri and Elizabeth had safely arrived in Buenos Aires. Word from South America would be limited. Not being a first world country, the likelihood of an Internet café on every corner, was remote.

Back in the house, while Mom and Collette tucked flower bulbs into the soil, Linnea raided the chocolate ice cream in the freezer. And she and Frances took turns lighting candles on the coffee table.

Puck was enjoying his play date with his aunt and uncle and giggled around the floor. Earlier, he was still a sleepy baby after waking from his nap and sat dazed on the red couch. But it never took long to coax his baby grins which he provided with much enthusiasm for most of the day.

After Mom and the kids left to bring Linnea to choir, Collette and Puck took (what would likely be) their last walk of the year. The weather was cold and though Puck’s ears were cozily comforted in his fleece cap, his face was rosy icy upon return.