Attempt to Resume
Monday, May 7, 2007
It was time to get back to tutoring the Rose. Needless to say, she was not thrilled upon hearing that Collette would be over sometime that Monday morning to start her in mathematics and writing. But it was about time to continue the studies again after Rose had taken a full three-week break. In the end, however, the day was not so successful…
Also that day, Joe found himself with a full shift at the Green Lantern due to the lack of rain in the forecast. And Mom was up at church helping to supervise children while Francis and Linnea took the SAT for the first time with other home schooled kids from church.
Meanwhile, Carrie held “squishy” and showed him some Muse while he sucked on his pacifier in front of the computer.
Rose, on the other hand, seemed to have difficulty adjusting to babies. Oh no! It’s crying! was her usual response if Puck made so much as a whimper or a grimace in his sleep. And so instead, after Spanish, Rose donned her usual gym pants, egg & bacon shorts, “Walk to Cure Autism” t-shirt, and bright red ski mask and brought out her fat toad for a bit of a hop around the yard.
And Carrie had taken off work that Monday to finish another boatload of papers. She also continued to research plane tickets to Australia.
The day was warm. Collette almost thought it was July. Mom took a walk that afternoon at the house and returned with a face as red as an apple. Joe went out for a run and returned a little sooner than usual in the heat and humidity. This was after Mom had unsuccessfully suggested that he bring a water bottle with him on his jog.
Come evening, Puck had his first bath. Surprisingly, he seemed to take well to the thought of being immersed in a warm tub of water and decided that tears were unnecessary to complete the operation. If he had officially known how to do so, he would have giggled in delight.
Collette was also pleased that the plumbing cooperated during the procedure and did not moan upon the water being run into his little bath.
“Holy cow, did you hear it go off last night?” OLeif asked her.
Collette had not heard the plumbing act up. She had instead fallen asleep on the couch that evening.
“It shook the whole house. It sounded like an alien spacecraft coming up through the underpinning of the house.” OLeif turned to speak to Puck who he was holding, “Yes, I used the words “underpinning” and “alien” in the same sentence.”
It really did sound like a monster moaning from the deeps, as though they were living above Loch Ness. Perhaps it was the heater.
Once Puck had been substantially covered in suds, washed, dried, lotioned, wrapped snuggly in his pajamas, fed, and put down into dreamland, OLeif decided to work on making chocolate chip cookies while watching some Christopher Walken. By the time ten o’clock rolled around and it was time for Puck’s late night snack, OLeif had an entire shelf-worth of cookies piled on a plate on the coffee table. They threatened to topple so OLeif and Collette shared a handful to prevent any from hitting the floor.
And in news from around town, the river was rising. It had hit nearly twelve feet above flood stage already.