August 9th
In important news of the weekend, Rose had purchased her first car: a gunmetal gray 2009 Honda Civic EX. She was very pleased, and the car would be ready for pick-up by Tuesday.
In addition, Joe had been promoted at work.
It was a successful weekend in Snicketts-land.
Upon arrival at the house after services, Puck greeted his aunts, just leaving for Memorial. He waved at them as they left.
“I miss dem,” he said solemnly, as he watched them drive down the road.
When Francis returned from church, Collette congratulated him on looking nice in his collared shirt.
“You should wear that vest Carrie and I picked out for you,” she said.
“I will.”
“You’d look quite dashing in it.”
Francis’ eyes bugged out.
“Well now I’m definitely not wearing it!”
At the lunch table, they passed around the beef brisket and roasted vegetables, followed by handmade raspberry and blueberry tarts.
It only took a couple of Collette’s comments about Francis Biking merit badge to get things going.
“You need to get Carrie’s and Rose’s bikes cleaned up and tuned,” Dad was telling him.
“What’s left of mine,” said Carrie. “You took it apart, Francis.”
“And mine,” said Collette. “I don’t even know where it is anymore. It’s probably in pieces all over the garage.”
“Yeah,” said Joe. “You’ve done that to all the bikes, Francis.”
“Mine too,” said Rose.
“I saw you boys out there taking chains off the bikes,” said Dad.
“You’ve cannibalized the whole fleet out there, Francis,” said Carrie.
Soon, everyone was talking at the same time about how Francis had single-handedly destroyed the Snicketts’ bike collection.
“Moving on!” Francis said, grinning, with a somewhat red face.
Meanwhile, Puck was very busy repeating his latest phrase, “I don’t think so.”
Over and over.
By the afternoon, everyone ran in various directions.
Mom left for a wedding shower at the South’s.
Carrie joined an old friend, Paige Popp, for the sending-off party for her husband, who was going to serve in the Middle East for upwards of one year.
And Collette took Joe and Rose to the Antique Mall.
Collette sorted through several long boxes stuffed with foreign postcards. She found several pieces that she liked, mostly written in old handwriting. Poor spelling. Poor grammar. Yet interesting. Two un-inscribed cards from Morocco. An Argentine with two nice stamps. China: 1903. And Manchuria: 1909.
She also found an old public school report paper from 1928/29, grading said-student in categories such as:
Carefulness.
Hygiene.
Agriculture.
Meanwhile, Joe had found an old cigar coupon and a tiny abridged version of War of the Worlds.
Then Rose purchased a dollar coat of arms ornament to hang from her rearview mirror.
And a block of stacked one dollar bills (in piles of 100’s) encased inside a brick of clear resin, to serve as a paperweight. Although only the surface bills were authentic. From the 1960’s.
When they returned, Joe left for Magnus’.
Rose left for Juliet’s.
OLeif was at a youth function at the Popples’ — birthday party for the youth group’s collective World Vision sponsor child in Southern India.
And Collette joined Carrie for a little clothes shopping.
OLeif was in desperate need of nice clothing. So Collette managed to find him three suitable shirts, including a very nice black and white pinstriped collared shirt. And OLeif was pleased with her purchases.
By the time 6:30 rolled around, Carrie picked up the chubby Puck and brought him back down from the treehouse, where they had been brushing off fallen twigs, and Collette put him in his Curious George pajamas. He then shuffled around in Linnea’s white flip-flops until Dad brought out his gifted Spongebob slippers, which Puck happily slipped on and wore out to the car, running down the driveway.