Diet Things
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
In which work is done on many fronts and Earnest visits the bunny doctor…
OLeif was home for the day to write his twelve-plus-page-term-paper and study for his final on Saturday.
Collette and Puck were back to the ranch, after Puck had tried on OLeif’s eyeglasses, thinking himself very funny indeed.
Iceland blues, summer Indian trees…
Mom and Carrie had re-henna-ed their hair. Carrie was contemplating bright red over the chocolate brown to provide contrast.
Fat oatmeal cookies on the counter.
Half a red velvet cake.
Joe was out boating with Yaotl and George. Would his energy ever cease?
Carrie mixed up a drink called the ‘Amazing Meal’ filled with protein and vegetables, which looked like cinnamon mixed in milk.
And Mom took Puck to Target.
Algebra commenced… It was battle of the bands: Francis’ playlist over Linnea’s. Then Francis pulled out the big guns: eleven-minute track of Victory at Sea. Linnea was already giggling…
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Their feisty elderly neighbor out shooting moles again. Collette supposed it was the granny-version of video games.
When Mom and Puck returned with two large soft pretzels, Puck displayed the tiny coin purse made out of a retro black and brightly-colored block baby sock that Grandma had allowed him. She had given him the change as well: two pennies, one of which he gave to her in return. He was very excited about the whole thing.
They had also looked through the toys together, including a new tradable fad: Squinkies: miniature figurines in tiny bubbles, including space aliens.
And while Linnea brushed melted butter on her half of the pretzel, Mom displayed her new purse, to the groans of her daughters: a bag of roses spread in clear sequins…
“A purse defines a person’s soul,” Carrie teased.
Collette never carried a purse…
“What, don’t you like it?” Mom asked, knowing well the answer.
“Where do I begin?” Carrie started singing.
And for a final purchase: 4-pack Benji, an old memory from the good days. So while Carrie made up the braunschweiger sandwiches for lunch, on went Benji in Greece for Francis and Puck, while Puck suggested building ‘sponge houses’ in their next Minecraft session.
Mom, Carrie-Bri, and Linnea left for Earnest’s first bunny consultation appointment at 1:30 in Creve Coeur with a vet who specialized in bunny ultrasounds.
Go-carts for Francis and Puck.
Box of Bumble Bars from Amazon, featuring fruit and sesame seeds.
“I could eat these all day,” Carrie explained.
Research interim CTO and CIO positions.
The girls returned sometime later with a snuggly bunny who had done just fabulously, as Mom said.
And Francis gone to a meeting for work at the YMCA at 4:00.
In other news…
Dad had lost nineteen pounds. And in opulence for his ‘free day’, he was taking Mom to Outback for dinner.
Home for a walk around the neighborhood for Collette while OLeif and Puck used the borrowed electric pruner on the porch hollies, etc.
Turkey sandwiches with Colby, mayo, and mustard on rice bread. OLeif had splurged on some 79-cent Cheetoh’s Aldi knock-offs. Puck helped set the table and set the mood with his selection of music. Red apple candle on the table.
Dinner conversation between OLeif and Puck…
“What do you want to be when you grow up, Puck?”
“I want to fight fire-fies.”
“Fire flies?”
“Fire fies.”
“A firefighter?”
“Yes,” Puck replied with a grin.
He had other things to discuss, like where air went that came from the floor vents, all explanations done with slightly cupped hands waved at the wrist in rhythm to his points…
“Air comes through the floor and into our heart and to the door and through our foots. That’s how it works.”
He was also keen on noting that…
“’Not’ means the negative of something.”
And…
“What does ‘but’ mean, Daddy?”
“It means… ‘except for’.”
“It means, ‘walking after people’.”
“No, no it doesn’t.”
“But don’t say it around Grandma,” Collette warned him. “She doesn’t like that word.”
After dinner…
They hung out, recovering from the overindulgence of rice bread. Puck covered his mama up with a blanket and delicately kissed her cheek.
Puck down.
Review of OLeif’s paper with him.
It was a tired little family, and it was time to sleep.