Happy Birthday, Grandma
Sunday, November 21, 2010
On the way to church that morning…
“Get into your car seat, beebings.”
“I’m not a beebings, Mama. ‘Cause I’m Superman. And I can’t do anything.”
“Why are you Superman?”
“Because I fly into space.”
“How do you do that?”
“’Cause I have a dragon costume.”
…The dragon costume from Halloween that he had also requested to wear at Christmas…
Also on the way to church…
Puck was intent on hatching baby chicks in the spring.
“I will lay the baby eggs, like a mama chick,” said Puck.
“You can sit on them, no,” OLeif replied. “You would squish them.”
It was Puck’s first opportunity to sing with his fellow choir mates during the worship service. And… it went about as well as Collette had expected, really…
Broken maraca shaker egg, bewilderment as to what to do with only one, and not two, maraca shaker eggs, throwing himself on the ground in despair at the end, and being toted off after the song calling out, “Where are we going?”… to the laughter of the entire second service congregation. Collette had prepared herself years in advance that, in such matters, he was just going to be ‘that kid’…
And when Collette had picked Puck up from Sunday School, his teacher told her that, after reciting his catechism, Puck had been commended on knowing the answers. Then he said…
“That’s a catechism.”
Then while they waited for OLeif to finish playing the first half of the second service, Linnea and her friend, and Puck and Red Blunt tossed paper airplanes in the lobby.
When they returned to the house for Puck’s talk, the white board read…
TODAY ONLY
Today only there will be a prize
of the candy bar of choice to the
resident who kills the most fruit flies.
Use any means necessary (minus harsh
chemicals and fire). If the source
of these pests can be found,
the reward will be dinner at the
restaurant of the winner’s choice.
(Picture crudely drawn bug crossed out. In Rose’s writing.)
And in the kitchen, Puck had turned one of the barstools upside-down, and then got inside.
“I’m in the baby trap,” he said.
Then for everyone to Mystery Science Theater The Ten Commandments, another first for both Linnea and OLeif, featuring Collette’s favorite Mongolian actor.
And Joe left with Wally to attend Lolli’s concert.
Then over to Grandma Snicketts to celebrate, two days early, her 82nd birthday. There was a card, which was signed by all, but forged by Collette and Carrie to cover three of the boys’ signatures.
Grandma’s pain had lessened. And she would soon be receiving her pink Snuggie, a copy of George Bush’s biography, and a book of poems from Collette, all later in the week.
While Linnea, Puck, and Rose played with the old set of Civil War soldiers, cowboys, and Indians, (and Puck told the soldiers that they had been disobedient so they had to go in the turtle’s mouth), everyone else looked through Grandma’s old yearbooks. Her nickname has been ‘Not’. Grandpa, or ‘Red’, as he had been known, was also in the pages. A good head taller than all the rest.
Then while Dad went to pick up steakburgers from Steak ‘n Shake, Collette and Linnea walked Puck down to the lobby to see the fish and the birds, leaving just as a yellow fire truck pulled up to the circle.
And then they were obliged to report a pane of glass that had completely shattered in the glass walkway since the time they had walked down to the lobby…
On the way back, Puck began to devour his steakburger.
“Hmmmmmm! Yum yum yum!”
Back at the house…
About the time they put on the second half of The Sound of Music…
“How does she know how to dance anyway? She’s a nun.”
“All nuns dance,” said Dad.
“It’s one of the sacraments in the Catholic church,” said OLeif.
Meanwhile, in other news…
Carrie had progressed to being able to once again eat vegetables and salads. This was joyous news for Carrie, indeed.
And Forlán had done it again for Atletico. Another win.
Also, in the end of the day, Rose seemed to have won the fruit fly contest, having killed ten fruit flies. Linnea was a close second.
The evening was beautiful. Speckled clouds spread over a white moon. The warm mild of another quiet autumn…
So Collette braided more hair to produce lions’ manes the following day.
And back home for a quiet night of looking up properties in the city.
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