I Wonder as I Wander

Friday, December 15, 2006

Rose woke up quite sick that Friday morning, and was unable to attend her usual duties at the office. The cookie decorating party was also postponed till the following Thursday. Carrie was feeling so very poorly herself that she actually canceled work, which Collette was not sure Carrie had ever done before. And so things were generally quiet for the day, which was rather unusual for a Friday.

Although back home, Linnea, who was feeling back to normal, had plans to attend Gretyl’s birthday party that evening at Build-a-Bear Workshop. Collette wondered what sort of craziness might ensue there, what wild-looking bears might be created at the hands of Gretyl Plum and her companions. Collette predicted that Linnea might be rather more conservative and make a pirate bear.

Meanwhile, Carrie-Bri and Rose had received their tickets and itineraries for the big day. Looking over their schedule, Collette noted that they would indeed be cruising down the Nile on New Years’ Eve. What a way to spend a New Years’ Eve, unless (for Carrie), it was elbow-gutting Hispanics in Times Square.

Later in the same afternoon, Jimmy and Loraine came in with the kids, to eat lunch and put together a mailing. For three hours, Loraine did her best to contain the kids while Jimmy had to leave to run further errands. Meanwhile, rather humorous commands floated back from the conference room:

“Sit down, Donald. Donald! Donald! Sit down. You can’t stand up in your chair. Sit down, Donald!”

“Meg, we don’t color on the walls.”

“I’m being silly!”

“No, that’s not silly. That’s not good, Meg.”

Much giggling.

Loraine walked by at about that time and slapped a giant chocolate chip cookie on Collette’s desk while Collette checked attendance. Collette at first wondered if this was partly due to an attempt to keep any excess sugar away from the kids. Although by the end of the afternoon, Loraine had split two to three more cookies with them. Both kids continued jumping up and down in anticipation of the next bite, until both cookies were cleaned away.

Then little Meg showed Collette her pair of candy cane tights, which sparkled a bit, a gift from “Aunt Joooolia”. She was quite proud of them.

So by the time six o’clock rolled around, Collette was picked up from he office. And because Rose was in sick bay, the evening seemed to lack plans. OLeif and Augustus ended up going off to the movies. Collette opted to stay at home and start laundry.

And Hanukkah began at sundown.