November 9

For Monday’s specialty, everyone got into the minivan to head over to the Cottleville park. On the way, they dropped off Dad’s shirts at the dry cleaners and picked up a bag of sausage muffins, which Francis and Puck immediately started chomping down, with a pitcher of purified water.
Once arrived, the kids got to school, while Puck went directly to a strange sort of bridge sitting by the prairie. It was rusted down and warped, but he seemed perfectly happy amusing himself on it for the majority of two hours.
The skies were gray and a sort of honey color. Little wind. Fields of dried red and yellow brush and crackling weeds.

In the afternoon, Carrie was busy getting Francis to help her finally finish putting together the shed in the backyard.
She began reading the instructions aloud:
“Do not attempt to build on a windy day…”

Later, in the Indian summer and covered skies, Francis studied geography, Linnea worked on choir, Collette biked with Puck… And then Grandma called about dinner plans with Mom, Carrie, Francis, and Linnea, to give Carrie her yearly presents. This time, at The Golden Corral.

That night, OLeif burned the midnight oil at work while Rose dropped in for homemade pizza on her way to Bible study with Annamaria.