OLeif Returns
Sunday, April 10, 2011
In which OLeif returns as the temperatures rocket and the wind drives into St. Louis…
Whereas Saturday had been predicted as reaching 87 degrees Fahrenheit, Sunday was predicted to be only 88. But with this ridiculous uprising also came the great hope of thunderstorms, and some of those possibly severe as well.
On the way out to services, Puck got busy telling Collette something about God and Doctor Who and Santa Clause… part of which was lost in translation…
“Isn’t that crazy, Mama?”
Church was tepid to begin with that morning, partly due to Puck having to be removed before the sermon had really gotten underway.
But then there was a handful of Cubs jokes to start out Sunday School with Ichabod, after Liepaja had presented her part of the lesson.
Back at the house…
Carrie was preparing fish: tilapia crusted in Parmesan.
Joe was at Grace.
Rose was at Memorial. Between two Bible studies, Saturday evening services, Sunday services, and gatherings with church folks on Saturday and Sunday nights, her week was almost always fully engulfed.
And Puck dumped the salt shaker into his mouth, walking around wearing Francis’ white noise canceling ‘ear phones’ with an expression of amazement at its abilities.
At lunch, he stuffed himself with salad.
“When I was a baby, I didn’t like leaves,” he said.
“Linnea, your salads are incredible,” said Joe, taking a second helping.
“Thank you.”
“Well don’t be so arrogant. I just said they were good.”
Root beer pops for dessert from Grandma Combs.
When Joe returned from work, he and Francis discussed ‘rights to OLeif’s Ruckus’, and then the two commenced discussing storm possibilities for the summer with Carrie, and of chasing storms that same afternoon…
Into the second hours of the day…
Puck watched The Magic School Bus in Space collection for his Quiet Hour, using Trooper as a pillow, while the other kids watched off and on, reminiscing of the old days.
Francis left to ride bikes with Gaston before youth group.
Rose returned from her week of house-sitting.
“Rose, I’m so glad you came back to me!” Carrie declared in a mushy manner.
Rose wrinkled her nose.
“Go away!”
Out to World Market for Collette, Rose, Linnea, and Puck, but not before Carrie had pointed out the particularly orange hue of the sun that afternoon.
Once arrived at the store: three-dimensional pirate ship kites, tubes of rainbow-colored tea lights, marzipan creations, hand-painted Bulgarian dishes, etc. The shop was always filled with curiosities. And they came away with a small paper bag that included a pack of soy-free Japanese fruit-flavored gum in melon, grape, strawberry, and orange.
On the drive back, the winds were a little nuts.
Storms were predicted that night.
Back at the house…
Linnea and Puck joined Joe in some Minecraft.
Carrie was starting the rather thick edition of Time Ferris’ Four-Hour Body.
Francis left for Taco Bell with Gaston and Creole.
Then Cherry called up Linnea while Linnea prepared herself a plate of cream cheese toast and sat out on the driveway to watch the cloud cover come in.
And Puck was raiding the fridge for pancakes and singing…
“I’m goin’ to your house today!”
And after five o’clock, OLeif returned from Nashville, earlier than Collette had originally anticipated, having had a good weekend of music and food and family.
The evening ended with a bad headache for Collette and several lines of strong thunderstorms which commenced at around eleven o’clock and kept her awake until after one.