Ropes & Collars

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Grandma Combs came over to the house that afternoon to watch autism films with Carrie. While out to the library to pick up the films, Carrie also brought back fried chicken, Italian cheese bread, Caesar salad, and vanilla ice cream with chocolate Magic Shell for lunch.

Grandma arrived with a very early birthday present for Carrie-Bri. It was a colorfully beaded pharaoh’s collar, direct from Egypt, embellished with hand-carved blue stone scarabs.

Puck’s nap was interrupted by various cats, telephone calls, and other noises that afternoon. But he snuggled down for awhile in his grandma’s soft fuzzy pink robe and caught a few more winks before officially waking up.

Outside, Linnea was busy with the neighbor girls on their patio over cold drinks. She had also been rigging a rope over the old rope-swing tree.

“Help!” She called to Collette. “I can’t get down!”

She was straddled on the lowest branch.

“Well, come on, I got you,” Collette held up her hands to support her.

Linnea apparently took this literally and jumped on top of Collette nearly knocking her over backward.

Collette helped her adjust the rope so that rescue would not be necessary again.

By late afternoon, Joe had Collette’s car out for a much-needed wash. And Grandma, Dad, and Mom were out to a wake. Visitation, really. The mother of one of their old high school friends had passed away.

That evening, OLeif took off for a two and a half hour meeting at church with the committee for the Fall Fest coming that October which was apparently going to involve Civil War-era style hot air balloons, professional barbecue, some unusual assortment of petting critters, battle reenactments, etc. Collette thought it all sounded a little funny.