Sunnies?
Monday, August 1, 2005
It was the first day of a new month, typically the hottest month Saint Louis ever experienced. And Sunday, although it was quite warm, was pleasant enough for Dad, Mom, Collette, Francis, and Linnea to drive over into Red Bud, Illinois, to visit Fort de Chartres, from the French & Indian and Revolutionary Wars.
Everyone else was at work or youth group, and so the five enjoyed the hazy afternoon between the river and bluffs yonder, scoping out the reconstructed walls of rock and the magazine, ghosted quarters, and chapel and housing… Collette found it to be quite fascinating. Francis and Linnea even spied a satisfied cat sunning itself on the foundation of the old barracks. And Linnea was quite interested in the collection of arrowheads in the gift shop. Collette could imagine the old days, watching from the crevices in the walls, hearing the blood-curdling war-hoops of Indians riding furiously toward them over the great river valley.
Mom remembered coming there often as a little girl, eating fried chicken under the grand old trees in front of the fort. And, indeed, upon driving back home, they stopped by for Kentucky fried chicken where the others joined them at home. It was quite a pleasant afternoon.
Monday was a day for saying goodbye. After dropping by the library for Carrie to unsuccessfully locate an English-Cherokee dictionary with the word “fearless” listed (and to drop off her library application), they took one last drive by Ernest’s house.
“If he’s out walking in the yard, then I’ll know to keep on,” Carrie said, rounding the bend at Mockingbird. “And if not, I’ll say goodbye.”
“Are you sure you want to be that drastic?”
“Yes, it’s been long enough.”
“Five years…”
They turned once more onto Nantucket Road and drove by the now-familiar house. The flags on the porch still furled in the breezes of the early warm evening. And the flowers still rustled along the walk. The lawn still green and trim and quiet…
“Goodbye, Ernest,” Carrie said, watching the house disappear past the window. “It’s time to move on then,” she said, as Collette handed her a purple candy heart in consolation.
Never would Boy Scout camp be the same again.
At the dinner table, OLeif was still at work, so Collette joined the others for rice stew and bread. They discussed Elazar Moss’ latest letter to the Snicketts and English families as Carrie showed them how to wedge gingersnaps into their mouths and blow on them like Darth Vadar ventilators until they became soft. They all looked quite ridiculous. They discussed Elazar’s letter. Some favorite excerpts were:
“We’re both finishing up our mid year month break and have been working in the meantime. I’m still at the bottleshop (I think you guyz call it a liquor store?)…
My mate (Dave) and I have essentially finished planning our trip to Tanzania, Kenya + Mauritius. (24th Jan ’06 – 28th Feb ’06). We are very excited and now all we’ve gotta do is make the money to get there.
I’ll give you a basic overview:
1) Climb Mt Kilimanjaro (8 days) – HIGHLIGHT!
2) Safari (Serengeti, ngoro ngoro crater, Kenya wildlife parks, etc…)
3) Zanzibar (island about 50km offshore – go diving and partying)
4) Mauritius (relax for a couple of days on the beach before coming home to face 3rd year uni, I’ll miss the 1st few days of semester, oops…)”
(Carrie was extremely jealous upon hearing this piece of news.)
“Dad and I just had a morning of kayaking at Manly Beach… Even though it’s winter here, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the temp was unusually high. Then the wind changed and it was pretty cool, especially when we surfed a few waves and fell off. I bailed (unfortunately I lost my sunnies – that’ll teach me), and dad upstaged me and rode the wave into shore.”
It was a letter of sports, action, travel, and fun… Carrie sighed with envy more than once upon reading through, although she already had good prospects of spending the entire next summer in Alexandria. And they could only conclude that “sunnies” were sunglasses after a good deal of laughter over the new term. He signed his letter, “cheers.” What wasn’t there to love about this Aussie family?