The Return of Izzy

Monday, July 12, 2010

Linnea had AHG camp Monday through Wednesday. Every morning.

Mom and Carrie-Bri took Puck on errands while Collette tutored Francis.

Linnea went to look after the neighbor’s garden and chickens upon return, bringing back with her an enormous zucchini, broccoli florets, baby tomatoes, and one tiny chicken egg. Two families in the same neighborhood with chickens. In the suburbs. It was a sort of oddity.

The day was warm. Carrie was still, from time to time, going outside to destroy more of the winged beetles.

“They’ve turned the Chinese maple to lace,” she said. “They’re everywhere. Well, I may as well go out there and commit more murder.”

Shortly later, Puck experienced his first wasp sting. Or bee. Linnea wasn’t certain. He was a brave little fellow, however, and waited patiently for the band-aid to be affixed.

By the time evening had arrived, Collette and Puck were dropped off to join OLeif at the Silverspoon’s for Izzy’s return from Budapest. He had arrived earlier on Sunday morning with a fever. And after having slept most of a day and night, was feeling much better.

Izzy had a lot to say about the city and the kids and the church. And the more he talked, the more Collette remembered from her own trip and realized how little everything had really changed. The same graffiti on the buildings, chilled fruit soup, and the well-disciplined children. Except that while Collette had helped teach Vacation Bible School while there, Izzy had worked in the English camps.

Izzy had even brought gifts for everyone, which included a little pecking-chicken toy painted in bright colors for Puck, which was a real hit, a beautiful bound journal for Collette in an antiquated map pattern, and two bars of chocolate. One marzipan. And the other an amazing strawberry cream filled.

And then the beginning of Izzy’s enormous photo collection from the trip, with more to follow. All over a dinner of Papa Murphy’s pizza and root beer floats.

Nice evening.