They Come Every Spring
Friday, April 22, 2011
In which Puck continues his birthday celebration and there is anticipation of bad weather…
There had been more thunder in the night.
And in the morning, with hot ham in the oven for breakfast, the world was still washed in rain and the 40 shades of green things.
Over to the house where Francis and Dad had dug their way through three and a quarter pounds of peanut butter-filled pretzels since Wednesday afternoon.
Carrie-Bri read a Doctor Who comic book to Puck.
Just before 10:30, the rain fell heavy over that dark green world.
Puck filled his Sun’s Tardis bank with pennies.
Linnea-Irish worked on her life-size paper sheet of the human body.
And… the Easter candy was out, with an Easter washcloth for Puck pressed into the shape of an egg, which he thought was magic when his grandma showed him how to make it open in the kitchen sink.
By eleven, the day was as dark as dusk.
Before lunch, as the rain pounded, Collette accompanied Rose and Francis to the Social Security office for Rose to register for a new card. And then to Target for birthday gifts.
As they drove down Mid Rivers, once again, the new Chick-fil-A was packed, wrapping around, not quite into the intersection as it had been the previous week. When they walked out of Target, albeit a short trip, Francis was already asleep in the car. He was like Mom that way. He could nap anyplace, anytime.
At one o’clock, Grandma Combs arrived for Puck’s birthday celebration. Grandma Snicketts had opted not to come, due to the nature of the severe weather due around six o’clock.
Grandma met Earnest for the first time and was given a piece of Bathstone, which had come from a building from the 1700’s in Bath, outside of the Cotswolds. It was white, but would turn black if rained upon. There was the collection of photos and narration from Europe. And Grandma shared of her new experience in yoga class.
In the afternoon, Collette cut up three cantaloupes and five pounds of strawberries.
Joe returned from class to hold Earnest T.
Puck dyed Easter eggs with his grandma and grandpa.
Grandma Combs had brought a bunch of helium balloons in a variety of colors. After Puck chose the dark blue balloon to keep, Carrie took the rest of them up to the roof, where the family watched them launched into the sky as a sort of memory tribute to the good old Troops.
And there was a Tornado Watch until 10:00 that night.
Dad had the grill going, OLeif returned with the sodas and ice. Potato chips out with the bowl of cantaloupe and the other of strawberries. And the hot dogs and brats soon joined them, as they gathered around the table for the usual laughs and antics.
They were joined shortly later by Theodore, Gloria, and Izzy with his camera, as the skies continued to darken.
Presents were opened.
Puck was surrounded by a ring of onlookers as he tore through the pile of gifts in four year-old gleefullness.
He received it all.
From Grandma Combs: an interactive map of the world, a castle that played Danny Boy, a box of whale crackers, a bag of jelly beans, and seashells and sand in a bottle.
From the family: two books: Rain and Who Sank the Boat, a moon light to attach to his wall with a remote control to monitor the phases of the moon, and an emerald green shirt that read: “If you can read this, make me a sandwich.”
And from Rose: two boxes of moon sand (white and black), two small boxes of rainbow goldfish crackers, and a slinky.
“A spring! I can’t imagine why she would give this to me!” Puck declared in delight.
His face was a constant dimpled grin.
Magnus walked in the door with a coffee.
“Magnus! Look what I got for my birthday!” Puck exclaimed, running up to him and throwing the slinky forward in a sort of jack-in-the-box maneuver.
“Hey! Here’s something else for your birthday!” Magnus declared, pushing the cup of coffee towards him.
Then Puck went for a ride around the living room with his Uncle Izzy after saying over and over…
“Wasn’t it nice of everyone to give these things to me?”
The Mississippi Mud Cake was presented with farm critter candles, all courtesy of Grandma, singing, puffing of flames, and two types of ice cream.
Then everything started.
The Snicketts House Tornado Mass Chaos.
The Silverspoons left before the madness began.
“Take pictures of the tornado if you see one!” someone called out to Izzy as he left.
Everyone was running around up and downstairs, watching the television, outside on the porch, the yard, the street, exclaiming about rotation, yelling at each other to ‘look at this!’ ‘check this out!’ ‘get downstairs!’ ‘get the cats!’ ‘get Earnest T.!’ ‘look at the hook on that cloud!’ ‘tornado touch-down’ ‘two tornados on the ground’ ‘you’re going to get struck by lightening!’ ‘it’s not fun; trust me.’…
The rotation was stark, four-inch hail in the nearby area, the Tornado sirens whined on, then off, then on again, then off, and then on again. Back and forth to the radar and to the front porch and every-which-way, until…
…the danger had officially passed with the predicted volley of disappointment, but enjoyment for yet another opportunity to observe a good storm,
And back home to end the evening for movie night with Bringing up Baby.