Visitations

Friday, September 21, 2007

Puck’s great-great aunt and uncle were in town from Albuquerque. Around three o’clock, Dad, Mom, Collette, Joe, Frances, and Linnea arrived at Libby’s where they were staying.

Joe, Frances, and Linnea were having contests to see who could hold their breath the longest in the hot tub. Although not the longest, Linnea still held her breath an impressive one minute and four seconds despite her scarce young nine year-old lung capacity.

It was good to see Great Uncle Harry and Great Aunt Patsy again. They had traveled the world and talked about their new grandson and their son, Clancey, who had followed in their footsteps, even visiting China twice for competitive dragon boat racing. (He had promised to take Carrie sometime.) However, he was currently contracting at a company in Iowa (where Bluetooth had been hired, the same place Dad had begun his career), and dragon boat racing was, naturally, limited in such an area of the country.

Great Uncle Harry had a whisky voice – like a cold cloud on a windy day. He was one of Collette’s favorites. Tall, lanky – a lot like Grandpa had been, but more quiet – not chatty and smiling like Great Aunt Patsy.

Meanwhile, Carrie and Rose were at work. Early in the morning, Carrie had accompanied Denae, Kitts (who was in town from Texas), Curly, and Izzy to the apple orchards (some of which still hosted fruit after the bitter freeze in early spring). Carrie returned with a tiny green apple for Puck. Puck enjoyed this treat, clutching the little fruit between his chubby paws.

Come evening, it was off to see Ben-Hur in Columbia for OLeif, Collette, Joe, Augustus (whom they picked up from work at a mail sorting company), and Rose.