Wild Lights
Saturday, November 27, 2010
First thing of the morning…
Flowers for Mom, a bundle of autumn blooms. Then OLeif got a donut, each, for Collette and Puck. Puck settled on the ‘twisty donut’. Collette had the chocolate long john as usual. And then a mini pack of playing cards for OLeif. Apple juice for Collette. Milk for OLeif. Splurges.
Over to the house where the tree was up, as well as all of the other decorations of the season.
When Puck saw the tree, he laughed.
“The Christmas lights go all the way to the top! That’s so funny!”
Over at the house…
Dad was going out for his usual run.
Joe was at work.
And Rose was telling of her experience visiting a firehouse as a kid…
“The fireman asked us, ‘So what number do we call if there’s a fire?’ And I said 9-9-1. And I failed.”
There was also a pair of Christmas socks for Puck, which, unlike his normal socks, he kept on his feet all day long.
Shortly later, it was time to run errands. Francis behind the wheel, OLeif shotgun, Puck and Grandma in the pilot seats, and Collette and Linnea-Irish in the back.
First, to Costco to search for LED lights for the roof. Though there were none to be found in the multi-colored variety. So they compensated with a box of 72 Reeses Peanut Butter Cups — a sneak-attack by Linnea — four boxes of cocoa-dusted dark chocolate truffles for Christmas, and a gallon of dish detergent.
“What is this, joy riding?” Francis finally asked, as they continued to meander about the store.
“Don’t complain, Francis,” Collette told him. “You’re getting all the free samples.”
Francis had to agree, though he passed on the sugar cookies and chocolate-covered blueberries. Puck, on much the other hand, didn’t pass on anything at all.
This was followed with American-sized portions of pizza, sodas, and chicken bakes.
Around three hours later, they returned, having found the two boxes of necessary LED lights from the Home Depot off of the Rock Road.
Back at the house…
Francis continued stringing up the lights, and then later phoned Collette to have them retrieve fallen bulb covers.
Not much long later, dinner: a giant pan separated in thirds: enchiladas, rice with cheese, and beans.
Followed by gifts: Mom had already received a new pair of boots with cuffs, and then the fourth season of Road to Avonlea, and a uniquely designed delicate black scarf.
Then it was off to the Zoo for Wild Lights with Dad, Mom, OLeif, Collette, Francis, Linnea, and Puck. Collette was no particular fan of the Zoo, but Puck had a great time walking around the light-covered paths, visiting the insects and butterflies, plus puppet show with Mexican-hatted butterfly and wooly bugs, the penguins and puffins, hand-jiving choir, and a bag of popcorn.
“I’m eatin’ popcorn to be a big boy so I can grow a beard like Daddy!” Puck announced happily, shoving more popcorn into his mouth.
When they returned home, Puck quickly prepared to change for the night.
“Do you have a lot of options for me to wear?” he asked Collette, as she retrieved his pajamas.
“Traveling, whether in the mental or the physical world, is a joy, and it is good to know that, in the mental world at least, there are vast countries still very imperfectly explored.”
– Bertrand Russell (as noted via Nacchianti)
Post 2009