Grandson David and I celebrated his June birthday when both of us were free. It was worth waiting for! He came after he went to church in town and I had attended mine on line. Both of us like a number of restaurants, so we sat on the front porch with our phones. I left the choice to him. His hunger voted for Clyde’s, where the Southern food is good and plentiful. As it turned out, we both took food home. Instead of having dessert at the restaurant, we had Fudge Moose Tracks ice cream at home. As we chatted on the porch, David noticed my eyes beginning to shut and suggested a siesta. He caught up with things on his phone as I nodded off.
At supper time we pulled out crackers, humus, and salmon salad (made from canned fish). David was interested in my dill plants and went outside with me to cut some to go with the meal. We ended with lemon milk sherbet I’d made for the 4th of July celebration. I knew he loved lemony things, and this did not disappoint.
The day was laced with conversation. We had many things to catch up on, the most shocking being a wild fire at the train club in Tennessee. I had not been aware of it. Some of the track area and several buildings were destroyed. David has a caboose (about six feet long) in the back of the car, waiting to be taken back. None of John’s equipment was harmed.
David talked about singing in the choir at church, the hamburgers his boss cooked for the Lowe’s staff on July 4th, and helping a friend on his property. It was the give and take of conversation that included references to family anecdotes that strung it all together. You know the kind of thing – one word or a gesture that brings up family stories. I hadn’t realized how much I missed that with him. I loved being instantly connected to the past again. I was shocked when I saw the clock when he was leaving – 11:00 p.m.!! What a marvelous day it had been!
Mehrling Muse 