cheese in the cheese box, bread in the bread box April 13, 2010

When Violet’s mother returned there was a lot to do.  Violet helped her mother to put the groceries away, and to mix up potato salad for her father, and to fill the small containers , that stay in the camper.  Mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, cheese in the cheese box, bread in the bread box and all the other things from the right toilet paper in the porta-potty closet, to the paper towels.

Finally they had everything done and in its place, including a small cooler in the refrigerator with stuff they would take on their trip to the city to see uncle.

“I don’t know about you Violet but I am tired, and hungry.”  Her mother seemed very happy and it really had been a lot of fun getting to help.

“I am not tired but I am hungry!”

“Ok well we better choose some dinner and get it started.  You know what I bet we could get your dad to bar-b-q tonight.   Oh look here he comes – hey Dean how about we bar-b-q tonight?”

“By we you mean me?”  He was laughing because he loved to use the big brick bar-b-q in the yard.  It was taller then her father in the center where the chimney went up and it was so long across the front.  You cooked in the middle but on both sides there were wood counters built into the bricks.  Her father grabbed a couple of beers out of the refrigerator and said, I will go get it started.

“Now what will we make?  I am thinking hot dogs because we have plenty of those.  We have buns, hot dogs, cheese what will we have with them?  Oh I know I will cut up some salad with fresh tomato’s and peas from the garden.   Since you are not tired you can run stuff back and forth – here start with these.”

Violet ran all of the things from the kitchen out to her father, one to two things at a time.  It was a lot of fun and she was getting very hungry.  Finally everything was finished and they all sat outside at the big wooden picnic table and ate.  It was nice that they were all together and all happy and laughing.  Even crow came and landed not far from the table, watching what was happening.  Her mother took part of a bun and tossed it at him, and he did not even flinch, just stepped forward and with his beak started to tear bites off…still watching them enjoy the meal. ©

just now in the barn, well there is a problem April 12, 2010

“Daddy I don’t know!”  She was excited that she was right, and she was glad he was happy but she really did not know and she did not like the way that felt, not at all.  “Daddy look.”  She pointed to the back of the barn where one of the men was running out of the barn, towards the fencing; he was looking around and they both knew he was looking for her father.

“Looking for me?” her dad hollered as he stood up and together they started to walk towards the back of the barn.

“Yes Dean I am, hello Violet.  Dean just now in the barn, well there is a problem.”  Violet and her father looked at each other and smiled, because they both had heard the big noise but had forgotten about it as soon as it happened; they were so focused instead on the birds and their secret.

“Well I guess I better get to work shorty, you going to be ok?  Why don’t you head back to the house and find something to do.”

“Yes daddy I will.”  She turned and ran to the house wondering what she would do.  Just as she got to the back door her mother was coming out the door.

“Oh there you are, I was just coming to holler for you.  I am going to run into town real quick and get groceries for your dad to take camping and pick up a couple of things for our trip to the city.  You go in and watch tv till I get back.”

“Ok!”  Violet did not get to watch tv often, and hardly ever during the day so she was very excited.  Plus she would be all by herself and would get to choose what channel to watch.  She hugged her mother goodbye, quickly said I love you and went to the living room to turn on the tv.  There were shows on her favorite channel PBS and she sat down to watch the kids on “Electric Company” all the time thinking it would be fun one day to get to play on tv.©

It is a game? April 10, 2010

“How would we play a game?  It is scary when it happens, and it just happens and only two times, maybe it won’t happen any more?”

“Actually Violet I think it will be happening more and I think that people will not understand it so it needs to be a secret.  As you get older you will be able to control it better.  So maybe if we practice some..I know come on.”

Her father turned around and helped Violet crawl up on his shoulders; then they walked over to the shady side of the barn.

“See up there, in the tree?  See the birds?”

“Yes I see them.”

“Close your eyes and think, which bird is going to fly away first.”

“Ok”  Violet looked again at the tree, and then closed her eyes tightly, thinking really hard about the birds.  Nothing happened, nothing at all.  “Daddy it doesn’t work it is just dark when I close my eyes.”

“That is ok, it will be practice.  Now what bird do you think will fly away first?  Just look at them.”

Violet was still perched on her fathers shoulders and she absently put her necklace in her left hand and put the stone up to her lips while she was thinking.  She was thinking that she was not sure this game was a good idea and what if her father got mad at her for not being able to know what bird would fly away first and then it happened.

She felt a little off balance as her body rocked back a little, and at the same time she could hear her father saying “Shorty you can not lean back like that, you could fall.” while he was leaning them forward and putting his hands on her legs; she also saw a flash of a woodpecker flying out of the tree and then all of the small black birds.

“The woodpecker, I guess the woodpecker!”

Just then there was a loud crash from inside of the barn it startled Violet and her father and the birds!  The woodpecker flew out of the tree and towards the house, and right after all of the small birds flew out too.

“Violet you did it!” You did it! How did you do it?  What did you do?”

Her father was swinging her down to stand on the ground, and he squatted down in front of her so they could see almost eye to eye. ©

did something else happen? April 9, 2010

Beth was no where to be seen, Violet decided to walk over to the fence and the old silo.  Just as she was crawling over the fence she heard her father holler “Hey where are you going?”

“Hi daddy, to the silo.  Daddy I have not seen Beth for a long time.”

“No you haven’t and that is a good thing, Beth and her family are gone.  They are not here anymore.  You mother should explain that though. “

That made Violet very sad, but she wanted to tell her dad the secret from this morning and after all she was to talk to her mother about Beth, maybe they could go visit one day.

“Do you remember when you told me to tell you, if I ever saw something again, like the boat?”  She really had no idea how to explain or ask since she really did not understand it herself.

“Yes…did something else happen?”

“Yes.”

“Ok well what happened?”  Her father was paying close attention to her now as she was sitting on the top of the fence and he was leaning against it.

“This morning I heard a noise in your room, and then I saw the cat come out of there.  Later I was telling mom about it in the kitchen and when she said she wondered what happened…..”

“Go ahead what?”

“Well I was still in the kitchen but I thought I saw the cat, in the window in your room, and the lamp was knocked down.  When mom went up to see what happened, it was like what I saw before I saw it, well not all of it, I did not know about the curtains.  And I did not tell.”  The words just tumbled out very fast and it felt good to finally be saying them.

“Ok well you did good to tell me, and just me.  I wonder if we could practice and see what stuff you would know that we could check up on and see if you were right.  You know like a game.”

Her father seemed really excited, and not at all mad and Violet did feel a little better about the whole thing. ©

“Go outside, find your dog and be a kid. Now!” April 5, 2010

Violet played in her room for awhile – making a new cabin with her logs and pretending like there was a cougar off in the trees.   Then she decided to make a fence and let all the little logs be cows, and move them from one pasture to the other.  She was having so much fun and was so lost in her imagination that time passed very quickly.

When her mother came in to tell her it was time to go have tea and practice manners, Violet felt like she had just finished lunch a few minutes ago.  She picked up all the logs like she was told and then she went downstairs to the kitchen.

Tea party for fun, was fun; but tea party for manners was not very fun.  It was hard for Violet to see and reach when she was sitting nicely on her chair and every time she scooted forward she was told to sit back and sit up like a lady.   Finally her mother was so frustrated that she came and pushed Violet’s chair up to the table, very tight.  She could feel the back of the chair on her back and the edge of the table on her front.  Violet wanted to cry, but knew that would only make things worse.

Finally they were almost done, and her mother was quizzing her on where do you put your napkin when you are finished? How do you ask to be excused? When is it acceptable to ask to be excused? Just then her father came in.

He walked over and pulled out Violet’s chair and said firmly “Go outside, find your dog and be a kid.  Now!”

Violet looked from her mother to her father and back again and then hurried very quickly to the back door and outside.  As she was closing the door she heard her father saying “For the love of everything in heaven what is wrong with you? She is five years old and…”

Violet was glad that it was warm outside because she had not had time to grab a sweatshirt or anything.  She easily found Max and decided to go to the barn to see Grey but also hoping that she may see Beth.    The barn smelled so good, and she got a treat down for Grey and then walked to the back of the barn and out the back side door to look for Beth.

She had not been allowed to see Beth since the day her father announced they were moving her play area down stairs and she had so many things to share with her. ©

“Very good Violet, now the napkin.” April 2, 2010

It was not too long until her mother was calling up the stairs for her to come down for lunch.  It was always a stressful time for Violet when her mother wanted to practice manners;  just the two of them.  The meal felt more like every single thing was judged even the things she did right.  She knew it was not about trying to hurry through it, because that only made it worse.

When she got to the kitchen she saw there were two plates and all the silverware at each place; even cloth napkins.  Violet took a deep breath and walked to the table.  Her mother pulled out her chair and pushed it in as she was sitting down.

“Very good Violet, now the napkin.”  As her mother was saying it Violet was taking the napkin and unfolding it into her lap.

“Isn’t this fun.”

Violet thought it was anything BUT fun, but she also knew the right answer was to reply yes and smile.  Lunch went pretty well and her mother was already focusing on their tea for the afternoon.  Together they cleared the table and talked about the drive to the city in the morning.   Her mother thought they would leave after breakfast and said her father was filling the car up with gas and checking all of the car stuff, this afternoon so it would be done and safe.

“And I bought two work-books for you to work on in the car, that way you will not be bored.”

“What kind of work-books?”

“They are like school books, but you can buy them at the store.  There are some stickers and word finds and things in them.  I do not know – you will see it tomorrow morning.  In fact if you promise me you will not open them, not look at them; I will give them to you now and you can take them to your room and put them in your backpack.  Make sure to add a pencil and the sharpener, even your colored pencils.  Then the bag will be ready to go in the morning.”

“I promise!!”

Her mother handed her two work-books; both had red covers on them and Violet was so excited to be able to open them tomorrow.  She was wishing they could leave today.  She went to her room to get her backpack and fill it up with the work-books, and the supplies she might need.

Violet was thinking this is kinda of like getting to go back to school, and how excited she is for school to start again. ©

carrying a suitcase and a tote bag March 31, 2010

While she was brushing her teeth Violet decided that she would tell her father what had happened and see what he said about it.  Part of her was afraid of what happened ; how she knew it, saw it.  But part of her thought it was pretty cool and that maybe she could learn how to do it for other things.

Her mother came into her room as she was getting dressed, carrying a suitcase and a tote bag.  She walked to Violet’s bed and laid one on each side of the bed.  “I need you to help out.  I want you to plan out what you will take with you and wear; both for the trip to the city and to the camp out Sunday on the way home.   I want you to use the suitcase for the city stuff, and the bag for Sunday.  For example a towel, swimsuit, shorts and stuff for Sunday and nice clothes and shoes for the city.  Do not pack anything, just lay it out for each day on the side of the bed that it will be packed in and add two nice outfits for going out on Friday and Saturday night.   Do you understand what I expect?”

“Yes I know how to do that, I can do that.  Mom where will I pack the necklaces that I am not wearing?”

“Oh well in the suitcase with the clothes I suppose.   We are going to have a manners lunch today, and a manners tea this afternoon to make sure you practice before we go.  I will call you when lunch is ready when you get done with the clothes you can play up here until I call you.”

Violet’s mother headed out of the room and down the stairs and Violet got ready trying to decide what she would need to pack.  She decided to start with the stuff for Sunday first because it would be easier.  Then she counted out what she would need for the city – pajamas, slippers, two dress up piles with socks and her nice shoes, two piles of clothes for Friday and Saturday and then she added an extra pile of what she could wear in the car on the drive to the city.

Violet made sure she had socks and underwear and then thought she should take her sweater for the nice clothes but her zip up sweatshirt for the other times.  When she was done she sat down on the floor to play with her stacking logs building a cabin, and adding the trees around it.  ©

that was a secret she was only to tell her father March 26, 2010

Violet finished up her breakfast and was getting her stuff in the sink, and the cereal put away; when her mother came in from the barn.

“Good morning did you sleep well on the couch?”

“Yes I did.  Mom when I went upstairs to get my necklace” as she was talking she took the necklace in her hand “the cat came out of your room after there was a big noise.”

“Wonderful, I wonder what he has done now?”

Violet saw a flash, a picture of her parents bedroom and the cat up on the window; sliding some on the salt in the window and knocking over a lamp as he jumped down.

“Violet are you listening to me?  Violet?!”  Her mothers voice made the picture go away and Violet let go of the necklace at the same time.  “Violet are you alright?”

“Yes I think so, I am sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“Not listening, I should go brush my teeth and get dressed.”

“I will come with you, see what the cat has done and help you get your bags.  Today I want you to lay out the clothes you will take for the weekend.”

They headed up the stairs.  Violet wanted to tell her mom what she saw in the kitchen; but it was like what she saw with the boat and that was a secret she was only to tell her father.  She also wanted to know if the lamp was knocked down like she saw it.  “Can I see what the cat did?”

“Sure come on.”  Together they walked into the bedroom, and Violet quickly looked to the window.  The lamp was knocked over, and the curtain was pulled loose on that side of the window.  Violet gasped when she saw it, because it did look so much like what she saw happen in the kitchen.

“It is ok, I can put it all back easily. “  Her mother was walking over to the window, picking up the lamp and then she noticed the salt.  “Hmmmmmm”

Violet walked over and asked “Mom, what is wrong?”

“Nothing, it is fine…just seeing the salt line is no longer in place.  I wonder if that is what caused this?”  Her mother seemed to be talking more to herself than to Violet and it was making Violet very uneasy.  “I am going to go get dressed and brush my teeth.”

“Yes I will be there in a minute, go ahead.” ©

all night long, on the couch March 25, 2010

It was not very long before she fell asleep.   When she woke up it was morning, she realized her parents had let her sleep on the couch all night long.  Violet heard the back door closing and wondered who was coming in or going out.  She closed her eyes and lay very still, listening.  There were no more sounds so she slid off of the couch and went to peek in the kitchen.  No one was there.

Violet decided she would have breakfast, and as she was getting her bowl and cup, with out thinking about it she reached up for her necklace.   It was then she remembered that she had taken one off last night before her bath and never put one back on and that since she slept on the couch, she did not sleep with them under her pillow.   That was one of the rules, and she had broken it with out even thinking about it.

She turned to run up the stairs to her room, wondering what it would mean, and if it would be ok.  As Violet reached the top of the stairs she heard a noise from her mothers room.  She took a deep breath and darted quickly into her own room.  Quickly grabbing the bag, dumping the three necklaces on her bed; she was looking at them carefully and they all seemed to be fine.  “1, 2, 3 which one is for me?” as she said it she closed her eyes and just reached for one.  Just as she was grabbing one there was a crash from the direction of her mothers room.  Violet jumped, slid the necklace over her head, the other two back in the bag quickly said thank you and went to see what the noise had been.

She was crossing the landing at the top of the stairs in time to see the cat come out of her parents bedroom.  Violet decided it was best to just head back down stairs since she was not supposed to be in their room unless she was invited in.

Violet got back to the kitchen and quickly made her breakfast and sat down to eat.  While she was looking at the back of the cereal box she was wondering if it was ok that she had not followed the rules for the necklaces.  She wondered if she should ask her mom or just keep the secret to herself. ©

maraschino cherries and whipped topping March 24, 2010

They headed into the kitchen to make sundaes and decided it would be more fun to use the chocolate sauce that gets hard when it touches the ice cream.  With some maraschino cherries and whipped topping, the chocolate sauce and  even some sprinkles on top they carried the bowels back to the living room.

They were about half way through their ice cream,  when they heard car doors outside, and singing.  “Is that daddy? singing?”  Violet was surprised to hear her father singing and it seemed as if there was at least one other man singing with him.  Before her mother could even answer the front door opened and in came her father and one of his friends.

“You are both drunk!  Look at the two of you behaving like boys instead of men. “

Her mother was interrupted with laughter and her father addded “wait you have to hear this…ready Bob?” Then together they made some kind of loud noise, not really singing but perhaps trying to sing?  It was very funny to watch and Violet’s  dad had red cheeks as if he were sunburned.

“What was that?” her mother asked, and even she could not help but laugh some at the site of them.  “We are learning to yodel!” both men replied at once.  Then more laughter.

“We do not want to interrupt your girl time, we just wanted you to know we were here.  Gonna grab a couple of beers and head out to the barn to look at that tractor.  I will be in soon.”  And off they went, to the kitchen and out the back door.

“Mom is daddy sunburned?”

Her mother laughed as she replied “Finish up that ice cream before it melts.  No your father is not sunburned he has been drinking, he can not hide it that Irish skin of his; it  always tells on him.”

“What does yodel mean?”

“Well I can tell you for sure it does not mean what those two were doing!  Finish up and you can lay on the couch with the pillows and watch the end of this show.  Then it will be off to bed with you.”

They both finished their sundaes, and Violet was very tired as she laid down on the couch to watch tv. ©