223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks, Pac!
Pooped? Ok, Pac, you owe me a full cup of coffee!!!Mark stepped out of the shadows, grabbed Artie by the arm, twisted it behind the man's back and put his pistol right behind Artie's ear.
Artie pooped himself in fright.
#65
"It sure did get quiet in here. Who was that guy in the skirt and what's he doin bein so silly as to wear a skirt in weather like this?" Cotton asked in a loud voice.
Donny chuckled as he explained to the group that Seamus was a Scotsman, and true Scots wore kilts like Seamus did. "He's also our minster, along with Dad."
"I'm sure glad our Dad never wore no skirt, that would be hard to live with, 'cause I ain't never." Cotton was very definite about his choice of clothes.
"Kids," Donny intervened, "we wait to eat until the blessing has been said. No matter how little or how much we have to eat, we always thank God for whatever it is. Cotton, I will say the thanks right now and for supper. You will be responsible for saying Breakfast blessing tomorrow, so be thinking on what you want to say." Donny concluded.
There was no talking as Donny dished up bowls of rice with green bean sauce, just the clink of spoon against the bowls.
Andy and Judy shared a quick lunch. "How come your brother hasn't been around pestering us?" Judy asked as she put the dishes in the sink.
"I dunno," Andy answered shortly. He really didn't like Judy's question, but it seemed petty to complain about it. "He's just moody, I guess." Andy wanted to explain that since they had gotten married, Judy was a whole lot different than she had been. She was bossy and aggressive and always ready to pick on every little thing he said or did.
Andy didn't care if she wanted to call the shots on what they did or where they went, just not all of them. He was busy thinking that it must be two weeks since he had seen Donny, when he missed Judy speaking to him.
She got right in his face and started berating him for never listening to her, when Andy suddenly had enough. Pushing her away, he stood up, went to the door, grabbed his coat and went outside to the barn. He knew full well why no one came to visit, or why they weren't invited anywhere. It was Judy's waspish attitude and criticism that never seemed to let up; it made the rest of the family uncomfortable to listen to it.
Andy cleaned the barn, he had four of the expecting workhorse ladies plus his own two saddle horses. There was always a chore to do, and lately the horses were better company than Judy. He was putting off having a confrontation with her, and he couldn't really say if it was cabin fever or if they were at odds that couldn't be overcome.
The more he got to thinking about his situtation, the more Andy thought about getting another opinion. Perhaps Dad with his many years of experience, could explain what he, Andy, was doing wrong. or.... not wrong.
Clora took one look at Andy's face, put coffee and cookies on the table and went to the back bedroom to go through the closets and trunks.
#99
Seamus sent Pricilla and the boys to the basement, when the bells rang. "Ye be leavin the wee ones here with their mooother," he announced, "Suisan you go with yer brooothers and be behaving yerself."
Calvin grabbed the recalcitrant little miss and it was like towing a dead weight, until Pricillia came along and added a swat to the bottom.
"Punky, you grab her other hand and help her down the stairs," The housekeeper had a basket of sandwiches and cookies in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other.
"I gotta potty," Suisan tried one last ditch stall to keep from leaving her daddy.
"I'm sure we can fix something up downstairs," and Pricilla said. "move it." Suisan gave a deep sigh and said something under her breath.
Calvin turned astonished eyes on his sister. "Miz 'Cilla, she just said she gave it a good try. That ain't no baby talkin, that's a sneaky girl trick."
"Indeed it is," Cilla replied. "I'm sure her daddy will be interested to know she can talk and understand so well."
Suisan was trying to think a hundred miles a minute. It put her in a position that she didn't want to be. Like the age old question...do you still beat your wife....there was no good answer. So. to the basement they went.
Seamus had Phoebe in bed resting, a baby snuggled in each arm. "There's no goin dooonstairs love, whatever comes, we'll be riding it out right here. Ooohh I wish I had me pipes, me fingers are itchin to play to the glory of God."
For once, Phoebe said a prayer of praise, that her sweet new babies wouldn't hear the strident music. They were sleeping quietly, and as worn out as she was feeling, she need the time to gather her strength. The clan had banded against Seamus, telling him to go way out into the woods to play his pipes, and he reluctantly agreed.
"Seamus, we need your prayers and thanks to God for the safe birth of our babies. We need you to pray for our safety from whatever is coming in the way of weather. I need you here Seamus, please don't leave me to rush out and play your pipes."
Seamus stiffly got down on his knees beside Phoebe's bed and clasp his hands. Trust Phoebe to keep him on the straight and narrow, he smiled as he opened his heart to praise his Lord.
Mark helped Clora down the narrow stairs into the storm shelter and passed cloth covered bowls of sandwiches, cookies and the all important coffee pot and cups. He looked up to see Wyatt walking from the barn.
"Come to the shelter," Mark invited, "I have no idea what is going to happen with that cloud, but it is weather for sure."
"Thanks, it's way to advanced to try and make a run for home. I guess the animals will be Ok in the barn?"
'I pray that the barn will be adequate, not much we can do until we know what's happening." Mark waved his hand for the Sheriff to precede him into the shelter.
The only family unprepared was the family huddled around stove in Donny's big house. No one had explained what the bells meant, so Sally had Cotton bring in a lot of wood, and she cooked rice and beans as Millie had instructed, and then canned venison as a sauce for the filler. Children ate slowly, enjoying the feel, taste and flavor of the precious food in their mouth. It was Cotton who brought up the anxious question they were all thinking.
"Sally, what we gonna do if this goes away, where we gonna go and live, what we gonna eat?" he asked and all the serious kids nodded. They were having problems believing their good fortune.
"Well, I can only tell ya that Donny says being married is forever, until we are really white haired and old. He says it's his duty and job to provide for us, and our duty to help us all by working together. I've been thinking about this ever since we got here. What Donny is asking is something we can do, I mean, we'd do most of it anyway, so doing that in exchange for a place to live, eat and be safe is something I can do. What do you guys think?"
Kids nodded, and Cotton said, "Donny is a really great teacher. He's learning me how to file a ax and how to chop."
"Donny's teaching me, is the correct way to say that Cotton, did you guys see the books in the one room upstairs? I think we can have some sort of school." Sally smiled and asked if anyone wanted seconds. Everyone did.
Mr Bill,Cliffy has reappeared.
Hi Pac, loving your story. From memory, (I'm at work and my computer is at home) Windows 10: go to "Settings" in the start menu. On that page, from the menus on the left hand side, choose the one for devices/keyboard/mouse.Folks,
Those of you familiar with Windows 10, is there a way to make the cursor larger or completely dark. I lose it, and have a terrible time finding it. Even though I have very large text, the sneaky little cursor hides.
I'm getting btter, but still not supposed to be on the computer, LOL. Thanks Pac.