Story Starting Over ... and Over and Over
- Thread starter Kathy in FL
- Start date
RememberGoliad
Veteran Member
Glad it worked for ya, Rabbit. I always worry when I send a link to a site I registered at, sometimes if they're missing a cookie they give a 404 or a "sorry, you're not allowed" type default page. Happy to hear that it's a valid link
Rabbit, it takes you to my blog that I try and update as I can. On the right hand side of that page you will find a full list of all available stories as a direct link. Follow Bill's link if you want to skip the blog and go straight to the FictionPress page where the stories are stored.
I just posted a section for "Trash to Treasure." I'm just too beat to post to the other stories but I'll try and add some more tomorrow.
Just letting you all know that starting tomorrow evening until the 22nd I'm gonna be in Alaska or flying between AK and FL. We are taking my parents on a bucket list trip just 'cause we love 'em.
What that means is that I may or may not be incommunicado during that time. I'll try to post story once but I'm really not sure how much time I'm going to have to do it. I'll try and post something tomorrow before I hit the hay but I'm sorry, no promises.
Anywho, I will try and keep an eye out just in case but if I don't respond right away that's why.
Wish me luck!
What that means is that I may or may not be incommunicado during that time. I'll try to post story once but I'm really not sure how much time I'm going to have to do it. I'll try and post something tomorrow before I hit the hay but I'm sorry, no promises.
Anywho, I will try and keep an eye out just in case but if I don't respond right away that's why.
Wish me luck!
80 Degrees?! Some different from six years ago when we were in Alaska. We froze. We went in May and it was the day after a late blizzard. LOL
Well I did manage to get some stuff posted. I'll try and have enough written when I get back that I can post again right away. Y'all stay out of trouble now, you here? ROFL!!!
Well I did manage to get some stuff posted. I'll try and have enough written when I get back that I can post again right away. Y'all stay out of trouble now, you here? ROFL!!!
RememberGoliad
Veteran Member
Thank you, Kathy! I've got my fix. Have fun and we'll see ya when you're back!
Back from Alaska. In addition to memories I came back with a ferocious upper respiratory infection. It made the flight home like a multi-hour panic/asthma attack. With that said I hope to start posting again tomorrow or Sunday depending on how I feel. Just wanted to drop by and say hi. LOL
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Oh my, that's just no fun at all. Bad time of the year for it as well. Get well soon.
Still recovering from whatever the heck this stuff is that we brought back from Alaska. Drove my parents back to their place because they needed to get to their own doctors. They were given another load of antibiotics - this time Doxicycline or something like that, then back to their docs in 2 weeks. I've been trying to clean up here in the house and with school starting for the year it is all just putting me into overload. But I'm posting things as I can. I wish it was cool enough so I could air out the house and get rid of all of these blasted germs …. sons are fighting this stuff off now.
This stuff really fogs your brain up. I'm tellin' you. The other day I got hung up on Weird Al songs and now I can't get his "Word Crimes" out of my head. LOL
Siskiyoumom
Veteran Member
Thank you for all your updates on your stories. I am ticked off at the judge and how he is treating Doe in trash to treasure.
Lake Lili
Veteran Member
Kathy - sorry that the bug is making its way through the family... never much fun and always leaves you behind in what you had planned. Hope you all continue to get better. Can't remember which grade you as HSing this year... mine is 2/3 of the way through grade 10... and I hate math just as much this time as I did the first time through.
Siskiyoumom - have to agree about the Judge... Interesting though to watch how the staff is lining up in support of Doe. Loving that story!
Siskiyoumom - have to agree about the Judge... Interesting though to watch how the staff is lining up in support of Doe. Loving that story!
Letting everyone know I was cleared for travel. Will be travelling for business next two weeks. Will pop in and out as I can, including posting story at FF and FP. Since part of the travel is out of the country I will have to see if my TravelPass works reliably or not.
ok, I'm late to this party, but... instead of shooting Reave, have him be the victim in the dunk tank and have a carnival.I agree with Dosadi. I think Shanna needs to shoot Reeve, even if just a little bit, he needs it. And Clint needs to wake up and smell the roses.
I know, have Clint do the shooting! Win win!
Cat
make sure the water is good & cold! Old Gray Mare
TB Fanatic
Many of Kathy's stories, finished and otherwise are posted at the link below. Be warned: After opening the link you may find you've lost several days lost in her stories.
www.fictionpress.com
MotherHeninFlorida | FictionPress
MotherHeninFlorida is an author that has written 23 stories for Action, Sci-Fi, and General.
www.fictionpress.com
Kathy just posted a new chapter at FictionPress!!!
www.fictionpress.com
MotherHeninFlorida | FictionPress
MotherHeninFlorida is an author that has written 23 stories for Action, Sci-Fi, and General.
www.fictionpress.com
Kathy just posted a new chapter at FictionPress!!!
MotherHeninFlorida | FictionPress
MotherHeninFlorida is an author that has written 23 stories for Action, Sci-Fi, and General.
In the homestretch on this one. I think the remainder can completed in under five chapters but we'll have to see. I just posted 77 and it is kinda long but I couldn't find a good break point to cut it into two.
RememberGoliad
Veteran Member
Enjoying the new additions immensely! Hope your Christmas was all you wanted it to be, and that your new year is smooth....enough 
Bill
Bill
RememberGoliad
Veteran Member
Dad was a wise man. He always told me if you're going to put a quarter tank of fuel, be sure it's the top quarter. When I was in high school, they provided the truck (the oldest one on the farm that was too worn out to drag a 11000 lb nurse wagon) and I put the gas. Dad gave it to me with a full tank of gas and the instructions that if he EVER went out in a morning and could see 'light' between the full line and the needle, it was gonna be parked. In other words, top it off on the way home every time. He only had to park it once for me to get the message, and it's stuck for 40 years LOL
Oh, and no, "I had to stop and get gas" was NOT an excuse to bust his curfew. ("Plan for it, son...")
Story is in the bag. Just finished posting Chapter 81. Sometimes you just know how a story is going to end and sometimes it takes a little longer. Now on to the next one calling my name. I just don't know which one that will be quite yet.
Oh and PS, it might take a minute or two for 79-81 to show up unless you subscribed and get a ringy-dingy in your email box. But it's there, I swear it. LOL
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
goinpostal
Contributing Member
Thank you again Kathy.
Read this again,still finding it incomplete.
Life being as it is,I totally understand.
Haven't been on the boards much since the loss of my other half to cervical cancer on 09/28/19.
Her initial diagnosis was only mid August that year.
It was a shock to say the least,and caused me to have to start over from scratch.
New town(Lee,Fl.),new place.
Bought 3ac of woods 2yrs ago,and have been developing it into an off grid homestead since,one piece at a time as money allows.
Also had a 12×36 lofted barn shell brought in,and eventually will purchase a second similar one to add as an addition.
Got most of my solar ready to install(8kw) except for the ground mounts for the panels.
The well,and then septic will be next on the agenda.
Then I can finish out the first half of cabin shell.
So far I've paid everthing in cash,so as not to be beholding to anyone financially.
Currently have a 26' travel trailer to live in here,I run off a 2200w generator,a tiny 100w solar setup,and propane.
Being a long haul trucker I'm only home for a week every 2mo so It's suitable enough for now.
It's like a mansion in comparison to the truck.
As with many of your tales,murphy keeps interfering or I'd be a lot further along in my endeavor.
Matt
Read this again,still finding it incomplete.
Life being as it is,I totally understand.
Haven't been on the boards much since the loss of my other half to cervical cancer on 09/28/19.
Her initial diagnosis was only mid August that year.
It was a shock to say the least,and caused me to have to start over from scratch.
New town(Lee,Fl.),new place.
Bought 3ac of woods 2yrs ago,and have been developing it into an off grid homestead since,one piece at a time as money allows.
Also had a 12×36 lofted barn shell brought in,and eventually will purchase a second similar one to add as an addition.
Got most of my solar ready to install(8kw) except for the ground mounts for the panels.
The well,and then septic will be next on the agenda.
Then I can finish out the first half of cabin shell.
So far I've paid everthing in cash,so as not to be beholding to anyone financially.
Currently have a 26' travel trailer to live in here,I run off a 2200w generator,a tiny 100w solar setup,and propane.
Being a long haul trucker I'm only home for a week every 2mo so It's suitable enough for now.
It's like a mansion in comparison to the truck.
As with many of your tales,murphy keeps interfering or I'd be a lot further along in my endeavor.
Matt
Lake Lili
Veteran Member
@goinpostal - so sorry about the loss of your other half. Even after this time, my condolences. Congrats though on building your self a new space. May it bring you joy.
What the heck?! I thought I had finished this one over here. Doggone it. I will try and put it up real quick. Pardon any egregious grammar and spelling goofs. I might wind up duplicating one or two chapters making sure things are posted. If so, pardon me. Dust bunnies have snuck into my ears and brain from all the cleaning I'm doing.
__________________________________________
Chapter 75 (Part 1)
“Little more to the left … no right … I mean little more to the right. Little more. Just a smidge. Stop! Perfect!! No, wait. Needs to go a couple of smidges back to the left. Too far. Half a smidge back to the right.”
I heard a couple of the Haines kids mutter, “Is she going to do this with every wreath and tree?”
I was tempted to tell them yes just to watch them freak out, but I hesitated to be cruel as The Aunts directed the placement of outdoor decorations around the Big House. Aunts Cordie and Bea on the other hand, having overheard the muttered complaints, turned a look to their sister Florence and you could see the Valkyrian gleam start in her eyes and slow transformation of her face into a manic battle mask. The kids saw it too and trust me … it was scary. Very, very scary.
I was deciding the best location for a hot chocolate and baked goods stand … preferably a location not on or near the porch as Clint didn’t want to deal with potential “slip and fall” claims … while the other three Aunts directed the placement of a ridiculous number of red ribbons and miles of other Christmas paraphernalia. It was all very tasteful, so tasteful in fact that it almost made my teeth hurt. It looked like something out of a very expensive magazine and just as fake, but I kept my mouth closed. I let them have the outside since Clint had decreed that I was to be left alone to do the inside of the house … although they all made some suggestions and kept asking if I needed any help. I decorated the inside of the Big House so it would survive the coming party with all the old, traditional ornamentation. I did a little decorating in the Housekeeper’s Office every day and I suspect by Christmas the room will even blind Santa Claus. When I explained it to Clint – my little bit of passive aggressive holiday fun – he laughed and threatened to dress up like Santa and ask me to sit in his lap. And I might just let him do that very thing … so long as Carra isn’t around to start complaining of needing eye bleach and all the rest.
After figuring out what I thought would be the safest and easiest place to put up the goodie stand I returned to the kitchen just in time to save the cookies. Not because they were in danger of burning but because Carra and Clint were about to plow through them … again. I told them, “Two cookies each. Two. That’s it.”
“Aw!” they chorused.
Just shaking my head at their apparent bottomless ability to consume Christmas sweets I added, “You’ll spoil your dinner. And I’ll never get all the cookies baked for the party at the rate they seem to be disappearing.” My smile belied my words and they just laughed, snagged three cookies each and then beat feet to avoid getting shanghaied by the Aunts.
While the next batch of cookie dough made its way into the mammoth Hansel and Gretel oven, I started on another flavor of no-bake truffles. We’d finally figured out what to do for the kids … we were making each of them a keepsake book. A picture of the Big House tree was going on the front cover and while they all had the same cover, we changed up the inside of the books based on age appropriate content. There would be a separate book for the preschoolers, elementary school age, middle school age, and high school kids. Using some of my teaching resources such as the free online printable crossword puzzle maker[1] and free online word search maker[2] we made puzzles for the book, difficulty and size of the puzzle based on age. We included easy craft recipes such as flubber, koolaide slime, aqua sand, spray chalk, dirt dough, edible paint, dandelion playdough, and the like. For the older kids we included science experiment type activities and more challenging craft recipes like learning osmosis by growing gummy bears, using wint-o-green lifesavers to make a spark, and instant hot ice. There were riddles, vintage Christmas songs, coloring pages, and a little bit of Haines family history interspersed throughout, as well as family pictures of Christmases from the 1930s. And the teacher in me couldn’t help but include a list of popular children’s books from the 1930s as well as some classics for the older students written during that same decade.
The book was to be accompanied by an ornament made on the Estate. I didn’t realize it but Aunt Bevvie – she who was the shyest Aunt of them all – had a glass-blowing studio to match Aunt Gracie’s pottery studio. She had a couple of the older Haines kids – college age because of insurance restrictions – working as apprentice students. She’d come up with the idea to make a piece of glass in Depression Era cobalt blue that had Haines Estate and the year stamped on it. I had in my possession something similar that Jesse had bought for me the year we took a family vacation to Virginia and visited Jamestown. It is round and flat and basically starts out as a blob of glass that is then pressed or stamped with words or a design and comes out about the size of a drink coaster. A hole is punched through before it completely cools. Run a string through the hole and instant … or relatively instant … Christmas keepsake ornament.
In addition to the book each child was going to receive a decorative tin with the Haines Estate Christmas logo on the lid that is to be filled with various homemade goodies. I was baking cookies and no-bake truffles. Aunt Florence was making enormous batches of fudge from the “secret family recipe.” Aunts Cordie and Bea were contributing pralines using the recipe that had been handed down to them from their husband’s side of their family. And on it went. I was beginning to wonder just how large the tins were going to be if everyone expected to put something in them.
As I formed the balls for the next batch of truffles, I thought about how excited the Aunts were to be getting back to their traditions. Not only would the Haines Christmas Party be here in the Big House … and spill out onto the verandah and the terraces where guests would find warm drinks, goodies, and marshmallows to roast … but the Estate was also sponsoring several nights of hayrides, most of the proceeds of which were going to local charities. Charities were also allowed to set up a booth (on the other side of the Estate where the stables were located, and the hayrides started) to either sell things or just to let the public know what they did and/or how to apply for assistance. When I asked Clint why they’d stopped he said that his Grandfather dying and the chaos that had brought had corresponded with some changes in local licensing laws making it difficult to impossible to sponsor the event for a couple of years, and once stopped it had been allowed to slip to a lower priority. But the Aunts felt that having survived the attempted coup d’état was a sign to return to the family’s roots and traditions.
Spots on the hayride had filled so quickly that three more wagons were prepared, and a couple of more nights were scheduled, and spots on those were also filling quickly. Some local businesses reserved entire wagons for employees and their families. When I had exclaimed what a lovely thing for them to do Clint rather cynically said, “And it is a nice write off here at the end of the year too.” I’m sure he isn’t wrong, but I still think it is nice.
I asked Clint if the Big House ever did anything special for the Staff and he said the Aunts normally handled it from the family. Then I asked if there was some restriction if I wanted to do something for particular staff members that I knew on a personal basis. “I don’t want to make an issue of it or create a problem, but I would like to do something. Bernie, Reggie, and Lacey. The Crockers. The Clarks. And a few others as well that have been helpful or kind to me in particular.”
Clint looked up from the spreadsheet he’d been working on and then nodded. “What do you have in mind?”
“Just baking them some cookies or giving them some jam or jelly that I’ve made myself. I don’t want to embarrass anyone or make them feel like they must reciprocate. I just want to say thank you … for being nice to me.”
Clint gave an easy grin and said, “Then do it. I’ll mention it to the Aunts but just to let them know we aren’t stepping on their toes, just that you want to do a few things yourself.”
“Will they think that I’m trying to … I don’t know … upstage them?”
“Doubt it. I’ll just make sure. And … er … you think you could do something like that for Reave? I know he isn’t your favorite person …”
Sighing as I hadn’t meant my attitude about it to show I told Clint, “It’s not that. I guess I’m just embarrassed that he knows what a mess I was for so long.”
“Yeah well Reave knows just as much if not more about me, and since we are both different people than we used to be, that stuff is in the past. Reave is the family lawyer. He knows things about everyone simply by the nature of his job. He’ll know even more stuff as time goes by. And not just about us. But he is tight as a clam and I know that for a fact. He refused to discuss anything specific with the Aunts regardless of what they asked. He just point blank told them that what they were concerned about was a nonissue and that was it.” When he saw me blanch he said, “Julie thinks you’re trying too hard to stay out of the Aunts’ way.”
I sighed. “Julie …” I shook my head trying to find a polite way to phrase what I wanted to say.
But then I didn’t have to because Clint grinned and said, “She is a buttinsky for a fact. But she’s relatively harmless as the females in this family go and she’s a good soul.”
I borrowed Clint’s trademark snort and said, “She’s well on her way to being as managing as your Aunts, she’s just nicer … and sneakier … about it. I don’t think even Sylvia Crocker realized what she was doing when we all went shopping.”
“Really?”
“And you can get that butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-your-mouth look off your face. She was giving us clout … Haines family style … and showing some of your other family members that we are considered valuable.”
With a single, emphatic nod he said, “Damn straight she was.”
“At your direction?”
Refusing to even pretend he said, “I didn’t have to. She took it on herself. Julie has a lot of commonsense that she tends to hide to fly under the Aunts’ radar. One of these days that is going to backfire on her but that’s her problem, not mine. As for the baking thing … do it for whoever you want; I’ll even play Santa. Or, save it for the Christmas party. The permanent staff have an open invitation to join us, and most of them do at least for an hour or so.”
“Why didn’t your Aunts say anything about that?”
“Probably because most of the permanent staff are considered some version of family, even if it is a distant connection. It is just the way it has always been. And with the part-time seasonal staff gone home, it isn’t anything that is going to cause a problem.”
There it was again, that sense I had that the Estate was more than what it appeared at first glance; like this giant, extended family that operates like a galaxy … by and large with each piece operating like their own solar system with planets, moons, and other space objects; but if you step way, way back you begin to understand they are all rotating in the same direction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening tallying up all the Christmas goodies that I had made thus far and what remained to be made. I also shot another deer from the verandah that had kicked over a couple of my frost cloches that I had put up to try and make what fresh greens I still had growing last as long as possible.
Clint – and Bernie and Reggie who had been there laying galvanized mesh prior to refurbishing the old hot tub pergola – had come running at the sound of the blast. I was more than a little angry as I’d had designs on the very broccoli that had been munched and turned to the men and said, “They are going to learn one way or the other to stay out of my garden.” I stomped off in high dudgeon and it was an hour before I cooled off and by then the men had field dressed and carted off the evidence of my deer-i-cide.
__________________________________________
Chapter 75 (Part 1)
“Little more to the left … no right … I mean little more to the right. Little more. Just a smidge. Stop! Perfect!! No, wait. Needs to go a couple of smidges back to the left. Too far. Half a smidge back to the right.”
I heard a couple of the Haines kids mutter, “Is she going to do this with every wreath and tree?”
I was tempted to tell them yes just to watch them freak out, but I hesitated to be cruel as The Aunts directed the placement of outdoor decorations around the Big House. Aunts Cordie and Bea on the other hand, having overheard the muttered complaints, turned a look to their sister Florence and you could see the Valkyrian gleam start in her eyes and slow transformation of her face into a manic battle mask. The kids saw it too and trust me … it was scary. Very, very scary.
I was deciding the best location for a hot chocolate and baked goods stand … preferably a location not on or near the porch as Clint didn’t want to deal with potential “slip and fall” claims … while the other three Aunts directed the placement of a ridiculous number of red ribbons and miles of other Christmas paraphernalia. It was all very tasteful, so tasteful in fact that it almost made my teeth hurt. It looked like something out of a very expensive magazine and just as fake, but I kept my mouth closed. I let them have the outside since Clint had decreed that I was to be left alone to do the inside of the house … although they all made some suggestions and kept asking if I needed any help. I decorated the inside of the Big House so it would survive the coming party with all the old, traditional ornamentation. I did a little decorating in the Housekeeper’s Office every day and I suspect by Christmas the room will even blind Santa Claus. When I explained it to Clint – my little bit of passive aggressive holiday fun – he laughed and threatened to dress up like Santa and ask me to sit in his lap. And I might just let him do that very thing … so long as Carra isn’t around to start complaining of needing eye bleach and all the rest.
After figuring out what I thought would be the safest and easiest place to put up the goodie stand I returned to the kitchen just in time to save the cookies. Not because they were in danger of burning but because Carra and Clint were about to plow through them … again. I told them, “Two cookies each. Two. That’s it.”
“Aw!” they chorused.
Just shaking my head at their apparent bottomless ability to consume Christmas sweets I added, “You’ll spoil your dinner. And I’ll never get all the cookies baked for the party at the rate they seem to be disappearing.” My smile belied my words and they just laughed, snagged three cookies each and then beat feet to avoid getting shanghaied by the Aunts.
While the next batch of cookie dough made its way into the mammoth Hansel and Gretel oven, I started on another flavor of no-bake truffles. We’d finally figured out what to do for the kids … we were making each of them a keepsake book. A picture of the Big House tree was going on the front cover and while they all had the same cover, we changed up the inside of the books based on age appropriate content. There would be a separate book for the preschoolers, elementary school age, middle school age, and high school kids. Using some of my teaching resources such as the free online printable crossword puzzle maker[1] and free online word search maker[2] we made puzzles for the book, difficulty and size of the puzzle based on age. We included easy craft recipes such as flubber, koolaide slime, aqua sand, spray chalk, dirt dough, edible paint, dandelion playdough, and the like. For the older kids we included science experiment type activities and more challenging craft recipes like learning osmosis by growing gummy bears, using wint-o-green lifesavers to make a spark, and instant hot ice. There were riddles, vintage Christmas songs, coloring pages, and a little bit of Haines family history interspersed throughout, as well as family pictures of Christmases from the 1930s. And the teacher in me couldn’t help but include a list of popular children’s books from the 1930s as well as some classics for the older students written during that same decade.
The book was to be accompanied by an ornament made on the Estate. I didn’t realize it but Aunt Bevvie – she who was the shyest Aunt of them all – had a glass-blowing studio to match Aunt Gracie’s pottery studio. She had a couple of the older Haines kids – college age because of insurance restrictions – working as apprentice students. She’d come up with the idea to make a piece of glass in Depression Era cobalt blue that had Haines Estate and the year stamped on it. I had in my possession something similar that Jesse had bought for me the year we took a family vacation to Virginia and visited Jamestown. It is round and flat and basically starts out as a blob of glass that is then pressed or stamped with words or a design and comes out about the size of a drink coaster. A hole is punched through before it completely cools. Run a string through the hole and instant … or relatively instant … Christmas keepsake ornament.
In addition to the book each child was going to receive a decorative tin with the Haines Estate Christmas logo on the lid that is to be filled with various homemade goodies. I was baking cookies and no-bake truffles. Aunt Florence was making enormous batches of fudge from the “secret family recipe.” Aunts Cordie and Bea were contributing pralines using the recipe that had been handed down to them from their husband’s side of their family. And on it went. I was beginning to wonder just how large the tins were going to be if everyone expected to put something in them.
As I formed the balls for the next batch of truffles, I thought about how excited the Aunts were to be getting back to their traditions. Not only would the Haines Christmas Party be here in the Big House … and spill out onto the verandah and the terraces where guests would find warm drinks, goodies, and marshmallows to roast … but the Estate was also sponsoring several nights of hayrides, most of the proceeds of which were going to local charities. Charities were also allowed to set up a booth (on the other side of the Estate where the stables were located, and the hayrides started) to either sell things or just to let the public know what they did and/or how to apply for assistance. When I asked Clint why they’d stopped he said that his Grandfather dying and the chaos that had brought had corresponded with some changes in local licensing laws making it difficult to impossible to sponsor the event for a couple of years, and once stopped it had been allowed to slip to a lower priority. But the Aunts felt that having survived the attempted coup d’état was a sign to return to the family’s roots and traditions.
Spots on the hayride had filled so quickly that three more wagons were prepared, and a couple of more nights were scheduled, and spots on those were also filling quickly. Some local businesses reserved entire wagons for employees and their families. When I had exclaimed what a lovely thing for them to do Clint rather cynically said, “And it is a nice write off here at the end of the year too.” I’m sure he isn’t wrong, but I still think it is nice.
I asked Clint if the Big House ever did anything special for the Staff and he said the Aunts normally handled it from the family. Then I asked if there was some restriction if I wanted to do something for particular staff members that I knew on a personal basis. “I don’t want to make an issue of it or create a problem, but I would like to do something. Bernie, Reggie, and Lacey. The Crockers. The Clarks. And a few others as well that have been helpful or kind to me in particular.”
Clint looked up from the spreadsheet he’d been working on and then nodded. “What do you have in mind?”
“Just baking them some cookies or giving them some jam or jelly that I’ve made myself. I don’t want to embarrass anyone or make them feel like they must reciprocate. I just want to say thank you … for being nice to me.”
Clint gave an easy grin and said, “Then do it. I’ll mention it to the Aunts but just to let them know we aren’t stepping on their toes, just that you want to do a few things yourself.”
“Will they think that I’m trying to … I don’t know … upstage them?”
“Doubt it. I’ll just make sure. And … er … you think you could do something like that for Reave? I know he isn’t your favorite person …”
Sighing as I hadn’t meant my attitude about it to show I told Clint, “It’s not that. I guess I’m just embarrassed that he knows what a mess I was for so long.”
“Yeah well Reave knows just as much if not more about me, and since we are both different people than we used to be, that stuff is in the past. Reave is the family lawyer. He knows things about everyone simply by the nature of his job. He’ll know even more stuff as time goes by. And not just about us. But he is tight as a clam and I know that for a fact. He refused to discuss anything specific with the Aunts regardless of what they asked. He just point blank told them that what they were concerned about was a nonissue and that was it.” When he saw me blanch he said, “Julie thinks you’re trying too hard to stay out of the Aunts’ way.”
I sighed. “Julie …” I shook my head trying to find a polite way to phrase what I wanted to say.
But then I didn’t have to because Clint grinned and said, “She is a buttinsky for a fact. But she’s relatively harmless as the females in this family go and she’s a good soul.”
I borrowed Clint’s trademark snort and said, “She’s well on her way to being as managing as your Aunts, she’s just nicer … and sneakier … about it. I don’t think even Sylvia Crocker realized what she was doing when we all went shopping.”
“Really?”
“And you can get that butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-your-mouth look off your face. She was giving us clout … Haines family style … and showing some of your other family members that we are considered valuable.”
With a single, emphatic nod he said, “Damn straight she was.”
“At your direction?”
Refusing to even pretend he said, “I didn’t have to. She took it on herself. Julie has a lot of commonsense that she tends to hide to fly under the Aunts’ radar. One of these days that is going to backfire on her but that’s her problem, not mine. As for the baking thing … do it for whoever you want; I’ll even play Santa. Or, save it for the Christmas party. The permanent staff have an open invitation to join us, and most of them do at least for an hour or so.”
“Why didn’t your Aunts say anything about that?”
“Probably because most of the permanent staff are considered some version of family, even if it is a distant connection. It is just the way it has always been. And with the part-time seasonal staff gone home, it isn’t anything that is going to cause a problem.”
There it was again, that sense I had that the Estate was more than what it appeared at first glance; like this giant, extended family that operates like a galaxy … by and large with each piece operating like their own solar system with planets, moons, and other space objects; but if you step way, way back you begin to understand they are all rotating in the same direction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening tallying up all the Christmas goodies that I had made thus far and what remained to be made. I also shot another deer from the verandah that had kicked over a couple of my frost cloches that I had put up to try and make what fresh greens I still had growing last as long as possible.
Clint – and Bernie and Reggie who had been there laying galvanized mesh prior to refurbishing the old hot tub pergola – had come running at the sound of the blast. I was more than a little angry as I’d had designs on the very broccoli that had been munched and turned to the men and said, “They are going to learn one way or the other to stay out of my garden.” I stomped off in high dudgeon and it was an hour before I cooled off and by then the men had field dressed and carted off the evidence of my deer-i-cide.
Chapter 75 (Part 2)
Leaning against the table before sitting down Clint chuffed a laugh and said, “You know, at this rate you’ll use all of your tags before I will.”
Trying not to act like a crazy person I said, “That broccoli was going to be yours and Carra’s dinner.”
“And don’t I love your broccoli and cheese casserole. But … er … anyway, what would you think of rebuilding the old fencing around the kitchen garden?”
Thoughtfully, giving him points for trying not to have a whole lot to say about the shot I made from the porch, I asked as I tried not to beat the biscuit dough like a dominatrix, “There was a fence around the kitchen garden?”
“Yep. When I was a boy you could still just make out the foundation where the posts were set. I went looking but they’ve completely rotted away but there’s some old pictures that show what it looked like. From the ground up to three feet there was a short brick wall. In some of the older pictures you can tell that it used to be two parallel walls with dirt between them. The fence was set in the dirt between the two short walls and then flowers and things were grown in the dirt that climbed up the fence. In some pictures it looks like they planted sun flowers. Other pictures it might have been some type of fruiting vine, can’t tell for sure. So, what do you think?”
I sighed in longing. “It would be nice to have something like that, but it isn’t an expense we need. That much brick is bound to be expensive.”
“It would be if we were using new bricks,” he agreed. “But we are going to have a pile of bricks here pretty soon and I’d rather them go direct into a new project rather than having to find a place to store them. And there’s some old fencing in there that can also be repurposed.”
“What project? I mean what re-claimed bricks and fencing?”
“As soon as the new pergola is finished, I’m going to have the brick barn around the old greenhouse dismantled so that we can start using it again. I thought it would be a hard sell at the Board Meeting but there’s some real interest by some in the family, and for more than just hot house flowers. A bunch in the family want to have a garden this coming Spring, either their own or a cooperative one, and it will be better if we can grow our own starts than having to try and get them at the co-op. The setup we have right now just won’t suffice if we are trying to provide seedlings for both the commercial Estate needs and individual family wants. There was also mention of trying to grow dwarf tropicals in large planters though I’m not sure how much of a return that would bring.”
“What does Cody have to say? Anything?” I asked wondering if it was going to be a conflict of interest.
“He supports the idea. The co-op in town can rarely keep up with demand as it is. And with drought, and now harsh winter, going on where they normally get most of their Spring stock, we’ll be much better off not being dependent on a source outside the Estate. Cory says prices are definitely going to rise and variety and number will be falling at the same time. Lacey has already made the suggestion that we order seeds early. Have you got your order ready?”
“I have a list.”
“Would you mind working on that tonight? And don’t leave out those flowers you want.”
“How did you …?” I gave him a look. “That was just something I was sketching out to kill the time. It wasn’t meant for you to take seriously. Or at least not seriously right now.”
“Well I seriously like it. And so does Lacey.”
Surprised I yelped, “You showed her?!”
“Yes I did,” he said in satisfaction. “She knew all of the plants that you had sketched in and said you’d picked and I quote ‘good uns’ especially where you want to address some of the erosion that is showing up on the terraces and near the river ramp. She liked your idea of seeding the surrounding forest with them daylilies and growing the edible flowers up closer to the house though it is likely to draw deer in so we’ll need to plan for it. She isn’t sure about a couple of the fruit trees and vines you want to try but that’s mostly because she hasn’t heard of them … all but the kiwis. She said ‘them fuzzy things’ give her the shivers.”
I had to grin at Clint’s getting Lacey’s backwoods speech down to a T. Then had to become more serious when he said, “You’re going to work yourself to death trying to take care of all of what you want.”
“It will take a couple of years for all of it to start fruiting, except for maybe the brambleberries. The plan is for the plants that I am using to gorilla garden with – like the daylilies – to be self-sustaining or at least very low maintenance. I hope by the time things reach a regular harvest schedule that some in the family – certainly Sylvia Crocker – will be interested in foraging.”
“Good luck with that,” Clint groused. “And don’t be disappointed if they add you to my side of the crazy ledger.”
I shrugged as I’d already considered it and frankly didn’t really care. “Their loss. I still think it is a good thing to start cultivating the surrounding forest as much as possible. I really can’t see us continuing to buy so much as was done this past year. For one, the news makes it sound like prices are really going to go up because of the bad weather affecting crops, for two there is whatever it is with the GMO crops. And for another thing, all of the restrictions on herbicides and fertilizers by the eco-crazies.”
“And for another,” he added a tad stiffly. “There’s the fact you don’t think the budget will be there.”
It took me a moment to catch what he meant. To head off yet another tiff about money I told him, “My job is to make it easier on you, not to be the inspiration for spending more money.”
“I thought we agreed that just because people still call you my housekeeper that …”
I interrupted him by saying, “Then don’t call it a job – though that bothers me none at all – say it is my calling. Clint, try and understand, it is the way I was raised. And personally, I think penny pinching is sexy.”
He looked upset for about two seconds before a satisfied male grin bloomed on his face. “Sexy huh?”
“Yes.”
Then he snorted, caved at least temporarily, and said, “Fine. I can live with sexy. Just don’t short your own plans just because you are worried about the damn budget. I’ll figure it out.”
Trying not to sound as irritated as I was about the subject coming up again I told him, “We’ll figure it out … and one way that happens is if I use some commonsense. Please don’t turn this into one of those circular arguments we’ve been falling into recently. You aren’t hurting my feelings or making me think less of you because we don’t have plans to spend money like it is water. It gave me the heebie jeebies when I found out just how much was being spent before. And we don’t need to spend it that way now that we’ve gotten out ahead of the next year. And the reason we were able to do that is at least in part of your suggestions which were good ones and I want to keep the same cycle so we can stay ahead. My goal is to always be a year or two ahead in the areas that I can help in … and not be a burden in the areas I can’t do anything about. As far as anyone in the family joining us in foraging? Like I said, I hope they do but their loss if they don’t. If nothing else, being your partner means I need to set an example of how to properly use the resources that the Estate generates. I may not know what I’m supposed to do otherwise, but that I can certainly wrap my head around and set as a goal.”
He got a thoughtful look on his face before asking, “That part still bothers you?”
“Which part?”
“What your place is here on the Estate.”
I sighed and slid the biscuits into the oven. “My place is to help you do what you do … and sometimes that is going to mean help by getting out of the way and staying out of the way.”
“Now wait a …”
“Clint, I’m not feeling sorry for myself or angry about it or whatever you think and is putting those frown lines on your forehead.”
Just this side of angry again he asked, “Then why in the Sam Hill would you say something like that?”
“Because I’m trying to be honest and realistic. There are things that I can be good at. Things I’ve taught myself to be proficient in out of necessity and turned out to actually enjoy them; taking care of the Big House, keeping our projects organized, budgeting for our projects here at the Big House and on your land. The garden. Foraging. Helping with Carra. I can see myself doing those things and enjoying them for eternity. Then there are things that I know I can help with simply because of my previous experience … like suggestions I made for the Estate school, the inventory that you and Reave need for the Trust, entertaining your business associates with meals or by performing. I … I admit those things help me with my self-esteem issues or whatever labels you want to hang on my hang ups. Beyond that? It doesn’t worry me as much as it used to because I have found places that I can help with. But sometimes I worry that …”
“That?”
“That you or your aunts or some of the other family are going to expect me to buy into the family by having a business of my own like most of them do. I … I don’t know … I mean …”
Clint relaxed at the same rate that I was getting nervous. He told me nonchalantly, “Don’t worry about that.”
“Don’t worry about it?! It has kept me up more than a few times. And I keep telling myself the same thing that you’ve told me before … that Rome wasn’t built in a day … but all I really want to do is my part here at …” I stopped, took a breath and then barreled on with the truth. “Right now all I can think about or want to do is what I came here to do in the first place. Take care of the Big House and make your life a little less stressful where I can help. I don’t want to be one of your aunts. I’m sorry Clint, I just don’t.” The timer went off and while I took dinner out I said, “I know I sound small minded. I understand the Estate is a package deal. I don’t get you without having to accept it … and all the people that live and work here who depend on you. I recognize it is a huge responsibility, and I seriously doubt that anyone else could do it as successfully as you handle things and that it is going to take up a lot of your life just by the nature of how that all works. And, no, I don’t resent the Estate so don’t start thinking that. It’s just when it comes right down to it … I want to be Mrs. Clint Haines, not Mrs. Haines Estate.” I stopped and shook my head. “I must sound ridiculous. I just don’t know how else to say it right now.”
“You don’t sound ridiculous,” he said pulling me into his arms. “And Rome wasn’t built in a day. If all you want to take on is what you’ve told me about that’s fine with me. I didn’t want this position despite all of Grandfather’s pushing, but now I’ve got it I honestly can’t imagine my life different, or at least for the most part though there are things I would like to change. And as for this? I want you here because you want to be, not because you feel you aren’t being given any choice. Some day you may find that you’ve taken on different parts, but I won’t force you or push you. Just stand by me.”
“Of course,” I told him, grateful that he wasn’t assuming anything. And frankly I didn’t know what that “anything” might be. The Aunts all seemed, if not territorial, certain of their positions in the family and who they planned on taking over for them when the time comes. None of them need me. Perhaps if they did, I’d feel differently but then again, maybe not. I’m secure here, I’m not sure I could feel that way about anything, or any place, else on the Estate. But as Mom was fond of saying, ‘never say never’.”
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[2] Word Search Generator :: Create your own printable word find worksheets @ A to Z Teacher Stuff
Leaning against the table before sitting down Clint chuffed a laugh and said, “You know, at this rate you’ll use all of your tags before I will.”
Trying not to act like a crazy person I said, “That broccoli was going to be yours and Carra’s dinner.”
“And don’t I love your broccoli and cheese casserole. But … er … anyway, what would you think of rebuilding the old fencing around the kitchen garden?”
Thoughtfully, giving him points for trying not to have a whole lot to say about the shot I made from the porch, I asked as I tried not to beat the biscuit dough like a dominatrix, “There was a fence around the kitchen garden?”
“Yep. When I was a boy you could still just make out the foundation where the posts were set. I went looking but they’ve completely rotted away but there’s some old pictures that show what it looked like. From the ground up to three feet there was a short brick wall. In some of the older pictures you can tell that it used to be two parallel walls with dirt between them. The fence was set in the dirt between the two short walls and then flowers and things were grown in the dirt that climbed up the fence. In some pictures it looks like they planted sun flowers. Other pictures it might have been some type of fruiting vine, can’t tell for sure. So, what do you think?”
I sighed in longing. “It would be nice to have something like that, but it isn’t an expense we need. That much brick is bound to be expensive.”
“It would be if we were using new bricks,” he agreed. “But we are going to have a pile of bricks here pretty soon and I’d rather them go direct into a new project rather than having to find a place to store them. And there’s some old fencing in there that can also be repurposed.”
“What project? I mean what re-claimed bricks and fencing?”
“As soon as the new pergola is finished, I’m going to have the brick barn around the old greenhouse dismantled so that we can start using it again. I thought it would be a hard sell at the Board Meeting but there’s some real interest by some in the family, and for more than just hot house flowers. A bunch in the family want to have a garden this coming Spring, either their own or a cooperative one, and it will be better if we can grow our own starts than having to try and get them at the co-op. The setup we have right now just won’t suffice if we are trying to provide seedlings for both the commercial Estate needs and individual family wants. There was also mention of trying to grow dwarf tropicals in large planters though I’m not sure how much of a return that would bring.”
“What does Cody have to say? Anything?” I asked wondering if it was going to be a conflict of interest.
“He supports the idea. The co-op in town can rarely keep up with demand as it is. And with drought, and now harsh winter, going on where they normally get most of their Spring stock, we’ll be much better off not being dependent on a source outside the Estate. Cory says prices are definitely going to rise and variety and number will be falling at the same time. Lacey has already made the suggestion that we order seeds early. Have you got your order ready?”
“I have a list.”
“Would you mind working on that tonight? And don’t leave out those flowers you want.”
“How did you …?” I gave him a look. “That was just something I was sketching out to kill the time. It wasn’t meant for you to take seriously. Or at least not seriously right now.”
“Well I seriously like it. And so does Lacey.”
Surprised I yelped, “You showed her?!”
“Yes I did,” he said in satisfaction. “She knew all of the plants that you had sketched in and said you’d picked and I quote ‘good uns’ especially where you want to address some of the erosion that is showing up on the terraces and near the river ramp. She liked your idea of seeding the surrounding forest with them daylilies and growing the edible flowers up closer to the house though it is likely to draw deer in so we’ll need to plan for it. She isn’t sure about a couple of the fruit trees and vines you want to try but that’s mostly because she hasn’t heard of them … all but the kiwis. She said ‘them fuzzy things’ give her the shivers.”
I had to grin at Clint’s getting Lacey’s backwoods speech down to a T. Then had to become more serious when he said, “You’re going to work yourself to death trying to take care of all of what you want.”
“It will take a couple of years for all of it to start fruiting, except for maybe the brambleberries. The plan is for the plants that I am using to gorilla garden with – like the daylilies – to be self-sustaining or at least very low maintenance. I hope by the time things reach a regular harvest schedule that some in the family – certainly Sylvia Crocker – will be interested in foraging.”
“Good luck with that,” Clint groused. “And don’t be disappointed if they add you to my side of the crazy ledger.”
I shrugged as I’d already considered it and frankly didn’t really care. “Their loss. I still think it is a good thing to start cultivating the surrounding forest as much as possible. I really can’t see us continuing to buy so much as was done this past year. For one, the news makes it sound like prices are really going to go up because of the bad weather affecting crops, for two there is whatever it is with the GMO crops. And for another thing, all of the restrictions on herbicides and fertilizers by the eco-crazies.”
“And for another,” he added a tad stiffly. “There’s the fact you don’t think the budget will be there.”
It took me a moment to catch what he meant. To head off yet another tiff about money I told him, “My job is to make it easier on you, not to be the inspiration for spending more money.”
“I thought we agreed that just because people still call you my housekeeper that …”
I interrupted him by saying, “Then don’t call it a job – though that bothers me none at all – say it is my calling. Clint, try and understand, it is the way I was raised. And personally, I think penny pinching is sexy.”
He looked upset for about two seconds before a satisfied male grin bloomed on his face. “Sexy huh?”
“Yes.”
Then he snorted, caved at least temporarily, and said, “Fine. I can live with sexy. Just don’t short your own plans just because you are worried about the damn budget. I’ll figure it out.”
Trying not to sound as irritated as I was about the subject coming up again I told him, “We’ll figure it out … and one way that happens is if I use some commonsense. Please don’t turn this into one of those circular arguments we’ve been falling into recently. You aren’t hurting my feelings or making me think less of you because we don’t have plans to spend money like it is water. It gave me the heebie jeebies when I found out just how much was being spent before. And we don’t need to spend it that way now that we’ve gotten out ahead of the next year. And the reason we were able to do that is at least in part of your suggestions which were good ones and I want to keep the same cycle so we can stay ahead. My goal is to always be a year or two ahead in the areas that I can help in … and not be a burden in the areas I can’t do anything about. As far as anyone in the family joining us in foraging? Like I said, I hope they do but their loss if they don’t. If nothing else, being your partner means I need to set an example of how to properly use the resources that the Estate generates. I may not know what I’m supposed to do otherwise, but that I can certainly wrap my head around and set as a goal.”
He got a thoughtful look on his face before asking, “That part still bothers you?”
“Which part?”
“What your place is here on the Estate.”
I sighed and slid the biscuits into the oven. “My place is to help you do what you do … and sometimes that is going to mean help by getting out of the way and staying out of the way.”
“Now wait a …”
“Clint, I’m not feeling sorry for myself or angry about it or whatever you think and is putting those frown lines on your forehead.”
Just this side of angry again he asked, “Then why in the Sam Hill would you say something like that?”
“Because I’m trying to be honest and realistic. There are things that I can be good at. Things I’ve taught myself to be proficient in out of necessity and turned out to actually enjoy them; taking care of the Big House, keeping our projects organized, budgeting for our projects here at the Big House and on your land. The garden. Foraging. Helping with Carra. I can see myself doing those things and enjoying them for eternity. Then there are things that I know I can help with simply because of my previous experience … like suggestions I made for the Estate school, the inventory that you and Reave need for the Trust, entertaining your business associates with meals or by performing. I … I admit those things help me with my self-esteem issues or whatever labels you want to hang on my hang ups. Beyond that? It doesn’t worry me as much as it used to because I have found places that I can help with. But sometimes I worry that …”
“That?”
“That you or your aunts or some of the other family are going to expect me to buy into the family by having a business of my own like most of them do. I … I don’t know … I mean …”
Clint relaxed at the same rate that I was getting nervous. He told me nonchalantly, “Don’t worry about that.”
“Don’t worry about it?! It has kept me up more than a few times. And I keep telling myself the same thing that you’ve told me before … that Rome wasn’t built in a day … but all I really want to do is my part here at …” I stopped, took a breath and then barreled on with the truth. “Right now all I can think about or want to do is what I came here to do in the first place. Take care of the Big House and make your life a little less stressful where I can help. I don’t want to be one of your aunts. I’m sorry Clint, I just don’t.” The timer went off and while I took dinner out I said, “I know I sound small minded. I understand the Estate is a package deal. I don’t get you without having to accept it … and all the people that live and work here who depend on you. I recognize it is a huge responsibility, and I seriously doubt that anyone else could do it as successfully as you handle things and that it is going to take up a lot of your life just by the nature of how that all works. And, no, I don’t resent the Estate so don’t start thinking that. It’s just when it comes right down to it … I want to be Mrs. Clint Haines, not Mrs. Haines Estate.” I stopped and shook my head. “I must sound ridiculous. I just don’t know how else to say it right now.”
“You don’t sound ridiculous,” he said pulling me into his arms. “And Rome wasn’t built in a day. If all you want to take on is what you’ve told me about that’s fine with me. I didn’t want this position despite all of Grandfather’s pushing, but now I’ve got it I honestly can’t imagine my life different, or at least for the most part though there are things I would like to change. And as for this? I want you here because you want to be, not because you feel you aren’t being given any choice. Some day you may find that you’ve taken on different parts, but I won’t force you or push you. Just stand by me.”
“Of course,” I told him, grateful that he wasn’t assuming anything. And frankly I didn’t know what that “anything” might be. The Aunts all seemed, if not territorial, certain of their positions in the family and who they planned on taking over for them when the time comes. None of them need me. Perhaps if they did, I’d feel differently but then again, maybe not. I’m secure here, I’m not sure I could feel that way about anything, or any place, else on the Estate. But as Mom was fond of saying, ‘never say never’.”
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[2] Word Search Generator :: Create your own printable word find worksheets @ A to Z Teacher Stuff
Chapter 76
From that point forward time – until Christmas and Christmas Eve – was a blur that I could only hold onto long enough to grab snapshots for my memories rather than movies. I also filled my phone up more than once taking actual photos.
I refuse to record the number of cookies I baked anyplace other than the traditional house accounts book that I started. The numbers are obscene. And yet, they were all eaten … at least the ones that remained after the family Christmas party are now gone. I have some staple ingredients still in the walk in cooler but that will get used this month as I try and re-coop the after-holidays budget. I am not discussing that with Clint, I’m simply going to do it. Some money that Clint expected to come in – from that construction company who said they can’t pay because the county and state haven’t issued them their check yet – hasn’t made it into the coffers yet. And the only reason I know that is because I overheard Clint and Reave discussing it. I wouldn’t have even paid attention to the conversation if they hadn’t stopped talking so suddenly when I brought them some coffee to Clint’s office.
“Shanna!”
“Hello Reeve. Do you want creamer with your coffee?”
“No thank you. Trying to give it up.”
Suspiciously I asked, “Why?”
Like he’d been caught he finally admitted, “Been eating a few too many holiday goodies and going out on top of it. Not used to it and … er … don’t want to have to buy a new suit.”
“Oh,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek. “How is … um …”
He blushed but smiled broadly, “Clint mentioned you hadn’t met her yet. That maybe we could …er … um …”
Clint egged him on a bit and said, “Double date.”
“Yeah. That,” he said like he was having trouble breathing.
Feeling sorry for the man in spite of all that had come before I nodded and said, “That sounds nice. Or we could even have something casual here. Maybe take the pressure off?”
In relief he said, “Yeah, that might be better. Nancy is … er … the Aunts have been a little … uh …”
“They love you and just want you to be happy,” I said in understanding. “The just like to really, really, really make sure.”
All three of us laughed. But I could see that both men were casually hiding some paperwork that looked like budget sheets. It makes me wonder what else Clint is holding back.
As far as the Christmas party itself, I’m still in a bit of shock. That sounds positively ridiculous but it is true. For all my worry and despite the number of people involved, it reminded me of some of the family Christmas parties that I remember from when I was still young and all my grands were still alive. We combined families and whoever could get away to visit came, even if it was just for a day or two. Then there were the neighbors and friends and people they used to work with and people from church and … my goodness it was like a room full of preschoolers after ten bags of sweets. That was back when we all still tried to make the time, before we all grew up and life just happened mean and hard.
I shouldn’t let that come up but in a way it makes me treasure my new family even more. And yes, note that I am calling all the Haines and their assorted relations my family. That in and of itself is part of the story.
The day of The Party I was coming out of my skin, praying that I’d done everyone that needed doing. The decorations were hung, the presents were wrapped, the cookies and assorted desserts were baked. I had found and hung the gazillion stockings that I only found were a tradition at the last minute when I located yet another box of Christmas decorations in the attic. I even managed to call in favors and sew extra stockings when I found how many new names were needed. I ran out of glitter glue and made my own on top of everything else.
Carra was bouncing off the walls and playing Christmas music loud enough you could have heard it on the other side of the Estate. And honestly Clint wasn’t much better. It was like they were in cahoots over something which really had me worried.
“Please tell me you two didn’t get into the cookies again?!”
“Relax Sweetheart. There are plenty of them,” he said with a grin completely devoid of any guilt.
Panicking I yelped, “Clint! You didn’t take them out of the tins did you?!”
“Relax. We only ate the spares and broken ones you tried to hide in the walk in.” He and Carra both snickered and then ran off.
I panicked a bit trying to decide for the umpteenth millionth time whether the dress I had chosen was appropriate. It was forest green with lantern-style sleeves and an A-line skirt that was just full enough to have some swing to it. Not something The Housekeeper would normally wear but both Clint and Carra had encouraged me to do more than just wear my normal with a Christmas apron tied on. Thankfully I wouldn’t be serving. A buffet for mains and sides was set up on long trestle tables and desserts, punch, and a wicked number of additional sweets and beverages were set up around the verandah and terraces. The weather was just cold enough to give a traditional Christmas feel – meaning you needed a heavy coat and gloves but could forgo a muffler and toboggan unless you wanted them. There wasn’t any real snow but there was some still piled up under the trees and bushes further into the surrounding woods from the last snowfall. Thankfully it had been a dry snow – and that was one of my first lessons on there being different types of snow. The little bit of damp or mud on the paths were taken care of with pine needle mulch.
Robert and his wife made the trip all the way from Asheville and brought the boys … Carra’s father and his wife were unable to come as the doctors still had not cleared her or the baby to travel. I found out why but not until Susan insisted on taking me aside for a private conversation.
“I’m sorry,” were the first words out of her mouth.
“Oh … um …”
“You don’t need to say a word.” She stopped and drew in a deep breath. “I could blame the hormones but … the truth is I was just being a bitch.”
Her words surprised me. “Youch … little strong there.”
“No. It isn’t. I really am sorry Shanna. Looking back I can see how I was acting but at the time …” She shook her head. “I treated you worse than hired help and the honest truth is that I was drowning and who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t just …”
When she got a little teary, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Look. Things were crazy. You were worried and overwhelmed and …”
She gave me a quick hug and said. “Thanks for being understanding. From what I remember and what Robert said I should be relieved you didn’t pitch something at me and leave us to the mercy of Jocelyn’s parents.” She gave a shudder and an embarrassed chuckle, “The boys have said you and Carra were the best babysitters ever and want to know when you can come again.”
“Oh my,” I said, embarrassed myself given it was mostly Carra who took care the two mischief makers.
That’s when she sighed and said, “I’m … going to ask a favor and I hope … oh Lord, I just don’t know if … if I can keep ...”
When she stumbled to a stop I asked, “’Scuse me?”
“I need some help telling Carra her father isn’t coming despite assuring her that he would try.”
Carra, the eavesdropper walked in and said, “Dad already called me. It’s cool. But … is he like okay and stuff? He sounded kinda … um … weird. And really sorry this time and not just the way he normally is.”
Putting on a face I had to a few times as a teacher Susan answered, “I won’t lie Sweety. Keller is … under a lot of stress.”
“Why?” Carra asked suspiciously.
And that’s when Susan explained that Jocelyn was struggling both physically and mentally. “They’re trying to get her back on the meds that worked before but because of the type of narcotic it is, her doctor is requiring her to get counseling as well. Neither are really working like they have in the past so they are looking into some new therapies.”
Carra asked, “What about Kelly? I mean Dad made it out like Jocelyn couldn’t take pills ‘cause she was going to breastfeed.”
“That … didn’t work out. There’s days she is … Carra … her condition is making it very difficult for her to bond with Kelly and … the baby is also having some problems.”
In obvious alarm Carra yelped, “What kind of problems?!”
“Easy Honey, it is colic but that means she cries … a lot. And that sets Jocelyn off and for some reason she is convinced there is something really wrong with Kelly. On a couple of days she even claimed that Kelly had been switched at birth and demanded a blood test to prove Kelly was her child.”
Making a face she she observed, “God she sounds totally whacked.”
“Carra!” Susan and I exclaimed at the same time.
“Geez … sorry already. I just mean she sounds like she needs to be back in the hospital. Who is helping Dad?”
Susan said, “They are considering it if the new medication doesn’t help her find some balance. And there are a ton of people in and out of the house and … and I’m trying to help with Kelly when I can. Your brother thinks its best however if we don’t get too intertwined.”
“Well that’s okay then. When I come to visit after the first of the year you can show me what you do and maybe between the two of us we can take care of her long enough for Jocelyn to get her head on straight. Now come on … it’s a party so let’s go par-tay!”
Susan and I looked at each other and didn’t know what to say. I’m still not sure if Carra was covering up her real feelings of if she hadn’t taken the time to really understand what was going on. Either way it wasn’t the time or place and it was indeed time for me to get back to the party … or at least answering the front door for those people that somehow missed the huge sign asking them to walk around to the back and come on in. And then I had to run and help one of Clint’s cousins find some sheet music they were looking for as the Christmas party was a time when some of the family liked to shine. And from that point on for several hours all I did was run from one thing to the next. But I have to admit I was having a ton of fun.
However I did wind up playing the piano after several requests but I also played the Irish flute for a couple of the younger members of the family that had learned an Irish jig for their last recital and wanted to perform it for the family at large. I wasn’t the only one who played though. There were guitars, banjos, fiddles/violins, a harmonica, a cello, a harp, an auto-harp and dulcimer duet, and several others showing off their musical talents including a couple of cousins home for college that played the spoons. Several of the family sang and one family had re-written the Twelve Days of Christmas to make it reflective of the family and various members in it. And didn’t that get a lot of laughter … especially the “Five Tippling Aunts.”
There were activity stations set up all over the place to keep little hands busy and away from the breakables. One of the craft stations I set up actually had several adults joining in and we had enough paper snowflakes to make our own blizzard, some quite beautiful. But after getting a look at everything the next morning I was doubly glad I had set it outside because there was enough glitter decorating the ground to last until the grass starts growing back and perhaps a little beyond that.
For the more active children here were games like drop the clothespins in the bottle, horseshoes, pin the nose on Rudolph and an impromptu football game that had mothers and Aunts alike threatening great bodily harm if good clothes were torn or muddied. Just for something fun I had bought several bags of starlight mints and put them in an enormous glass vase and everyone got a chance to guess the number. Reeves’ likely future step-son guessed the correct number and he looked quite stunned by the laughing welcome he got from the Haines connections his age.
The amount of food at the party could have fed Sherman’s Army with enough left over they wouldn’t have had to pillage the surrounding countryside. There were hams, turkeys, several different stuffing recipes, pork roast and beef roast, and venison and goose all harvested on the Estate. The breads and rolls were too numerous to count and of great variety. There were “alternative” meats for those that were vegetarian or some variety there of and one that really stands out was something called a nut roast that reminded me of a fine-grained meatloaf and was just as good. There was every conceivable combination of vegetables and nearly as many casserole dishes including a pan of mac-n-cheese that would have even floored Gran. There was an entire table just for appetizers and relish trays and I am proud to say I provided quite a few of the offerings there with the “wild forage” getting comments galore. Butter and cream were homemade and from the Estate. And need I even add that the beverages included kegs and barrels of the adult offerings from the Estate’s cellars?
And then the gifts were handed out and there was laughter on all sides at the creativity. Uncle Vern didn’t even wait until he got home but opened a bottle of one of the homemade liqueurs I’d made for him and after one taste was demanding a slice of yellow cake to go with it. When someone asked for a taste he snarled for them to go find their own causing some laughter and good-natured eye rolls. And then Clint climbed on a ladder that had been used to get a few packages down from the tree where they’d been hung by the Aunts and took one down I hadn’t noticed and whistles very loudly to get everyone’s attention.
“Will Shanna please meet me at the bottom of this blasted ladder?” he asks while holding something in his hand.
I go over as requested and then grab the ladder just in time to keep him from falling. “Whew, that would have spoilt things,” he muttered sotto voice.
I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but it was obvious Clint had been sipping the hard stuff. Then he gets a manic grin on his face and I am more than a little concerned.
“Shanna Field? I’ve been at this for days and finally gave up. I could stretch this out and try and make it pretty but more than likely all I would do is get my tongue tied around my eye teeth and be unable to see what I’m saying.” I am forced to giggle as that is something my father used to say.
“So here goes … Shanna Field … will you marry me?”.
All I can do is stare with my mouth open until, “But … but … don’t you need to think about it?!”
Clint shakes his head and says, “Have. Done thinkin’. Now put me out of my misery and say yes!”
From the corner of my eye I see Carra doing some weird tribal dance like she is trying not to shriek with laughter. Every single one of the Aunts are smiling benevolently and then I turn to Clint and he is looking at me so intently that I almost can’t breath. But it doesn’t matter, the room is so quiet you could have heard a pin drop as I breathlessly said, “Yes.”
The entire Haines clan erupted in cheers nearly raising the roof of the Big House. And when Clint kisses me there are enough hoots and wolf whistles to be heard all the way to Bryson City.
From that point forward time – until Christmas and Christmas Eve – was a blur that I could only hold onto long enough to grab snapshots for my memories rather than movies. I also filled my phone up more than once taking actual photos.
I refuse to record the number of cookies I baked anyplace other than the traditional house accounts book that I started. The numbers are obscene. And yet, they were all eaten … at least the ones that remained after the family Christmas party are now gone. I have some staple ingredients still in the walk in cooler but that will get used this month as I try and re-coop the after-holidays budget. I am not discussing that with Clint, I’m simply going to do it. Some money that Clint expected to come in – from that construction company who said they can’t pay because the county and state haven’t issued them their check yet – hasn’t made it into the coffers yet. And the only reason I know that is because I overheard Clint and Reave discussing it. I wouldn’t have even paid attention to the conversation if they hadn’t stopped talking so suddenly when I brought them some coffee to Clint’s office.
“Shanna!”
“Hello Reeve. Do you want creamer with your coffee?”
“No thank you. Trying to give it up.”
Suspiciously I asked, “Why?”
Like he’d been caught he finally admitted, “Been eating a few too many holiday goodies and going out on top of it. Not used to it and … er … don’t want to have to buy a new suit.”
“Oh,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek. “How is … um …”
He blushed but smiled broadly, “Clint mentioned you hadn’t met her yet. That maybe we could …er … um …”
Clint egged him on a bit and said, “Double date.”
“Yeah. That,” he said like he was having trouble breathing.
Feeling sorry for the man in spite of all that had come before I nodded and said, “That sounds nice. Or we could even have something casual here. Maybe take the pressure off?”
In relief he said, “Yeah, that might be better. Nancy is … er … the Aunts have been a little … uh …”
“They love you and just want you to be happy,” I said in understanding. “The just like to really, really, really make sure.”
All three of us laughed. But I could see that both men were casually hiding some paperwork that looked like budget sheets. It makes me wonder what else Clint is holding back.
As far as the Christmas party itself, I’m still in a bit of shock. That sounds positively ridiculous but it is true. For all my worry and despite the number of people involved, it reminded me of some of the family Christmas parties that I remember from when I was still young and all my grands were still alive. We combined families and whoever could get away to visit came, even if it was just for a day or two. Then there were the neighbors and friends and people they used to work with and people from church and … my goodness it was like a room full of preschoolers after ten bags of sweets. That was back when we all still tried to make the time, before we all grew up and life just happened mean and hard.
I shouldn’t let that come up but in a way it makes me treasure my new family even more. And yes, note that I am calling all the Haines and their assorted relations my family. That in and of itself is part of the story.
The day of The Party I was coming out of my skin, praying that I’d done everyone that needed doing. The decorations were hung, the presents were wrapped, the cookies and assorted desserts were baked. I had found and hung the gazillion stockings that I only found were a tradition at the last minute when I located yet another box of Christmas decorations in the attic. I even managed to call in favors and sew extra stockings when I found how many new names were needed. I ran out of glitter glue and made my own on top of everything else.
Carra was bouncing off the walls and playing Christmas music loud enough you could have heard it on the other side of the Estate. And honestly Clint wasn’t much better. It was like they were in cahoots over something which really had me worried.
“Please tell me you two didn’t get into the cookies again?!”
“Relax Sweetheart. There are plenty of them,” he said with a grin completely devoid of any guilt.
Panicking I yelped, “Clint! You didn’t take them out of the tins did you?!”
“Relax. We only ate the spares and broken ones you tried to hide in the walk in.” He and Carra both snickered and then ran off.
I panicked a bit trying to decide for the umpteenth millionth time whether the dress I had chosen was appropriate. It was forest green with lantern-style sleeves and an A-line skirt that was just full enough to have some swing to it. Not something The Housekeeper would normally wear but both Clint and Carra had encouraged me to do more than just wear my normal with a Christmas apron tied on. Thankfully I wouldn’t be serving. A buffet for mains and sides was set up on long trestle tables and desserts, punch, and a wicked number of additional sweets and beverages were set up around the verandah and terraces. The weather was just cold enough to give a traditional Christmas feel – meaning you needed a heavy coat and gloves but could forgo a muffler and toboggan unless you wanted them. There wasn’t any real snow but there was some still piled up under the trees and bushes further into the surrounding woods from the last snowfall. Thankfully it had been a dry snow – and that was one of my first lessons on there being different types of snow. The little bit of damp or mud on the paths were taken care of with pine needle mulch.
Robert and his wife made the trip all the way from Asheville and brought the boys … Carra’s father and his wife were unable to come as the doctors still had not cleared her or the baby to travel. I found out why but not until Susan insisted on taking me aside for a private conversation.
“I’m sorry,” were the first words out of her mouth.
“Oh … um …”
“You don’t need to say a word.” She stopped and drew in a deep breath. “I could blame the hormones but … the truth is I was just being a bitch.”
Her words surprised me. “Youch … little strong there.”
“No. It isn’t. I really am sorry Shanna. Looking back I can see how I was acting but at the time …” She shook her head. “I treated you worse than hired help and the honest truth is that I was drowning and who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t just …”
When she got a little teary, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Look. Things were crazy. You were worried and overwhelmed and …”
She gave me a quick hug and said. “Thanks for being understanding. From what I remember and what Robert said I should be relieved you didn’t pitch something at me and leave us to the mercy of Jocelyn’s parents.” She gave a shudder and an embarrassed chuckle, “The boys have said you and Carra were the best babysitters ever and want to know when you can come again.”
“Oh my,” I said, embarrassed myself given it was mostly Carra who took care the two mischief makers.
That’s when she sighed and said, “I’m … going to ask a favor and I hope … oh Lord, I just don’t know if … if I can keep ...”
When she stumbled to a stop I asked, “’Scuse me?”
“I need some help telling Carra her father isn’t coming despite assuring her that he would try.”
Carra, the eavesdropper walked in and said, “Dad already called me. It’s cool. But … is he like okay and stuff? He sounded kinda … um … weird. And really sorry this time and not just the way he normally is.”
Putting on a face I had to a few times as a teacher Susan answered, “I won’t lie Sweety. Keller is … under a lot of stress.”
“Why?” Carra asked suspiciously.
And that’s when Susan explained that Jocelyn was struggling both physically and mentally. “They’re trying to get her back on the meds that worked before but because of the type of narcotic it is, her doctor is requiring her to get counseling as well. Neither are really working like they have in the past so they are looking into some new therapies.”
Carra asked, “What about Kelly? I mean Dad made it out like Jocelyn couldn’t take pills ‘cause she was going to breastfeed.”
“That … didn’t work out. There’s days she is … Carra … her condition is making it very difficult for her to bond with Kelly and … the baby is also having some problems.”
In obvious alarm Carra yelped, “What kind of problems?!”
“Easy Honey, it is colic but that means she cries … a lot. And that sets Jocelyn off and for some reason she is convinced there is something really wrong with Kelly. On a couple of days she even claimed that Kelly had been switched at birth and demanded a blood test to prove Kelly was her child.”
Making a face she she observed, “God she sounds totally whacked.”
“Carra!” Susan and I exclaimed at the same time.
“Geez … sorry already. I just mean she sounds like she needs to be back in the hospital. Who is helping Dad?”
Susan said, “They are considering it if the new medication doesn’t help her find some balance. And there are a ton of people in and out of the house and … and I’m trying to help with Kelly when I can. Your brother thinks its best however if we don’t get too intertwined.”
“Well that’s okay then. When I come to visit after the first of the year you can show me what you do and maybe between the two of us we can take care of her long enough for Jocelyn to get her head on straight. Now come on … it’s a party so let’s go par-tay!”
Susan and I looked at each other and didn’t know what to say. I’m still not sure if Carra was covering up her real feelings of if she hadn’t taken the time to really understand what was going on. Either way it wasn’t the time or place and it was indeed time for me to get back to the party … or at least answering the front door for those people that somehow missed the huge sign asking them to walk around to the back and come on in. And then I had to run and help one of Clint’s cousins find some sheet music they were looking for as the Christmas party was a time when some of the family liked to shine. And from that point on for several hours all I did was run from one thing to the next. But I have to admit I was having a ton of fun.
However I did wind up playing the piano after several requests but I also played the Irish flute for a couple of the younger members of the family that had learned an Irish jig for their last recital and wanted to perform it for the family at large. I wasn’t the only one who played though. There were guitars, banjos, fiddles/violins, a harmonica, a cello, a harp, an auto-harp and dulcimer duet, and several others showing off their musical talents including a couple of cousins home for college that played the spoons. Several of the family sang and one family had re-written the Twelve Days of Christmas to make it reflective of the family and various members in it. And didn’t that get a lot of laughter … especially the “Five Tippling Aunts.”
There were activity stations set up all over the place to keep little hands busy and away from the breakables. One of the craft stations I set up actually had several adults joining in and we had enough paper snowflakes to make our own blizzard, some quite beautiful. But after getting a look at everything the next morning I was doubly glad I had set it outside because there was enough glitter decorating the ground to last until the grass starts growing back and perhaps a little beyond that.
For the more active children here were games like drop the clothespins in the bottle, horseshoes, pin the nose on Rudolph and an impromptu football game that had mothers and Aunts alike threatening great bodily harm if good clothes were torn or muddied. Just for something fun I had bought several bags of starlight mints and put them in an enormous glass vase and everyone got a chance to guess the number. Reeves’ likely future step-son guessed the correct number and he looked quite stunned by the laughing welcome he got from the Haines connections his age.
The amount of food at the party could have fed Sherman’s Army with enough left over they wouldn’t have had to pillage the surrounding countryside. There were hams, turkeys, several different stuffing recipes, pork roast and beef roast, and venison and goose all harvested on the Estate. The breads and rolls were too numerous to count and of great variety. There were “alternative” meats for those that were vegetarian or some variety there of and one that really stands out was something called a nut roast that reminded me of a fine-grained meatloaf and was just as good. There was every conceivable combination of vegetables and nearly as many casserole dishes including a pan of mac-n-cheese that would have even floored Gran. There was an entire table just for appetizers and relish trays and I am proud to say I provided quite a few of the offerings there with the “wild forage” getting comments galore. Butter and cream were homemade and from the Estate. And need I even add that the beverages included kegs and barrels of the adult offerings from the Estate’s cellars?
And then the gifts were handed out and there was laughter on all sides at the creativity. Uncle Vern didn’t even wait until he got home but opened a bottle of one of the homemade liqueurs I’d made for him and after one taste was demanding a slice of yellow cake to go with it. When someone asked for a taste he snarled for them to go find their own causing some laughter and good-natured eye rolls. And then Clint climbed on a ladder that had been used to get a few packages down from the tree where they’d been hung by the Aunts and took one down I hadn’t noticed and whistles very loudly to get everyone’s attention.
“Will Shanna please meet me at the bottom of this blasted ladder?” he asks while holding something in his hand.
I go over as requested and then grab the ladder just in time to keep him from falling. “Whew, that would have spoilt things,” he muttered sotto voice.
I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but it was obvious Clint had been sipping the hard stuff. Then he gets a manic grin on his face and I am more than a little concerned.
“Shanna Field? I’ve been at this for days and finally gave up. I could stretch this out and try and make it pretty but more than likely all I would do is get my tongue tied around my eye teeth and be unable to see what I’m saying.” I am forced to giggle as that is something my father used to say.
“So here goes … Shanna Field … will you marry me?”.
All I can do is stare with my mouth open until, “But … but … don’t you need to think about it?!”
Clint shakes his head and says, “Have. Done thinkin’. Now put me out of my misery and say yes!”
From the corner of my eye I see Carra doing some weird tribal dance like she is trying not to shriek with laughter. Every single one of the Aunts are smiling benevolently and then I turn to Clint and he is looking at me so intently that I almost can’t breath. But it doesn’t matter, the room is so quiet you could have heard a pin drop as I breathlessly said, “Yes.”
The entire Haines clan erupted in cheers nearly raising the roof of the Big House. And when Clint kisses me there are enough hoots and wolf whistles to be heard all the way to Bryson City.