As I suspected, yesterday was hectic but I got it all (almost all) done. A couple of loose ends to wrap up and then I can move onto the next. Yep, I have a couple of bruises from when things didn't go perfectly, but nothing that won't fade.
Our foreign visitor is all set and, in a few hours, will be settling into his temporary lodging near the airport until his flight leaves early tomorrow morning.
Today the auditors show up, always an exciting time.
I survived, sanity intact so I get to go back. No one said 'don't bother' anyway and I think I'm nuts. Even though I had all sorts of physical manifestations of stress because nothing stayed put, it kept shifting and jumping and changing, I had fun. Does this mean I'm insane? Stress is bad for us, or so they say. But when things are falling apart and jumping hither and yon and I'm trying to keep it together, I like it. Maybe I'm a failed adrenaline junky and this is how I get off.
Whatever.
Congratulations to the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup at home last night. Their first home win in the final game since 1938 - so a bit of history, too.
The Tampa Bay Lightning did an incredible job of keeping it close - good job and congratulations to them, too.
It was the sixth game of a long, hard-fought series and you could see how tired all of the players were. The Blackhawks had home ice last night and you could see how the crowd kept them playing strong.
And now, for something completely different. I'm out of ideas and time this morning, so, here's a little flash piece I wrote a while back in response to the prompt 'Friday the 13th'.
Daddy's Special Door
Thu-wank … thu-wank … thu-wank…
giggles crawled through the wall. With a
sigh of patient frustration, Bill pressed down on the edge of the pillow to
squint at the clock. Thu-wank-giggle … thu-wank-squeal…, a groan
lifted from the other side the bed, closer to the noise.
“Is she never going to stop?”
Eleanor muttered, turning onto her back, looking over at her husband in
the bluey-silvery light from the full moon.
“I dunno,” he threw the covers back, “all I know is I’m not sleeping.”
“What time is it?”
“Just gone four.”
Eleanor groaned, draping a forearm over her eyes. “Silly kid.”
“Yeah.” Bill was sitting up, his
back to his wife. “But you remember the
first time I showed you.” Glancing back,
he caught the flash of her smile.
“Yeah, I remember.” She tossed
her side of the covers over his, turned and got up. “I’ll start the coffee.”
The noises from the other room kept up, marking the time while Bill and
Eleanor committed themselves to their morning routine. Showered, shaved and dressed, Bill opened the
door to his daughter’s room.
“Morning, doll face, are you ready?”
‘Doll face’ was obviously ready.
Dressed in her pink leotard with the multi-colored sequins Eleanor had
sewn along the neckline, with each bounce on her mattress, her homemade pink,
purple and blue tutu flounced above her white tights and glitter encrusted red
shoes. Thu-wank ... thump, she landed on the floor, her face split with a
grin that made her father laugh.
“Just like a woman, you are, never listen when I say ‘don’t jump on
your bed’.”
“Can we go, daddy? Can we go see
gramps?”
“Soon, baby, real soon. Mama’s
getting our breakfast, then we’ll brush our teeth and then we’ll go.”
Normally, breakfast was Elsie’s least favorite meal. She didn’t like cold cereal because it was
‘squishy and icky’. She didn’t like
porridge because it ‘felt funny’. She
didn’t like eggs on principle. This morning,
however, with the trip to see gramps in the offing, she sat down to her
porridge without complaint. Eleanor
watched with a bemused smile and a hand waiting to prevent disaster while Elsie
picked up the butter dish and carefully took off a thin pat. The butter done, Eleanor’s focus intensified
when the milk jug was lifted, wobbled nervously in Elsie’s small hand, and was
poured with nary a splash.
“Did daddy eat?”
“Yes, all finished. He’s getting
everything ready for us.”
Elsie paused, the spoon hovering over the mess in her bowl, “Mama? Why can’t we see gramps any other time? Why is it only now?”
Eleanor continued the washing up and preparing their picnic lunch,
“Because grandpa lives in a special place with a special door.”
“Why?”
Finished at the sink, Eleanor started packing the sandwiches and snacks
into the carryall. “He just does. Your daddy came through that special door a
long time ago and he can only go back on special days.” She closed the bag and sat down across from
her daughter.
“What days?”
“Only on Friday the 13th. The
door doesn’t open except on that day.
That’s what makes it special.”
“Ohh,” Elsie stuck her spoon in the thick mess in front of her, lifted
it and examined the contents. “Can I go
visit gramps alone someday?” The bite
sized lump disappeared.
“When you’re old enough you can.”
“When will I be old enough?”
Eleanor smiled, “In a few years.
Then daddy will teach you the trick so you can open it yourself.”
“Ohh.”
From the living room came the sharp sounds of Bill setting up the
framework they usually kept folded out of sight in the hall closet. The noises stopped and Bill appeared through
the swinging door.
“Just about ready, doll face?”
In answer, Elsie pushed the bowl away from her and flung herself from
the chair, the light of happy expectation creating an aura around her.
“Do you think gramps will like my ballerina suit?”
“I think gramps will like it just fine.” He led Elsie back into the living room while
Eleanor took a moment to scrape the remnants of porridge into the trash, ran
water in the bowl, and got the cooler bag of drinks from the refrigerator. Picking up the carry-all with their lunch,
she followed.
‘Daddy’s special door’, stood in the middle of the living room. Although it didn’t look like anything
special, the hairs on Elsie’s arms lifted as her skin prickled. The swirling gold and bronze mist within the
frame looked warm, but she knew it would feel cold. They had gone to visit gramps once already
since her last birthday, and she remembered.
“All ready?”
Elsie bit her lip. Now she was a
little nervous. Last time, after they
had gotten back, she had complained that she didn’t like it when daddy carried
her. She wanted to do it herself. This was the first time she would go through
without the comfort of knowing daddy was right there, his strong arms around
her.
“It’s okay, sweetie. I’ll be
right behind you.”
She took a deep breath, looked back at her parents, and stepped into
the mist. For a moment, they swirled,
purple and pink, then reverted. Eleanor
was next, and then Bill.
On the other side, gramps was waiting.
Elsie dashed forward, laughter streaming behind and her parents watched
as she launched herself into her grandfather’s outstretched arms, his laughter
melding with hers.
It was a wonderful visit and, at the end of the day, with the second of
the two suns just dipping behind the golden horizon and the three silvery moons
rising on the other side, Bill picked Elsie up in his arms.
“Bye grampa,” she said sleepily.
“Bye baby doll, we’ll see you again soon.”
Eleanor leaned forward and gave her father-in-law a kiss. Bill shook his hand and leaned in for a
‘man-hug’ before they waved and stepped back through the portal into their
living room.
* * * * *
Have a wonderful day!
Best~
Philippa
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