Our day started at six this morning as the new coffee pot was going off. Dennis had agreed to keep his nephew Brett company on a trip into Wisconsin to pick up a new trailer for Brett’s concrete company. I did get up long enough to put the morning news on the TV. and lay back down to take in the whatever news I could focus on.
By eight the boys were on the road and I had had several cups of coffee. I didn’t really have anything planned for the day and a bit of laziness had set in. Butter Ball and Snuggles stayed around the porch as we enjoyed the sound of the Morning Doves in the background. Neighbor Jan was out and about early and we exchanged a few gardening tidbits. Coffee cup was empty and I headed back into the house. The cats followed me to the door as if they knew all too well that Dennis was not going to be hanging out with them for the day. Sorry guys, no cats in the house.
Fast forward and here it is 1:30 in the afternoon. The refrigerator is stocked from the grocery store with choices of ingredients to fix meals. The dollar store’s bag of jelly beans at $1.00 each . . . Dennis now has several of those bags next to his computer. There is two lbs of bacon that has been baked out for use in days to come. Dennis had expressed that a bowl of potato salad would be good this weekend and that has been prepared and chilling in the refrig, complete with chives from our garden for garnish added to it. Chocolate Chip cookies are on cooling rakes on the dining room table. A wonderful looking seedless watermelon has been cubed and is chilling to be enjoyed at will. All of the garbage from the prep is out in the Waste Management garbage container. The buzzer has gone off on the clothes dryer several minutes ago and I have folding to do.
What has gone on with the day that found me welcoming a lazy daisy type of day? It is the day before the 4th of July. This day for many years had been THE prep day for the family picnic Orlin and I would host on the 4th of July for many, many years. My family and Orlin’s all gathered for a day of family fun. It also happened to be Kevin’s birthday on the 4th and so why the heck not have a blowout like neither family had ever seen. Orlin’s nephew, Frank, would give rides in a trailer behind the riding lawn mower for the little ones. Lawn games were everywhere on our sprawling lawn. Balloons seemed to float in the air at will. Several of the empty huge wooden electrical spools were used as severing tables, and let me tell you, they overflowed with all the potluck items that had been brought. The huge shade trees made a canopy of ongoing shade to sit under. When eyelids of the adults became heavy due to good and rich food, there was an outbreak of music. Orlin’s mother on her harmonica and my uncle Norman on his concertina had everyone thumping their feet before long. Both needed no music, they played by ear. Most of the people attending were dairy farmers. Morning chores had gotten done and the welcome mat was out with no time table. Noon was a great time to start the picnic singing the song everyone was familiar with . . . “Be present at our table Lord – – – .” By four in the afternoon the crown would thin out, as again, there were chores to tackle. Needless to say, there was one very weary birthday boy that we could count on to be easily contained as Orlin and I did the diary and livestock chores. Big sister Carrie had it easy to keep a check on him. Priceless.
Sometimes when I get lost in memories that are oh so sweet, I kick into automatic overdrive, and today was such a day. It’s not as if any of the aforementioned items completed in my kitchen will not be enjoyed and appreciated by Dennis and me, as we spend the weekend at home. What went on here today is a portion of my life, that has been made oh so sweet by times past. I am here to tell you, I am up for a lot more sweetness to carry me on.
