Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?<\/p>\n
By Kate Chamberlin<\/p>\n
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As Grace grows up, some of her stories are happy, some trying, some enlightening, and a few themes are sad, but, they\u2019re all the warp and woof of what goes into the tapestry of life we call Family. The daily living skills and techniques demonstrated by the fictional characters in these stories are valid, tried and true.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>#12 Knight With Shining Flatware<\/p>\n One afternoon, as Ken, Grace, Edie, and Joe were seated in the back booth at Family Ties Restaurant sipping sodas and munching on fries, Grace asked them if they\u2019d ever been to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d\u00a0 Edie said. \u201cI know it is very historic, but I\u2019ve never been there. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy Dad has a business trip to the area and offered to drop us off at The Williamsburg Lodge,\u201d Grace said. \u201cWe can walk to everything from there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCool,\u201d Joe said, as he RAISED his eyebrows and winked at Edie. \u201cI\u2019ve heard there are lots of taverns and old inns we could explore.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere used to be harpsichords imported from Europe back then,\u201d Ken added. \u201cI wonder if they still have one stashed away in any of those big old houses.\u201d<\/p>\n Spring break finally arrived and the teens were on the wide porch of the Williamsburg Lodge, looking over the down-loaded map of the Historic Village.<\/p>\n \u201cBreakfast should be first on our list,\u201d Edie, the ever practical one said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt looks like Chownings Tavern is near here,\u201d Ken said.<\/p>\n \u201cDo they say what their specialty is?\u201d Grace asked, as Crackers laid quietly at her feet.<\/p>\n \u201cBubble and Squeek, and Welsh rarbit, and a dessert,\u201d Joe read. \u201cThey\u2019re big on Root Beer here. Great for a hardy breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re here to try new things, so, I\u2019m for the Bubble and Squeek thing,\u201d Grace laughed.<\/p>\n After their breakfast of eggs and potatoes for Grace and Ken; the cheese sauce over toast points for Edie and Joe, they again poured over the village map.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Prentis Store is on Colonial and Duke of Glouster Streets, near the Prentis House on Botetourt and Duke of Glouster Streets,\u201d Ken noticed.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, look. Right across the street from that,\u201d Edie exclaimed, \u201cis the silver smith James Craig.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard of him,\u201d Joe said. \u201cMaybe, we\u2019ll see some skilled artisans making watches or jewelry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt says in the brochure that Golden Ball in London is the trademark used by jewelers and goldsmiths,\u201d Ken read. \u201cIt says James Craig was a watch-maker and made a pair of earrings for George Washington\u2019s daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGrace,\u201d Edie said. \u201cLet\u2019s get matching earrings as a souvenir of our trip.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEdie, are your ears pierced, too?\u201d Grace asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d\u00a0 Edie said.<\/p>\n Grace told Crackers \u201cForward.\u201d And they strolled down the wooden side-walk toward the silver smith\u2019s shop. The sidewalk felt like corduroy beneath Grace\u2019s feet. Crackers was busy looking right and left for anything that might harm Grace, as well as, going forward the way Grace had told her. When they crossed the unpaved street, Crackers was careful to guide Grace around the horse droppings.<\/p>\n At first, the teens were perplexed as they stood in front of the two doors\u00a0 to the silver smith\u2019s building. They soon figured out that the door on the west went into the workshop and entered. Later, the girls went in the east door to purchase sparkly, silver earrings.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t realize it would take you two so long to choose earrings,\u201d Joe said, RAISING his eyebrows at Edie. \u201cI\u2019m starving. What are we near?\u201d Edie rolled her eyes\u00a0 at him and grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like the King\u2019s Arms Tavern might be near enough to reach before you faint,\u201d Ken, the keeper of the map, teased.<\/p>\n Each time they passed a door, Crackers indicated it with a little nod of her head in its direction. When they came to a door that smelled like food, Grace said, \u201cM-m-m, this smells like a restaurant. Is it the one we want?\u201d<\/p>\n Once seated with Crackers safely tucked underneath the table, the \u201cwench\u201d brought their menus. She told them that the over-sized napkins were to be tucked into their shirt collar to protect their clothes.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel really silly with this tucked into my shirt,\u201d Grace said.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, join the club,\u201d Ken said. \u201cWe all look silly.\u201d<\/p>\n The Southern fare of Peanut soup, pecan pie, Veal chops, Cavalier\u2019s Lamb, Ginger ale or cider made it hard to choose.<\/p>\n As the wench served them, she chatted amiably about the history of the tavern, \u201cIt was owned by Mrs. Vobe, during a time when it was unusual for women to own property. She changed the name to Eagle Tavern\u00a0\u00a0 to make it more her own and began to serve real Southern food.\u201d<\/p>\n After lunch, they walked back toward the Guard House to the octagonal brick magazine.<\/p>\n \u201cLook at those Muskets, munitions, swords, pikes, canteens and cooking utensils,\u201d Joe nearly hollered. \u201cThey are awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels cool in here and smells old,\u201d Grace said. \u201cAre there any things I can feel or hold?\u201d<\/p>\n The docent handed them wrought iron, wooden, and lead items used in the colonial days for fighting and daily living. They were so engrossed in exploring the relics, that they nearly missed their date at the Court House.<\/p>\n Crackers was more than happy to walk briskly along the board walk toward the Court House.<\/p>\n Ken and Joe were scheduled to be seated in the Jury Panel. Edie and Grace sat on a long, uncomfortable wooden bench, as the jury participated in the trial that actually took place in the Court Room centuries ago. Crackers was comfortable resting under the bench Grace sat on, even though, the floor was dusty, unfinished wood.<\/p>\n \u201cEdie,\u201d Grace whispered, \u201cI can feel there are no rugs on the floor, but, aren\u2019t there any drapes on the windows? It sounds so empty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like a big wooden box with these benches, a few desks and chairs up front,\u201d Edie said.<\/p>\n Although\u00a0 Ken and Joe had only been on the jury during the long trial, not\u00a0 convicted or even charged, Grace, Edie, Joe, and Ken took each other\u2019s pictures standing in the \u201cStocks\u201d on the grass next to the Court House. They thought it would make a great FaceBook post.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I see we\u2019ve saved the best for last,\u201d Ken said, pointing to the map. \u201cOur next stop is the Bruton Parish Church.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomething tells me that this is where we\u2019re going to find the harpsichord,\u201d Grace laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cClose,\u201d Ken said, taking her hand. \u201cPeter Pelham was the organist in that church and gave harpsichord lessons to the well-bred young ladies of the village.\u201d<\/p>\n As Edie and Joe described the things Crackers led Grace past, Ken was deep in conversation with one of the other docents.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have one more stop to make,\u201d Ken said with a big grin. \u201cThe piano forte and harpsichord are in the Governor\u2019s Palace. The docent is going to call ahead to let them know we\u2019re coming.\u201d<\/p>\n Once in the Governor\u2019s Palace, the docent led them right to the piano forte and asked, \u201cSo, who is the musician?\u201d<\/p>\n All three friends pointed to Ken, who tried to hide his excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a few minutes before a large tour group comes in. Is there a tune you\u2019d like me to play?\u201d the docent asked.<\/p>\n \u201cMay I play it?\u201d\u00a0 Ken asked, twisting and untwisting his fingers. Permission was given and Ken played a beautiful Keyboard Sonata by Haydn.<\/p>\n Grace held her right hand out and told Crackers, \u201chup-up.\u201d\u00a0 Crackers moved ahead so Grace\u2019s hand touched Ken\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cYou play so beautifully,\u201d she said. \u201cThe piano forte sounds a lot like our pianos today.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you wish you could play like that?\u201d Edie whispered to Joe, but Joe was lost in the strains of the sonata.<\/p>\n Moving into a smaller room, the docent said, \u201cWe don\u2019t usually let anyone play this 18th<\/sup> Century harpsichord, but you were so eager and able to play the piano forte, I suppose there will be no holding you back. Be my guest.\u201d<\/p>\n Hesitantly, Ken sat down on the ancient stool in front of the small instrument that he\u2019d wanted to play for a long time.<\/p>\n \u201cThe harpsichord,\u201d the docent said as Ken began to play a Prelude by J. S. Bach. \u201cis a string instrument similar to the piano forte, but the strings are plucked by little hooks, rather than struck by leather covered hammers.\u201d<\/p>\n Ken lost himself in the thrill of performing on such an old and time-honored instrument. He came out of his heavenly reverie when Grace softly said, \u201cHello-o-o. Earth to Ken. We need to go. The tour group is almost on us.\u201d<\/p>\n They thanked the docent for the very special treat he\u2019d given them and walked toward Shields Tavern for dinner.<\/p>\n Grace tucked Crackers under the table and ordered a green salad, remembering how one of the Heritage Lettuce Plants leaf she sampled at the Village Nursery tasted like vinegar, another like mint, still another like lemon and so many others, that the salad would not need any dressing.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, how weird,\u201d Joe said when Grace\u2019s salad arrived.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d\u00a0 Grace asked. \u201cWhat\u2019s so weird about different greens having different shapes and flavors?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFirst, put your hands down and don\u2019t touch it,\u201d Ken said, knowing Grace always explored everything with her hands. He began to describe what they could see and she could not. \u201cThere are a variety of leafy greens about six-inches tall sticking straight up out of a four-inch long toasted bread troth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt looks like someone stuck green leaves and stuff into a planter,\u201d Joe said, trying to be helpful.<\/p>\n \u201cThe dressing is squiggled in a zigzag pattern like a border on the plate with grape tomatoes plopped onto the dressing,\u201c Ken continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI bet they did that so they wouldn\u2019t roll off,\u201d Edie blurted out.<\/p>\n \u201cHow am I supposed to eat this?\u201d\u00a0 Grace moaned.<\/p>\n \u201cKnock it over!\u201d Edie, Joe, and Ken said in unison. \u201dAnd use a fork,\u201d they added. All four of them dissolved into laughter.<\/p>\n When Crackers heard feet shuffle and chairs scrape on the bare wooden floor, she got up and shook. She did a good job of keeping Grace on the path back to the Williamsburg Lodge. Just as they entered the parking lot, Grace\u2019s Dad drove in.<\/p>\n In no time, Crackers was curled up at Grace\u2019s feet fast asleep, making little puppy woofs and twitching her paws. She wasn\u2019t the only one who was dog tired. Within minutes of relaxing in the car, all but Grace\u2019s Dad were asleep, dreaming of more adventures to come.<\/p>\n (Music Source: Keyboard Sonata by Haydn\u00a0 on the piano forte:<\/p>\n<\/a>#13. The Locker Fiasco<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#14. Lost In Thought<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#15. The Musician<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#16. Day Two And Beyond<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#17. First Date<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#18. The Zipper Creep<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#19. Making Up<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#20. Mall Cruising<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#21. And More Questions<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#22. Homecoming Dance<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#23. Loyalties<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#24. Sea Dragons<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#25. Guide Dog Chronicles: Puppy Raisers<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#26. Guide Dog Chronicles: The Training Center<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#27. Guide Dog Chronicles: Grocery Shopping<\/h1>\n
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<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 #29. Guide Dog Chronicles: Smells like A Church<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#30. Ken\u2019s No Strings Attached<\/h1>\n
<\/a>#31. A Walk through History<\/h1>\n