Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?<\/p>\n
By Kate Chamberlin<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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
<\/p>\n
#33. The Wedding<\/p>\n
As a child, Grace always looked forward to visiting Grandma Kate and Granddad Carl on their farm. It wasn\u2019t a working farm with cows, horses, chickens, and sheep, but, the fields were lush with wild flowers, ducks on the pond, a hard wood forest to explore, a big barn to jump from the loft into the haymow, and, of course, an old attic chock full of interesting stuff\u00a0 collected throughout the generations. Grace and Ken\u2019s children loved visiting the farm, too. It was a long drive to get there, but, the time flew by as they read a book, played cards, and slept.<\/p>\n
On this particular hot and windy afternoon, Grace and her Grandmother sat in the roomy kitchen at the large, well-worn oak table sorting and snapping string beans\u00a0 when the screen door sprang open, slammed against the wall and two squabbling boys came storming in.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoa,\u201d Grace said, putting a hand on her guide dog\u2019s head to let her know there was no need to guide her out of harm\u2019s way. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on? Why the tornado?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to go swimming,\u201d William complained. \u201cBut, he won\u2019t be my buddy so I can go in the pond.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to fly a kite,\u201d Paul defended his decision. \u201cIt isn\u2019t every day that the wind is really good for flying a kite.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrace,\u201d Grandma Kate said. \u201cDo you remember how you and your brother used to settle differences?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHmmmmm,\u201d Grace thought a moment. \u201cYes, I do!\u00a0 Boys go up and put on your swim suits. Ken would you look for something in the barn for me, please?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSwimming?\u201d Paul growled and stomped up the stairs. \u201cI never get to do what I want to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Soon, the four adults, two guide dogs, and little Marion sat on the grassy bank of the pond watching the boys.<\/p>\n
\u201cYup,\u201d Ken said. \u201cOle Ben Franklin had a good idea when he flew his kite.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDad,\u201d Paul yelled. \u201cWatch this.\u201d<\/p>\n
The boys floated on their backs and held the kite string as the wind lifted it up and over the pond. It pulled the boys with it, scattering the startled ducks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t that awesome,\u201d William said. \u201cMom, did you and Uncle Sandy used to do this, too?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe sure did,\u201d Grace said. \u201cIt was great fun even way back when.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later, in the moonlit evening, when the wind had died down, they all sat out near the old rock wall around a camp fire.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook into the camp fire,\u201d Ken said to the boys. \u201cWhat do you see?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI See a big castle with lots of towers,\u201d William replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a dragon in there burning down your castle,\u201d Paul challenged.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the smell of it,\u201d Grace said, \u201cSomeone\u2019s marshmallow is burning!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Dear Gussie,\u201d Grandma Kate chuckled. \u201cSome family traditions are easy to pass on to the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grace and Ken cherished their children; relished their accomplishments in school, sports, and faith in themselves and others as The days passed into years and the years into decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre we having fun yet?\u201d Ken, whose rich brown curls were flecked with grey, \u00a0asked one evening relaxing in the home they\u2019d bought as newly-weds, waiting for their son William to arrive with his wife and children. \u201cIsn\u2019t having our children and their families come for\u00a0 visits\u00a0 the best ever?\u201d<\/p>\n
Grace\u2019s springy silver curls framed her face as she nodded and saluted him with her wine glass, took a sip, and said, \u201dYes, definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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