May 17, 2006

Teamwork

Tom's apprentice went home this morning with a headache so the two-person tile-laying plans at the supermarket bathroom had to be postponed. Tom came home at lunchtime and after the meal he took the kids with him to the shop at the corrals a mile and a half away to work on various parts and pieces being built for the remodel.

So I was washing eggs and laundry and changing sheets in the peace and quiet when after a couple of hours the kids materialized with three very flushed faces and an armful of buffalo beans, a pea-like plant with bright yellow flowers.

"Could we have Fudgesicles please?"
"Where's Daddy?"
"At the corrals. Could we have Fudgesicles?"
"Why did you leave?"
"It was getting hot and we were hungry and thirsty and Daddy's still working." [It was, at 3 p.m. today, 90 degrees F in the shade, which is most definitely not normal for Alberta in May.]
"Then how did you get here?"
"On Laura's bike."
"All three of you?"
"Yes, we took turns. [Gazes impatiently toward deep freeze where Fudgesicles live.] First Davy rode until we got to the yield sign, then we changed every time we came to another birdhouse. When we got hot we dipped our feet in the water in the ditch. As we walked the two who weren't riding were picking flowers for you."

I've never handed out Fudgesicles with more pride.

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