A birthday party for a four year old
with presents, pretty paper and family
snacks, balloons and cake!!
A fun surprise evening with family
~ when we scatter,
we can all return for a visit.
“Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life.”
~ Albert Einstein
Settling into home,
I am aware of space ~
storage space, finding space,
space saving, creating space,
colouring inside the lines of home,
not filling space just to fill space, providing elbow room
to work, to write, to live,
to breathe, to walk,
and keep beauty all around.
In our homes, we fill our lives with convenience and necessity.
games to play, screens to watch, gadgets to cook with…..
until our cluttered space becomes who we seem to be.
We are body and soul, heart and mind ~
the beautiful centre of all that is in our space.
“What we all dread most is a maze with no centre.”
~ G.K.Chesterton, A Father Brown Mystery: The Head of Caesar
 |
| Tide out at White Rock B.C. seen from the train |
The rocking rolling rumble of the train ran past my bedroom window. It was in the '50’s when passenger trains were still normal on the prairies. I should have been taking a nap, but I was at the window watching and feeling the train passing. If I had been outside, I would have counted the cars, waved at the railway man in the caboose, he would have waved back. If it was dusk, I would see the lights come on in the passenger cars and wonder who was inside the traveling motel. Which one was the dining car, which one was the sleeping car. A skinny kid, I watched as a whole city went past my eyes, one that I never expected to visit. But decades later, I finally took a train trip in a passenger car from Victoria, B.C. to Bellingham, Washington; past coastal farms and ocean views. The most exciting experience was the train whistle. Settling into my seat, the train started moving, the whistle blew…….I was inside the whistle!!
Was there a skinny kid somewhere who should have been napping, watching our train go by, wondering who was inside and where they were going?
“Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things.”
~ Cicero
Fitting In
Everyone liked Phillip. After the first few days of awkwardness, he seemed to relax. Curious, and always correctly polite, he asked about the Estate and how it was run, always with a million questions. Cook laughed quietly to herself. Phillip may have been more relaxed, but the rest of her friends were in a tizzy almost everyday. As the luncheon grew closer, there were few signs that things were calming down. James had been his usual calm, controlled self. Martha did let on that at home he was obviously a bit distraught. “He’s always cleaning something up, making sure everything is in order - more than usual.” And Martha! She fluttered and fussed about, worried about the china, the table linens and the cutlery. “But Elizabeth we haven’t used them for over three years! When were they washed last, do the linens have permanent creases in them from being left in a drawer for so long…….?” Then she’d be off upstairs to make sure she still knew where everything was. “Elizabeth how do you stay so calm? This is a big test for all of us. We haven’t done a proper luncheon for over four years, Miss Emelina usually having her meals with us here in the kitchen. Poor little Sarah will have her home invaded by all of us trying to be the way we were before the pandemic. I do want everything to be just right, not just for Phillip, but for Miss Emelina.” Taking a breath, she decided to have a calming cup of tea. Sitting at the table, she called Elizabeth over. “Come sit with me for a moment while I gather my wits about me.” Elizabeth did as she was told, bringing the pot of tea, and a plate of fresh cookies with her. With a gentle smile, she said, “Martha dear, we’ll just do all the things we’ve always done.” She pulled a folded paper from her apron. “I’ll need help with some of the food. Only some of it. Miss Emelina, James and I reviewed the menu she had approved. Three courses, there will be a cold soup, finger sandwiches and trifle for dessert. It’s the sandwiches I’ll need an extra hand for Martha.” A wind blew in from the kitchen door. “Hello, ladies! It’s just Phillip. I’m all ready for whatever you have for me. I’ll talk with James first. I’ve brought him a book that we talked about last week. “The Philosophy of Service, One Butler’s Story” I had read it a while ago and James said he’d be interested. Is he here?” Phillip plopped himself down beside Martha and helped himself to a cookie. “Mmmmm! These are good, Cook!”
~~~~~
After the first few days of trying to get to know this nervous young man, he had finally settled into himself. They weren’t certain, but there seemed to be a change after he’d had a visit with Samuel. He was supposed to find out how valuable the garden was to the running of the kitchen and to donations to the Food Bank in town and other charities. It seemed he learned a bit more than that. Samuel, just in his demeanour, was known for letting people know that their value was in themselves. Elizabeth heard many times “No point in trying to be anyone else.” He wasn’t certain but after some thought, Phillip wondered if that’s not why they sent him out to Samuel.
“You’re certainly at ease today, Phillip.” James had heard his voice and decided to join them in the kitchen. “Good morning, you three. Can I join you?” Martha patted the seat beside her. “Oh course you can, James.” She smiled up at him. “What are you and Phillip up to this morning, dear?” James looked at Phillip, “Remind me, Phillip.” Phillip took another cookie, leaned on his elbows and said, “We’re going upstairs and review the table settings needed, where the cutlery is kept in case someone needs a new fork or spoon, make certain there’s enough napkins and……oh yes, ask Sarah if she’d like to come out and play!” He finished with a flourish and a laugh. “Have you seen Sarah yet?” Cook was curious, because Sarah hadn’t been been down the last time she baked her favourite cookies. “No but, when I’ve been doing table settings, a cup will be turned over, or a piece of cutlery on the floor when my back is turned. I haven’t felt anything malicious, but like a kid tugging a my sleeve for attention. I’ve said something to her, at least I assume it was her.” James looked at his watch. “We’d better get upstairs. And then we’re taking you two ladies to lunch at The Golden Fork this afternoon.” When he saw the surprised look on Elizabeth’s face, he asked. “Didn’t Martha tell you Elizabeth? It is another experience for Phillip. After all the reviews, he needs to be the one waited on. When we get back he can tell me if there were any missteps, and if there were reasons for them.”
~~~~~
James and his protégé, Martha and Elizabeth drove along the water on their return in mid afternoon after a lovely lunch in Hartley. “You did well, Phillip. Maintaining conversation without being obviously focused on our server was well done. I think a next step would be for us to just have a little lunch and for you to wait on us. Maybe if it’s nice we could do that on the patio. What do you think?” They were back in James office and winding up for the day. “Thanks, James. I’ll admit I felt a bit awkward trying to keep it up.” James nodded. “That’s rather what it’s like. Focusing on your task, but maintaining light conversation. I think that will do for today……” He hesitated, “By the way, I believe you’ve been accepted by our little ghost girl. She would be throwing things, not just moving a few things around.” Locking the office door, the two men walked through the kitchen and out the back door. James left for his cottage, where Martha had supper ready for him. Phillip got in his car and, feeling very pleased with the day, drove toward home.
~~~~~
Sarah had the house all to herself when the foursome left for lunch. The mistress was gone for the day, but Sarah stayed in the wall until she was certain that the house was quiet. She had been teasing this new young man by disturbing his work. She wanted to see if he got angry or didn’t mind. It was times like these when she floated through the house and out to the yard to where the ghost of a swing remained on the big tree in the front yard. Sunshine or rain she stayed there until she heard the whirr of a car, or the rumble of the gardener’s truck. Then in an instant she was back in the house, up in the bookshelf inside her favourite book.
“Never dull your shine for somebody else.”
~ Tyra Banks
yarn and crocheted little bits
ideas floating in my brain.
woollen decorations?
will that ever happen?
maybe…..
they could be felted ~
You-tube here I come.
another brilliant thought -
start each of many projects
with my vision in mind.
pressure to be done on time and perfectly ~
kicked to the curb!
chunking each project,
finish one section at a time to
open my play time for creativity and shopping.
“Almost all creativity requires purposeful play.”
~ Abraham Maslow
Behind the window,
a story would unfold.
Life would be lived with
love and laughter,
sorrow and tears,
sewing for pleasure,
learning dance steps for leisure
hurry to work or off to class
vacation plans or
dreams of retirement
all swirled through life’s ups and downs.
There will always be a story
behind the window.
“Strange things blow in through my window on the wings
of the night wind and I don’t worry about my destiny,”
~ Carl Sandburg
clinging to sturdy supports
until autumn chill splashes
brilliant reds and golds
while roots lie deep
surviving each season
to climb and grow again.
“Heaven is under our feet as well as above our heads.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
