That was Then.

June 14, 2015

A Quiet Sunday Afternoon At the Trucker's House…

...used to be when we came home from church with tired, hungry children, fed them a quick lunch, and tucked them in for naps. Then the dishes and the putting away of Sunday clothes. Finally, we could sit down for a bit of quiet.

Now the children are all grown up. The quiet has disappeared. Take today, for example.

Dear Son #1 & his Love had gone to early service at Evangelical Free Church. They were home and had the table set and were ready to put on the warm food by the time The Trucker closed up the sound board and I finished in the library and we got home. Shortly thereafter the girls came in, full of plans for the afternoon.

(Dear Son #2 had arranged to spend the afternoon learning to play golf with three friends. He asked them to teach him if he paid the costs. However, they refused to be seen on a golf course with him until he at least mastered chip and putt. I invited him to bring his friends along for lunch, since they were going back our direction anyway, but they were eager to get going and didn’t want to take the time.)

We sat down at the table and bowed for prayer. The Trucker & I hold hands to pray; the whole family used to join us before the children “outgrew” the habit. Now DS#1 & his Love hold hands too, which left the girls out. Prayer ended early, when snickers leaked out around the far end of the table. DS#1 & DD#2 had reached for DD#1’s hands to complete the circle, but as she is not one for holding hands, she resisted. Strenuously. Sigh.

As the bread was being passed, DS#2 blew through, having decided to change out of his church clothes before golfing. He again refused an invitation to lunch; his friends waited in DD#2’s jeep, which they had borrowed for the afternoon. Small cars may be easy on the gas bill, but you cannot fit full size friends in the back seat!

As the baked potatoes were making their rounds, DS#2 reappeared to tell DD#1, “The boat motor is up at Jordan’s farm being charged. You can find it outside the tractor shed.” (The girls were in the process of rounding up a group of friends their age to borrow DS#2’s raft for an evening on the lake.)

As the potato toppings began making their rounds, DD#1 became dissatisfied with the amount of salt coming out of the shaker, and gave it a hefty, DD#1-sized jolt. The lid popped out of the bottom and instantly there was salt over the table, the floor, and DD#1. (I had just refilled the shaker.) Her potato, where the salt was intended, was spared. Out came the vacuum cleaner, and down went DD#1 to change clothes.

Dessert was cookies, along with a bowl of watermelon and blueberries. While we were laughing about the fact that DS#1 dug out all the blueberries because he dislikes watermelon, and his Love dug out all the watermelon because she dislikes blueberries, The Trucker’s phone rang.

It was DS#2. On route 625, not even half way between home and his destination.  His sister’s jeep had begun squeaking, and then quit. Completely. The Trucker and the affected daughter left immediately, with friend Jesse’s car which had been left in our driveway, so the boys could continue their plans.

Meanwhile, DD#1 and his Love did the dishes and I cleared the table.

Shortly the investigative party returned. DD#2’s engine had locked up, a result of it getting thirsty for oil and her not noticing. Sigh. After DD#1 had come close to doing the same thing this past winter, and hearing both The Trucker and DS#1 instruct DD#1 on how to avoid such dangers in the future, this still escaped her notice. DD#2’s response, “I shall go down to my room and cry.”

The Trucker and DS#1 left with DD#1’s truck and a tow rope. His Love joined them for the experience. They hooked the rope to the jeep on one end and to the tow hooks DD#1 installed on her truck at the other end. Unfortunately the rope was a tad short, so The Trucker in the jeep had to ride the brakes hard a few times to avoid putting tow hook indentations on DD#2’s bumper yet. During the process, His Love made a comment that will be remembered in family history, “I have never seen this done before! Um, is this legal?” DS#1’s answer, “Probably not, but neither do we want to rent a towing dolly on a Sunday if we can help it!”

Back at home, both girls’ phones are buzzing with incoming and outgoing text messages as their group of friends are responding to the invitation and receiving information. DD#1 was scrounging through the fridge and cupboards for a snack to take along on the raft. Heaven forbid that we plan ahead and give mom warning of the food that would be needed. No, we just take what is there and say it will be good enough. Sigh. Hope there is enough left for packing four lunches tomorrow.

Then DD#2 came stomping up the stairs. “Will you come down to my room? My chair ate my phone and I can’t find it. It’s buzzing away in there and I know I am getting messages and I can’t see where to reach in!” (This is a decrepit red leather recliner she found for free at a yard sale and cleaned up.) Together the girls turned the chair upside down and shook out the phone.

The towing company returned, still chuckling over his Love’s response to what has become a somewhat routine solution in this household. The jeep had been left at the local repair establishment with a note that said: “red jeep - call 'The Trucker'.” They will absolutely love that message on a Monday morning, seeing as they are already engaged to put a new engine in the Tahoe that quit on me a week ago. (Also for oil related issues, but nothing that would have shown on the gauges!) It doesn’t always pay to buy used. Oh, how we miss our green pickup truck!

The Trucker was a bit discouraged. He asked me if I will mind being without a vehicle for the coming week. I reminded him of several points:

1. I seldom have time to go anywhere.

2. Several days DD#2 works 1 - 9, and I can do errands in the morning.

3. DD#2 can learn to drive her brother’s car and he can go back to his bike. 

4. We have three children working locally. I can take any one of them to work and have their vehicle.

5. I can always walk up Daddy & Mama’s and borrow their car.

6. We are spoiled with all our vehicles. Many families share routinely.

7. The children can bring home anything I need when they are out.

DS#1 & his Love left for their afternoon plans. DD#1 was in need of a nap, so she went down to have it in the meadow with the resident Halflinger. DD#2, her discouragement apparent, went to the back porch to answer text messages. The Trucker disappeared into the basement to watch an old cowboy DVD. The house is quiet. For now.

Spoke too soon. DD#2 came back in to vent her frustration, her regret at not taking her father’s advice against buying the jeep, her worries about what to do next. “It seems every time I get a raise at work, my jeep needs repaired!” I tried to comfort her, and encourage her not to “over-think” it, but wait til she gets the verdict. Eventually she stretched out for a nap.

Me? I’m wondering if it is safe to attempt a nap of my own. Better find something to do to stay awake, and thus be available to the next person coming through. And while I am at it, to praise God that He ordained the jeep to croak today, and not late last night when DD#2 was bringing little ones home from an event in Kutztown. Or Thursday, when The Trucker & I were planning to use it to go to the hunting cabin three hours away. 

The house is quiet again. Until they all begin returning home with tales of the day.