Chapter 23

I awoke the next morning when Dee nudged me the final few inches, and I fell to the floor with a thump. I lay there, trying to reconcile my falling dream with the reality of being on the floor in a tangle of blankets, while Dee faked a small doggy snore. I got up bemusedly, and just then Dee's ears perked to the sound of a soft whistle, and she trotted out the door. She had a date with Dad for a walkie.

I gave up, and since it wasn't all that early, just for a Sunday, I did my mirror meditation, and my porcelain ablutions, and dressed in my Sunday Best. Downstairs in the Kitchen, I donned an apron, and proceeded to create an English breakfast, grilling the last of the sausages I had made, boiling water for tea, toasting toast. I set the table with the best china between turning the sausage, and put the jam caddy in the middle of the table, along with a milk pitcher.

When I turned around, Mom was sticking a fork into my sausages, and had turned my lovely English breakfast into an hearty Irish breakfast by the addition of a pot of porridge, laced with golden raisins and apple chunks. At least she made thick oatmeal mush that would keep your spoon upright, instead of gruel! But she had the right; on weekends, I was the mere assistant, not the chef.

Mom made coffee, she just didn't think tea would cut it with dad. I didn't know, I had a feeling a brisk morning walk, in all senses of the phrase, would wake him up nicely. However, he did appreciate the hot coffee in a sensible mug more than the dainty teacups to warm his hands when he got back. The smell of sausage grilling got the girls up, and they also put on their Sunday go to meeting dresses, and sat to table like little ladies. Mom made Holly go wash her hands again, but it didn't help, the grime was imbedded.

We discussed our various projects, and progress, and any problems. Tiff and Holly had ordered the replacement parts, Holly commented, and they would be here in ten days to two weeks, but much of the engine could be assembled in the meanwhile. We needed to borrow the floods, and an engine stand. I made a note to ask Dave Frohm if he knew of a source for the engine stand, as his uncle was the tow-truck driver.

We tidied up and headed off for church, an early low fog giving the chilly pre-Halloween morning an eerie feeling of unreality and a dreamlike appearance. The road wasn't visible, but the street signs and cars, except for their wheels, were. It was like floating on a cloud, instead of driving.

After the sermon, it turned out that five of the ladies had all decided that their new Danish wreath skills deserved a spot in the line-up, but they hadn't counted on Flo showing up to church! She brought two wreaths, making a total of seven. There was hardly room on the table for the other desserts, which were also fabulous, but which folks were well accustomed to.

Of course, the other five ladies had to retreat to their proper niches, since although yes they made delicious wreaths, Flo's were the best. People tried a bit of each, to be fair, but both of Flo's contributions vanished to the last crumb.

It was gratifying to see how welcomed and accepted the congregation made Flo in their midst.

Another surprise addition to the congregation was Tiff and her Mom, Ashley. We made room on the pew, and she ended up between me and Flo, who patted her hand and called her dearie. I didn't let Holly sit next to Tiff, so they wouldn't go all Motorhead in church. But we did let the duo sasters sit with the adults for the sermon instead of banishing them to the Sunday School in the basement. They were pretty good, and managed not to squirm in boredom too much.

Mrs. Prior (Call me Ashley, ) let Miss Tiff come over for the day again, and Mom invited her (Ashley) to Sunday Dinner with us. She had to explain that she cooked every weekend, and enjoyed people who appreciated her efforts, to get her to agree.

So arrangements were made, and Dad reminded her that there would be dance lessons after dinner. It was too obvious that Dad was angling for a Dance with Ashley, and he got a discrete and somehow fondly tolerant elbow in the side from Mom.

We squeezed Tiff in for the ride home, (Holly sat on my lap, it made sense since Beth would be with Dad and I for much of the day.) and dropped Mom, Holly and Tiff off to make room for acoustic foam and ceiling tiles. I had Beth sit in front, to get some face time with Dad, and they chatted away as we drove to the Home Improvement store.