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Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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from work soon, and then they’d eat
outside under the shade of the maple tree while they visited about their day and made
plans for the weekend.
Norma had talked to her friend, Mary Hagen, today, and she was looking forward to
following through on the invitation they’d been given to visit the Hagens’ home for
a meal after church this coming Sunday. The best part was that Mary and Ben’s grandson
Brian would be there. Norma had been hoping Susan would get the chance to meet Brian
while he was visiting his grandparents this summer, and this looked like the perfect
opportunity.
She smiled and set the plate of tomatoes aside. If the young couple should hit it
off, maybe Brian would decide to stay in the area permanently.
And maybe
, Norma thought, feeling hope well in her chest,
at least one of our granddaughters will get married and give Henry and me some great-grandchildren
.
“Is there anything I can do to help you, Norma?” Henry asked when he entered the kitchen
a few minutes later. “I got the picnic table wiped off, so that much is done.” He
chuckled. “And you should have heard George out there, chattering away at me. I think
he knows we’ll be eating outside this evening.”
George was a squirrel that for the last couple of years had become almost tame around
Norma and Henry. They’d noticed how every time they were in the backyard working or
eating at the picnic table, this curious little squirrel would appear and patiently
sit and watch until they went back inside. Norma and Henry had started talking to
the squirrel and tried not to pose a threat to it. Of course, it helped that Henry
always had some sort of a snack in his pocket that he used, hoping to entice the little
gray critter each time he went outside. One day the squirrel walked right up to Henry
and took the morsel gently out of his hand. From that time on, little George became
their outdoor pet.
“Yes, I’m sure George will be waiting nearby for a handout,” Norma said, smiling.
Then she motioned to the toaster. “If you’d like to toast the bread for the sandwiches,
I’ll start frying the bacon. Oh, would you also open that new loaf of bread? There’s
only a few slices left in the other package, and we’ll share those with George.”
“Sure, I can do that.” Henry reached around Norma, snatched a tomato slice, and popped
it into his mouth. “Mmm…my garden has been producing some delicious tomatoes this
year, don’t ya think? Look how meaty these are,” he said, pausing to wipe the juice
dripping down his chin. “And there are hardly any seeds in them, either.”
She nodded. “But if you keep eating the tomato slices, I’ll have to cut up some more.”
He chuckled. “That’s okay. There’s plenty more where these babies came from.”
“I know that.” Norma paused, using a napkin to dab at the spot where some tomato juice
had dribbled onto her husband’s shirt. “I’d just like to have everything ready when
the girls get home.”
“What else are we having besides BLTs?” he asked.
“I made a macaroni salad and added some shrimp and a little crabmeat.”
He smacked his lips. “Always did like a good seafood salad.”
As Henry took care of toasting the bread and Norma fried the bacon, they discussed
the garden, the weather, and their friends from church.
“I sure hope Susan and Anne will join us at the Hagens’ for dinner on Sunday,” Norma
said, turning off the stove after the bacon was nice and crispy.
“I’m sure they will if they haven’t made other plans,” Henry said.
Sponging up some of the bacon grease that had splattered on the stove, Norma was about
to bring up the topic of Susan meeting Brian, but she changed her mind. Henry would
probably accuse her of trying to play matchmaker again, and she didn’t want any lectures
from him. She’d just have to wait and see how things went. She’d like nothing more
than to see
outside under the shade of the maple tree while they visited about their day and made
plans for the weekend.
Norma had talked to her friend, Mary Hagen, today, and she was looking forward to
following through on the invitation they’d been given to visit the Hagens’ home for
a meal after church this coming Sunday. The best part was that Mary and Ben’s grandson
Brian would be there. Norma had been hoping Susan would get the chance to meet Brian
while he was visiting his grandparents this summer, and this looked like the perfect
opportunity.
She smiled and set the plate of tomatoes aside. If the young couple should hit it
off, maybe Brian would decide to stay in the area permanently.
And maybe
, Norma thought, feeling hope well in her chest,
at least one of our granddaughters will get married and give Henry and me some great-grandchildren
.
“Is there anything I can do to help you, Norma?” Henry asked when he entered the kitchen
a few minutes later. “I got the picnic table wiped off, so that much is done.” He
chuckled. “And you should have heard George out there, chattering away at me. I think
he knows we’ll be eating outside this evening.”
George was a squirrel that for the last couple of years had become almost tame around
Norma and Henry. They’d noticed how every time they were in the backyard working or
eating at the picnic table, this curious little squirrel would appear and patiently
sit and watch until they went back inside. Norma and Henry had started talking to
the squirrel and tried not to pose a threat to it. Of course, it helped that Henry
always had some sort of a snack in his pocket that he used, hoping to entice the little
gray critter each time he went outside. One day the squirrel walked right up to Henry
and took the morsel gently out of his hand. From that time on, little George became
their outdoor pet.
“Yes, I’m sure George will be waiting nearby for a handout,” Norma said, smiling.
Then she motioned to the toaster. “If you’d like to toast the bread for the sandwiches,
I’ll start frying the bacon. Oh, would you also open that new loaf of bread? There’s
only a few slices left in the other package, and we’ll share those with George.”
“Sure, I can do that.” Henry reached around Norma, snatched a tomato slice, and popped
it into his mouth. “Mmm…my garden has been producing some delicious tomatoes this
year, don’t ya think? Look how meaty these are,” he said, pausing to wipe the juice
dripping down his chin. “And there are hardly any seeds in them, either.”
She nodded. “But if you keep eating the tomato slices, I’ll have to cut up some more.”
He chuckled. “That’s okay. There’s plenty more where these babies came from.”
“I know that.” Norma paused, using a napkin to dab at the spot where some tomato juice
had dribbled onto her husband’s shirt. “I’d just like to have everything ready when
the girls get home.”
“What else are we having besides BLTs?” he asked.
“I made a macaroni salad and added some shrimp and a little crabmeat.”
He smacked his lips. “Always did like a good seafood salad.”
As Henry took care of toasting the bread and Norma fried the bacon, they discussed
the garden, the weather, and their friends from church.
“I sure hope Susan and Anne will join us at the Hagens’ for dinner on Sunday,” Norma
said, turning off the stove after the bacon was nice and crispy.
“I’m sure they will if they haven’t made other plans,” Henry said.
Sponging up some of the bacon grease that had splattered on the stove, Norma was about
to bring up the topic of Susan meeting Brian, but she changed her mind. Henry would
probably accuse her of trying to play matchmaker again, and she didn’t want any lectures
from him. She’d just have to wait and see how things went. She’d like nothing more
than to see
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