November 10, 1983 - An Overnight VisitorNovember 1o, 1983 The Suffolk Times Page i3A
An Overnight Visitor
By PAULSTOUTENBURGH
There are so many nice things in our
world I often wonder why it seems to be
having such a difficult time. Sunday
morning found me taking in the wonders
of that half - asleep half -awake world. I'm
sure all of us have had that grand feeling
when everything was just right. Occa-
sionally I'd open my eyes to see if the sun
was up and when I found it wasn't I
settled back down a bit deeper and
lingered in that mid -way land while I
dozed a bit more.
Eventually the sun triumphed and
immediately started to play tricks with
the fall leaves. The hickories seemed to
have changed overnight into a gorgeous
yellow and the big dogwood out by the
garage had taken on deep tones of red
and beyond the trees the blue of a
cloudless day was taking over. I was
content to have the covers tucked well up
under my chin for the open window had
changed the warm room temperature of
the evening before when it was warmed
by the wood fire to one of a chilly
morning.
The reason I lay there for such a long
period of gleeful suspended animation
was because our grandson had "slept
over" and was still asleep in the next
room. We were babysitting and as all
grandparents know, when grandchildren
are asleep — you let well enough alone.
But this could not last for Iong.All night
he had slept without a peep and the
bright sun and swaying branches outside
his window would surely waken him
shortly. My interlude held on until
around 7:30, when I heard a stir.
Something was going on in the other
room. Then there was some soft
jabbering and I detected the word
" Nannie," which needless to say stirred
naoaei i or roLi.
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the body alongside me into immediate
action. Evidently Barbara was lying
awake also. Both of us not moving til we
heard from "in there."
Early Morning Romp
As the door opened and Barbara went
in, a new excitement of jabbering took
over until Barbara with Robby in her
arms triumphantly entered the room.
Now there was a bubbling three -year-
old saying, "Hi, Pa, What ya doin ?"
Being a realist, I said, "Nothing but
lying herein bed. Want to join us ?" And
that started the joys I spoke of in the
beginning. No money can pay one for the
sheer and simple indulgence of a
grandchild in bed with his grandparents
on a lazy Sunday morning. Bright and
ready to go, he chatted. Got under the
covers. And, of course, immediately got
out. Got up. Lay down. Crawled around
under the covers and talked a blue streak
every moment.
Like young boys when they first wake
up he was hungry so he went out to check
his knapsack his mother had packed for
the trip. Besides all the necessities of
extra sweaters, pajamas and other
things that mothers always seem to think
so necessary, a package of fig newtons
was tucked away for a good time like
this. Back he came proudly holding these
above his head and climbed into bed.
Again sitting up, lying down, crawling
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1
INNS
YOUNG HEREFORDS GRAZING - -A scene we come upon less and less
today here on the East End. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
around. And all this time munching on
his fig newton. It was rather a change
and a bit different as the crumbs drifted
down on the pillows letting you know that
a complete change of linen would be
necessary before going to bed again.
Nothing lasts forever and so Nannie
and Robby soon scurried off to the
kitchen to start breakfast. By the time I
shaved and got out, the aroma of ham
and eggs drifted from the kitchen. In
between I could hear the constant line of
youthful chatter. He sat up at the table
and ate a breakfast of ham and eggs,
biscuits and a full cup of cocoa.
After all when you go over to Pa's,
there's not much time for such trivial
things as breakfast. There were cows
that had to be watered, and chickens that
had to be fed. We always have to collect
the eggs. That's most important.
Whether they get back in the house in one
piece or not is another story.
Then there's that swing that Pa made
that he'd have to climb up on and be
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pushed. And then the apples he'd surely
have to taste out in the orchard., And he
mustn't forget to pick a few of the last
raspberries of the season that hung just
low enough for him to grab.
It was then that Barbara reminded me
I had places to go and that my tour of
duty was over. How do the young
mothers keep up with that kind of energy
all day long?
Many of us did it when we had our own
youngsters. We had three kids and I
know they were just as exciting to be
with. Yet it seems to us that Sunday
morning he had more energy than we
could remember. But then there's that
reassuring voice from my wife saying
with a twinkle in her eye, "Remember
you're not as young as you used to be. It
does make a difference you know."
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The preceding
column originally was scheduled to run
on Thursday, Nov. 3. )
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