Powering through, packing and repacking, voting, duck weather finally

Some days it seems like a major accomplishment to just power through without experiencing any upsets in the household. Not that things are always troublesome in our interpersonal interactions, but day to day fluctuations in emotions are challenging. With the change in weather – it is getting colder – Grandma and Grandpa are more likely to spend the entire day in the house versus enjoying some outdoor time on the porch. Because of Grandma’s need to have background noise incessantly, usually Christian music – which makes it tolerable and even enjoyable if it did not take our focus away - it is often impossible to think clearly. Though it may not seem too bad to have music constantly playing on her phone, it is a distraction to Mama and me as we are trying to work. Grandma’s continuous commentary on songs that actually catch her attention add to the disruption as we work. Mama on her business and me at my job. I can close the bedroom door if it gets to be too much. Mama does not have that option, so the struggle to get through her requisite tasks is a bit more difficult. We will make it, but some days are harder than others.

Besides the music as white noise in the house, when Grandma gets a phone call, she does not ever put the phone to her ear. Each call is put on the speaker at full volume and Grandma’s part of the conversation follows that same volume requirement. Hence, we all get to participate in her conversations – every one of them. When it does not satisfy Grandma that we can all hear the entire conversation for almost anywhere in the house, if we walk through the room where she is taking the call, Grandma will prompt those who enter the room to include themselves in the conversation. She will say. “Janie, say hello to Kim.” as Mama passes by. Janie, Grandma’s older sister will play along with the request and wish whomever well. Mama, thus distracted, will often forget why she entered the room and have to start her quest over.

Grandpa will often exit the bedroom when Grandma takes a call there. If the conversation seems way too loud when Grandma is sitting in our living room with both her voice and the phone at full volume, I cannot imagine how loud it is when that process is carried out in the small bedroom they occupy. Mama always answers the phone in speaker mode as well, but she is more aware of those around her and tends to keep both her voice and the phone volume turned down. None-the-less, Grandma will try her best to participate in every conversation Mama has on the phone if she is within earshot. Thus, Mama tends to be careful when she takes a call from me. I do not necessarily enjoy three-way conversations.

With her trip to Honduras coming up next week, Victoria is packing and repacking her suitcases. She is taking most of the items she will need for the month long stay but must also include in those suitcases many things Cori has had delivered to the farm recently. Once done, all the bags have to meet the weight limit imposed for travel. It is a daunting chore. I am sure she will be able to meet the expectation before she heads to the airport, but it will take a couple tries to get it right. She has done so before but not when she needed to be gone for a whole month. On the Honduran side, Cori and the kids are excited about her coming. On the Chico Farm side, Grandma is already lamenting Victoria’s absence. Although Grandma and Grandpa insist they have no favorites, If they did, Victoria would have the honor.

Monday evening Mama, Victoria, and I voted. Early voting opened up here on Monday the 24^th so we took advantage of the opportunity to get our vote in. There have been times that circumstances in past years made it impossible to get to the voting booth on election day, so we try to get to the polls early if we can. Mama took Grandma and Grandpa to vote yesterday. Since they have Bowie addresses on their licenses, they could not vote with Mama and I, but they made sure to cast their votes. Grandpa feels that this is perhaps the last election he will get to participate in. He may be right. Only God knows for sure, but Grandpa wanted to ensure he and Grandma did not miss this one.

It is duck weather here today – finally. Storms began to roll through our area at 4 am and the rain they brought continued through most of the morning and afternoon. A light rain most of the time with occasional heavier rainfall. As far as the ducks are concerned, that is perfect weather, and they have all spent the day out of their covered pen letting the rain wash them clean. Well, at least their tops are clean. They are filthy on their undersides because they like to use their bills to “drill” holes in the mud and then preen their chests with their filthy bills. But it makes them happy.

It makes up happy as well. The ducks are almost as fun as the goats.