The Reindeer Keeper

My 13-year-old granddaughter sent me a message last week asking if I would make her a strawberry-rhubarb pie for her 14th birthday. It felt like Christmas!  Of course I would make her a strawberry-rhubarb pie! As many as she would like! We decided I would deliver the pie for supper on her birthday. My son Brian and I would be staying for her Celebration supper, complete with a Special-Order Strawberry-Rhubarb pie! When that special day arrived, I decided to make an apple pie along with the strawberry-rhubarb pie.  Ingredients were measured and mixed and two pies were the result. I dressed up the Strawberry-Rhubarb pie since it represented what would have been her Birthday Cake. I wrapped both pies up in aluminum foil. Then placed them side by side on a wooden tray and placed that tray on the back seat. Off we went with the radio on high and the excitement growing.  As I made the last turn onto their road, I heard something. Something going on in the back seat. No! That wo...

  First, I must state I am all for Seat Belt Laws although, at times, I forget to Buckle Up-right away. A few weeks ago, my 13-year-old granddaughter was with me in my car. We left one place and were on our way to another when I remembered, I forgot to Buckle Up! When I did remember I quickly remedied the situation. But it did not go unnoticed by my passenger who was all buckled up and in a bit of shock that I, briefly, forgot. I was going to explain to her how way back when in the Dark Ages, there were no such things as Seat Belt Laws but instead, we discussed Ed Sheeran. And the day continued on. Later that evening I got to thinking about those 'No Seat Belt Wearing Days' and a certain car I had when the kids were young came to mind. It was a Maverick. I loved my Maverick. It somehow earned the nickname, "The Crut Bomb." My kids and most every kid in the neighborhood knew that nickname. That is probably because the Crut Bomb was most always full of kids, mine and th...

"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like Sunbeams & you will always look lovely" (Roald Dahl's, "The Truth".) My now 8-year old granddaughter recently accompanied me on a book signing held in a children's school library. While waiting between groups coming in and out, we went on an adventure-pulling some books off shelves and checking them out. Being an avid reader, my granddaughter took time to read a few. Problem was there were so many books and so little time as well as shelves full of plush animal puppets. She loves plush animals. Especially puppies. And of course, there was a plush puppy puppet-a rather large one. So soft. So huggable. Later that night, and I don't know why-maybe because I'd watched her earlier when surrounded by books; her imagination on overload, that I found myself thinking about the above quote that I've always loved written by British novelist Roald Dahl. And as I thought about ...

For a few years now my granddaughter and I have been tracking a bunny we've seen out back-by the barn, hiding in the garden and disappearing in the rock wall. My granddaughter has always felt the bunny is no ordinary bunny. She's convinced it is the Easter Bunny. We didn't see the bunny all last summer or fall. But a few weeks ago when her little brother was here for an overnight, we both saw the bunny by the rock wall. We were so excited. I 'd thought the worst had happened but the bunny proved me wrong. Adding to the excitement of seeing bunny, I'm certain I saw a few little ones scampering along beside her. Last evening, with the geese flying and the sun setting over the fields, I went out back for a walk. I didn't get very far. As I came up the incline near the rock wall, I was astonished to find colorful Easter eggs lying in the grass. They were beautiful-sparkling-magical under the glow of the sun disappearing. Something told me these were not you...