Rocky Day

Somehow I missed the memo that today was Take Your Raccoon to Work day. If I had gotten it I am fairly certain I would have been more prepared for the sight at the gas station this morning. As I stood pumping money into my seemingly bottomless tank I glanced across the parking lot to see a man emerge from his pickup truck with a small raccoon perched upon his shoulder. As I blinked in disbelief he sauntered into the mini-mart, the masked critter clinging to his shirt for balance. Emblazoned across his T-shirt were the words The Tree Man. I wondered what exactly one would do with a raccoon while out trimming trees? Perhaps send the animal as a scout to scare away any animals lurking in or near the tree? Or maybe Tree Man uses the raccoon as an unpaid laborer, sending the little creature up into the highest boughs with a small chainsaw to top the trees? Maybe the raccoon helps with tying off limbs by dragging ropes up the tree to the designated point? I finished filling my tank and walked warily into the store to pay. As I approached the counter there was Tree Man talking to the wide-eyed clerk. I kept my distance, not wanting to alarm the creature who was now clinging to the man's head. I could envision being attacked by this woodland creature for invading his space. I wanted to turn around and leave but I didn't want to be charged with theft so I waited quietly in line. After the man had paid for his Slushee and cigarettes he turned ever so slowly, and the raccoon scrambled from his head, across the counter, and onto the clerk's shoulder. She laughed nervously and the man stepped aside to allow me to step up. I practically threw my money at the clerk, not wanting to encourage another change in transport for the raccoon. On the way back to my car I made a mental note of the truck so I could drive on by the next time I might happen to be stopping for gas. I think I would probably make it to the next station instead. Why do people have to take their pets with them everywhere they go anyway?

From Old Comes New

I have been counting down the days until my children and grandchildren are all gathered in one place. I can hardly wait for the plane to land in Chicago, bringing its most precious cargo to American soil once again. It has been nearly six months since I last saw my younger daughter and her family. My husband has been anxiously waiting to hold his grandson for the first time and to swallow them all in giant bear hugs. I want everything to be perfect for their visit, yet I know it will not be so. I haven't managed to clean out my husband's home office to make way for a room of her own for our granddaughter. She will have to share a room instead. I haven't gotten around to touching up the paint on the bathroom wall where the new light fixtures were installed. I haven't managed to weed all the flower beds and trim all the shrubs. I haven't yet planned out the menus. But nearly perfect is good enough for me. I have managed to drag out my children's toy box and sort through the twenty-something year old toys. I had to smile when I opened a small blue jean purse to find it filled with dozens of Cabbage Patch Kids Shrinky Dinks. Dance leotards and tap shoes were tucked into a pink ballet bag. Jump rope, pink child-size weights, and assorted exercise gadgets were tucked into another bag. Rainbow Bright and Strawberry Shortcake dolls were packed away in boxes, while My Little Ponies were corraled in a small trunk. My youngest daughter's Lemon Drop treasure box was secured tightly with its tiny lock, the key to which was found hidden inside another small purse in a sliding metal lip balm case. Adjustable Fischer Price roller skates await my granddaughter's use, as do the hundreds of storybooks that I saved from my children's early years. A Rainbow Bright cassette player still seems to work and the cassettes are now sitting on a shelf just waiting for little ears to enjoy the tales to be told. My younger daughter's music box, a gift from her grandmother, sits upon the bookcase, beckoning with its tinkly song and tiny twirling monkey. The giant chalkboard is waiting to be washed down and fastened to the garage wall in anticipation of little artful hands. I was actually surprised at how many things I had kept from my daughters' childhood days. I expect that they will get a kick out of seeing some of these relics of their past. A new wading pool is stored in the garage and several new baby toys share space in the toy box for my grandson's pleasure. The car seats, strollers, baby monitors, booster chair and sippy cups are ready and waiting. It has been a pleasurely trip down memory lane getting ready for this visit. I cannot wait for the chance to create many new memories while sharing the past.