Chapter 13 The Guys Go To Deer Camp

After seven hours on the road, the guys are finally nearing the cabin.

Basil's Granddad built the cabin 60 years ago. Over the years, family history has accumulated, the kids little fishing rods and life preservers, the new chair and the hooks to hang the bows on. But some things have stayed the same. Granddad's pin-up picture is still on the wall. The wood stove is still temperamental. The log foot rest is still the place to find magazines, newspapers and flashlights.

When the cabin was first built it was a tiny little one room building.

A picture of Basil's Dad from a long, long time ago.

Elissa won't let Matt wear do-rags at home. He's up here in the wilderness and he's going to wear his do-rag. The chill still hasn't gotten out of the cabin corners, two more chunks of wood should bring the heat up.

"Well guys, I'm going out to catch up on my reading, don't wait up!"

"Basil, remember when your Granddad took us out to shoot the stump with his muzzle loader? Your Granny was hollering out the door, '"The boys are only eighteen. Do you really think they should be learning to handle that pistol?"' Pete smiled.

Laughing, Basil reminisced, "She used to have dinner ready, so that when we brought the fish in, the fry pan was spitting grease."

"Tyler won't let me have fish fried in grease," Pete grumbled. "We should bring the boy and come up for a week in the summer so he can have some man time. The way he cried when we left yesterday, just about broke my heart."

"His dad was wiping his eyes for the first fifty miles," Basil agreed.

Russ was over at the bow rack getting a good look at Granddad's pin-up. "She was quite a beauty, wasn't she?" he asked the guys.

Basil smiled with fond memories, "He heard her sing in a saloon. Granddad said she sounded like an angel. Granny always pretended to hate that picture, but she always made sure it was hanging straight and dusted."

"Russ, do you remember the time Basil's Dad brought us up here and the porcupine was chewing the porch step?" Pete grinned. "We sure learned a lot of new words that day!"

"Hey Basil, what did you see on your scouting drive today?" Russell questioned.

"It didn't start off well. Someone had put some squash and pumpkins under a pine and a group of reindeer were feeding. There was a picture in my mind of the six older children telling me not to shoot any of Uncle Santa's reindeer."

"A quarter mile further into the woods, I found a huge buck rub."

"The Huron River was flowing fast today. Even with seeing it all my life, water that looks like root beer still boggles my mind."

"The cedar is still growing out of the stump in the pond."

"That big old rock is still at the corner."

"Finally I spotted a doe. By that time, I needed more gas and lunch. So I headed for the crossroads. It is going to be another great deer camp!" Basil finished.

"Now if only we remember to get another deck of cards tomorrow. I still can't believe Matt used the cards to start the fire." Russell griped.

"And if we remember to get some chips 'n dip, a couple bags of cookies and some thick steaks," Pete added.

"And if we remember to call home tomorrow," Basil contemplated.

"And if we remember to get another memory card for the camera so we can get plenty of pics," Matt concluded.

This episode is for my husband. A man who loves the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and deer hunting.

Chapter 12 What A Day......

The time for Sister to travel back to the North Pole is coming fast. She loves being with all the family, but Santa has called her five times in the last two days. He always gets so stressed in late October.

Sister stops in at Alex' office to see if she's free for lunch.

Alex is a bundle of nerves. There is so much pressure on her to run for Mayor. Naturally she has some concerns. Not about her ability to manage the city though.

"Since Dad died, I've been helping Mom with money for the younger sisters' educations." she explains. "Through careful saving and investments, my accounts have enough to take care of mom and pay the girls' tuitions for the next four years. But what if Mom becomes too ill to manage on her own? What if one of the girls wants to go to medical school? What if Mom's house needs extensive repairs? What if I don't like being a mayor?"

Sister didn't have any answers other than she's never been to Olive Garden and would really like to try lunch there.

MEANWHILE OVER AT THE ST. JOHN HOUSEHOLD

"Oh Tyler....I am so ready for the guys to go to deer camp. Basil has lists. He has piles of hunting supplies. He has 5 bushels of sorted acorns to feed the deer!" Emme moaned to Tyler.

"Pete wants me to pick scent blocking body wash and deodorant! He wants me to make up a huge pot of chili!! He wants to know if he should take the tv/dvd player!!! He wants to know where he put his thick socks!!!! The cabin doesn't even have electricity!!!!! What are they going to do with a tv??????" Tyler screeched.

"Men" they both groaned.

Up in the kids' room, Marley and Marybeth were entertaining Ellery and Jessamyn with the Halloween puppets that Aunt Brenda sent. The little kids still haven't used all the stickers that Aunt Brenda and Aunt Diane sent. The kids even decorated the crib.

The moms haven't realized that Aunt Brenda sent Halloween bags in the package with the puppets.

Oh my, its good to be a kid.

Well maybe, Ellery really likes his kitty puppet, but Jessamyn isn't so sure about the mummy puppet or the skeleton puppet or the Frankenstein puppet....

Russell John picked Esme and the kids up after nursery school. He doesn't understand how she can be so calm after a day with so many munchkins. The running and giggling would be more than he could take.

Little Daniel Jim was creating some of the havoc. Grandma made some new overalls for him with his favorite character, Mr. Wiggs, the Giant Goldfish, on the bib. The girls are unhappy. They wanted Mr. Wiggs on their new rompers - instead of bows.

Matt takes one look at Daniel Jim and shouts at Elissa, "What have you done to my son?"

"He looks like a conehead!"

"No he does not." Elissa smiles. "I tamed his hair with gel. He looks so much like you with his hair this way."

Chapter 11 DADDY'S HOME!!!!!

Esme gently woke Jada and Jessamyn. They heard their daddy's rumbling voice down in the kitchen. "DADDY'S HOME!!!" Jada screams. They've missed him so much. He's been gone on a very, very long business/golf trip.

"Russell John," Esme murmurs sweetly. "This was your last business/golf trip. From now on, you'll be home for dinner every evening."

"Babe," (Russell John calls Esme babe). "The problems in Cincinnati are all worked out. I won't need to go out of town for a long, long time."


LATER AFTER DINNER

Alex stops by to tell her friends the latest news. She's been offered the opportunity to run for Mayor. Alex really loves her job as a municipal planner. She's not sure that she is tactful enough to be a politician. Esme agrees with her. The other ladies choke back laughter. Alex is not amused.

Up in the living room, Daniel Jim, Riley and Rowan are climbing on Uncle Russell John. They love listening to his low rumbly laugh. Jada is feeling so sad and angry. She wants a hug from her dad.

Up in the kids' room, Jada is still feeling sad and mean. Jessamyn and Ellery want to do stickers with the big kids. Aunt Diane set the stickers to Jada, Riley, Rowan and Daniel Jim. Not to babies.

Since they won't stop crying......Jada gives them happy faces.

"Mom, you need to come up and see what those kids have done

now!" exclaims Marley.

"Where is your father?" Emme questions Marley. "I thought he said he'd keep an eye on the little ones."

"Mother! He's discussing golf courses with Uncle Russell John."

Chapter 5 Grandpa's Version of the Tammy Convention

"Well kiddos, the convention was more fun than I expected. We saw a lot of the relatives. Grandma really enjoyed visiting with the humans." Grandpa relates. "Guess who won the prize for the oldest geezer at the dinner?" he brags.

"Dear, the prize was for your custom hair color." Grandma breaks in sweetly. Pete and Salty believe everything Grandpa tells them, so she always tries to keep the facts clear for them.

"Are you sure?" Grandpa asks. "I didn't see any other old geezers there, only many, many pretty girls. I'm sure the prize was for being an old geezer." he winks at the kids.

"The old man's on a roll tonight, isn't he dear?" Dad murmurs to Mom.