An Evening with the Swamp Girl
It was a typical day in the swamp. The sun was shining, the bugs were flying and crawling, the ducks floated along the pond as a slight breeze gave sail to their feathered majestic bodies.
By late afternoon, my tummy was grumbling and thoughts of food started darting through my head. I had already begun the events of preparing a comfort food meal when the phone rang. Caller ID indicated it was my oldest son Jeff, father of two of my grandchildren PJ and Logan.
Trying to decide whether to answer the call as it continued to ring, I contemplated letting it go to the answer service and finishing the tantalizing process at hand. Even though food, and eating it, is one of the only pleasures that I enjoy on this planet, I answered the phone.
Much to my surprise it was my youngest and only granddaughter, Logan. The sound of her voice as she said Hi grandma made me feel happy and renewed all in a matter of seconds. That in its self is an amazing thing that I hope everyone gets to feel more than once in a life time.
Logan explained that her Daddy and PJ were going to ball practice, and she wanted to come over for a visit. Delighted, I hardily accepted the opportunity to spend time with such an awesome soul.
As I drove to our agreed pick-up point, I thought about how happy Logan was going to be when she found out what was for dinner: roasted turkey breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, and chocolate chip cake for dessert. Of course at this point I realized that I had planned her favorite meal before she even called.
When I arrived at our pickup destination, Jeff and PJ were sitting in the truck, while Logan was balancing with one leg on the fire hydrant. She is always practicing gymnastics; she is on a team that meets once a week.
We greeted each other with open arms and big hugs. Her smile stretched from one ear to the other while those beautiful teeth beamed in the late afternoon sun. I greeted my favorite boys in the truck with the same thrill and Jeff reminded that Logan had homework for a spelling test the next day. With the spelling word list in pocket, we made our way back to the swamp to chow down.
Almost immediately Logan inquired about the contents of the impending dinner. Before I could get out the answer, she was saying yum, grandma thanks that is my favorite meal! We both smiled from ear to ear.
We savored the meal and had seconds on everything. Of course we were both so full, we decided to take a walk to the pond and feed the ducks before dark, saving the luscious chocolate chip cake for later.
The ducks greeted us with quacks that could be heard in the city and Logan greeted them right back, with her own version of quacks that could be heard in the city. I was sure she and the ducks knew what was being said even though I hadn't clue.
As we got closer to the pond's edge, Logan starting running to the water yelling, Look grandma an egg with no shell just the skin and you can see right through it! I hadn't seen one of those since I was a child. My grandparents took me with them to a local chicken farm where they got fresh eggs and my grandma chose colorful feed shacks to make me school clothes.which were beautiful by the way, but that is another story. During one of our visits to the chicken farm the farmer gentleman said he had a special egg for me. He handed me a chicken egg with no hard shell on it....just a very thin skin encased the yoke and clear liquid. I held it up to light and could see right through it.
Time had passed easily as we communed with nature in silence, neither one of feeling the need to speak. It didn't take long, and we were both back in our bodies and I suggested a go at the homework while we sat by the pond. Of course Logan was all over that suggestion, being the redneck swamp girl that she is. So we started to work on the spelling words as she sat in the giant box that held the duck and fish food next to pond, where the ducks lived.
At first there was some struggle, as she tried to remember the rules from the lessons in class that day. Wait, remember something about changing the y to i and add something.what is it again grandma? We went over the spelling rules for y to 'i and started the practice again.
Just as the look in her eyes changed to one of knowing, Logan jumped out of the feed box and picked up a stick. With every word I gave her to spell, she wrote the correct spelling in the sand bank by the pond.twice. Her face glowed with every correct spelling and the building of her confidence made her more beautiful than ever.
By the time all the words were written in the sand correctly at least three times, the sun was well behind the trees and we decided to head for the trailer before the mosquitoes came out for their dinner.
Our time together seemed to fly by and before we could finish laughing, the school night bedtime hour reared its ugly head. The return to home drive was a review of how much fun we had had that evening, lots of I love yous, and thanks. And of course, out of the mouths of babes Logan's smiling remarks were: I wonder how many kids got to do their homework in the sand, by the pond where the ducks live?
I went to bed that night with peace in my heart, and slept a healing, rejuvenating slumber. And when I arose the next morning I couldn't resist the pull of the morning sun to come outside and connect once again.
As I approached the spelling words in the sand by the pond where the ducks live I stopped to read each one, smiling from ear to ear.
P.S. Logan called today to say that she got an A on her spelling test.