by Eric Harris

Created on: July 03, 2007   Last Updated: August 09, 2007

It had been a long and cold winter.

Inside was warm, but the garden outside the kitchen window was still covered in snow.
Bob smiled to himself as he wiped a patch of frost from the window, the snowmen were still there standing sentinel to his thoughts.

It was the first time his grandsons had stayed with him and Sally for three months. He had enjoyed every moment of their stay. Their laughter still echoed in his ears and the home-made toys left behind reminded him of the games they had played.

When Sally made the Sunday roast the aroma reminded him of the jokes he would tell the young ones and the stories he would spin to keep them amused.

On the mantelpiece the Robbie Burns ornament spelled out Grace. The boys were fascinated with that piece, "Read the Scottish again, Grandad!"

They had made the snowmen together. First they patted two small snowballs hard. Then they rolled & rolled the tiny balls until they were large. This was fun. The boys kept falling over deliberately, rolling themselves in the snow, just to annoy Granma!
Then they rolled another two smaller balls: the heads for each snowman. A scarf was added; a hat. A carrot for a nose and some small pieces of coal for eyes & mouth.

They had completed a great job! Two snowmen for two little boys.

They had emigrated now. Gone forever perhaps? Their parents were seeking a better life in a better country. It all sounded sensible....

It had been a long cold winter.

Bob hoped it would remain that way. He could not bear to think that the snowmen would eventually melt....

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