Monday

The Importance of Lists...

"It’s a good thing we have nothing but time at our disposal because you certainly are wasting enough of it for us."

I realize that, Ann, and I apologize to the group.

"But look at this ‘to do’ list – it’s got seven-hundred-and-fifty things on it."

"Good lord! I hope my ladies-trapped-in-the-basement predicament is at least somewhere up in the top ten!"

"Quiet, Lilly. We don’t even know, yet, if D. Ann Graham is here to actually work or just peek in at us."

Just a peek, I’m sorry to say. I’m barely treading water out there in the real world and about ready to go under. Haven’t any of you got anything encouraging to say? Any brilliant ideas or schemes that might be able to help get me out of the soup? I don’t suppose it would do any good to remind you that if one goes, we all go…

"We’ve got a list, haven’t we? But a lot of good it will do you if you don’t even bother to read it once in a while. It’s amazing how little distraction it takes for you to close off your doors to inspiration entirely. Reminds me of the panic of twenty-nine: everybody so worried about themselves, they didn’t recognize the real catastrophe until it sneaked up and kicked them in the—"

All right, all right, I get the point. Let me see that list. And you might as well call the Professor in here so I don’t have to repeat myself.

"I’m sorry to inform you that the Professor has locked himself into his laboratory and refused to come out until he gets the bugs worked out of his alternative fuel formula. Something about the necessity of making it available before what’s-his-name gets enough nuclear reactors in place to set us all back a thousand years."

Then who’s watching the cousins?

"He’s taken them all with him. Including that new boy you sent over last week."

"You mean, W.K.? From over there at http://www.wildernesskidsclub.com/ – I think he’s the cutest little new blogger that ever ventured out into the—"

"Quiet, Lilly. This is no time to bring up the fact that you’ve been flitting around cyber-space so much, you haven’t contributed anything worthwhile around here, lately, either."

I don’t know how many times I’ve told the Professor that laboratory of his is no place for kids, especially when he’s tinkering with explosives. I guess I’ll have to go over there, myself, and—

"He knew you would. So, he left this note for you. Shall I read it?"

Please.

"My dear… it is at times like these when explosives are the very things children need most."

Why, it’s almost as if he’d been listening in! Don’t you think so, Ann?"

"I'll tell you, Lilly, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if he had this whole place wired for—"

Nevermind, ladies. However he did it, that’s exactly the sort of inspiration I was looking for. I guess sending W.K. over here wasn’t such a bad idea, after all. Now, I’ve got to get back to work because I’m late, already. Keep those ideas coming.

"Does that mean you’ll be back tomorrow?"

Without doubt.


What’s happening on the farm today: Pops is hard at work out in the shop, building a canoe. I hope it isn't an indication of the mode of travel we will be taking when summer comes around this year! Seems he must have some distraction from all the repairs needed around the place. I suppose we all have our own ways of dealing with things. I write a book and he builds a canoe. In the meantime, there's a storm blowing in and we’re preparing for a freeze. All supplies are running low, but our ship is on the horizon. Now, if we can only hold out until it docks…

Value status: It occurs to me this blog has become more than an experiment.

No comments: