June 3
I walked around the plastic sheeted structure Jason had erected. It wasn’t very tall, barely covering the central pyramid that was home to all the herbs and a few perennial flowers Kathy had planted in the past. The seams were held together with several layers of duct tape.
“This looks good, Jason, really good,” I complimented him.
“There is one panel at the top you can open to let out hot air, and two sides can be rolled up, whereas the other two are anchored tight,” he explained.
“For now everything needs to stay closed up,” I said, shivering from the cool breeze off the lake. “What’s this for?” I asked, spotting a cut-off rusty barrel.
“I thought you might like somewhere to build a fire, just in case it gets colder earlier than you want.”
“A smudge pot!” I exclaimed. “Thanks, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I’m guessing that’s also why you put an air vent in the top, to let the smoke out, right?”
Jason grinned.
June 5
“How are your plans coming along for the big party tonight?” Tom asked.
“I got a lot of the food done yesterday. There are only a few things that I couldn’t do ahead,” I answered.
“So what’s on the menu?” Jim chimed in, peering over my shoulder.
“There are deviled eggs, cheese and soda crackers, soft pretzels with fresh mustard, smoked oysters from our road trip, an olive, pickle, and spiced beets dish, plus some pickled sausage I found in my pantry. Today I will make up the salmon balls and the Nori rolls. The Nori rolls will be a meatless sushi, though I will have some of the very thinly sliced fresh gravlax available for topping it, along with the pickled ginger also from the road trip.”
“I’m getting hungry already,” Tom teased. “Is there anything we can do to help besides eat?”
“Sure, the table chairs can go in the living room so there’s room to walk around the food table. And you can set up the bar on the island. Oh, and Jim, would you get a couple of bottles of wine from downstairs? Two red and two white should be enough,” I replied. “With as cool as it’s been, what do you think about a fire in the fireplace?”
*
Our first guests showed up at five thirty, with everyone else arriving shortly afterward. The food was well received, even though there wasn’t a lot of any one thing. These were appetizers not a meal. As anticipated, the nuns stuck with wine, while Father Constantine went for the bourbon.
Promptly at six o’clock, the lights went out. The fire illuminated the room with a cozy glow, however, I knew that with the darkening sky we would soon need the lanterns I had set out earlier. I lit the candles on the food table first and that added a nice ambiance. Tom was quick to light the oil lamps and the party never missed a beat.
I was listening to a conversation between Clair and Sister Margaret about children’s clothing when I noticed Jim approach Harold Wolfe. I joined them in time to hear Jim ask Harold when he was leaving.
I slipped my arm through Jim’s possessively and joined the conversation. “Harold, didn’t you mention before that you usually stayed in a community at least long enough for the seeds to start growing? Why are you leaving here so soon?”
“Normally I would stay, yes.” He hesitated briefly, then looked at Jim and said, “But I know I’m not welcomed here.”
“Has someone been rude to you?” Jim asked cautiously.
“No one has been rude, no. Colonel Andrews, you make me very uncomfortable.” This blatant statement stunned Jim. “It’s so very obvious the two of you care deeply about each other, so I don’t understand why you consider me a threat, sir.”
Wow, talk about coming right to the point.
“My apologies, Mr. Wolfe,” Jim said humbly. “This kind of a personal relationship is new to me and I’m unsure on how to react to… jealousy.”
“Jim,” I said, “that’s very sweet. Please understand, I have no interest in Harold, other than for his gardening expertise. You are the only man in my life, sir.” I smiled up at him and kissed him on the cheek. “Now, Harold, how would you normally spend your time with a community?”
“I would stay where they assigned me, working the gardens with them, doing whatever I could and in time find a family to take me in for the winter. Then I would help with the canning and any other chores to pay for my keep, and then move on in the spring.”
“I know there are families who could use extra help,” Jim said, “and I understand many here haven’t a clue about canning. Please reconsider leaving.” I looked at Jim in admiration.
“Thank you, perhaps I will.” Harold stuck his hand out, they shook, and a new bond was formed.
*
As I readied for bed later, washing my face and slipping on my night shirt, I turned to Jim and looped my arms around his neck. “It takes a big man to do what you did,” I said and kissed him lightly. “There are some things we haven’t talked about yet, but I want to assure you I am strictly a one man woman. You have my total loyalty, Jim, please don’t question it again.”
He tightened his hold on me.
June 6
“Jason, I need you to look for something for me,” I said when he stopped over to retrieve the rest of his tools. “I want a gas stove.”
“Don’t you have a stove here?”
“Yes, but it’s electric, so I can’t use it after six when the generator shuts down. I’m trying to think ahead for winter too. If you can find me a basic gas stove, one that has pilot lights and can be lit with a match, it would solve a major problem I see coming. I want it installed in the basement, tapped directly to the big propane tank.”
“Why the basement, Mom? Don’t you have the grill on the lower deck for cooking down there?”
“Come winter, Jason, we won’t be able to heat the upstairs and Tom will have to move down with us. Having a gas stove will let me cook and bake and that will add extra heat to the area. The grill won’t do that.”
Jason nodded as he contemplated what I said. “I’ll get right on it.”