I always say!” He had an excited glint in his eyes that Daniel recognized. It meant Pederson had a viable plan for the paleontology dig. He could hardly wait to hear it!
He led Pederson into the dining room where Mom had set out a tray of chocolate chip cookies and saskatoon muffins, and two jugs of iced tea on the table. Dad sat at the end of the table opposite from the stack of glasses and napkins. He had his usual array of papers spread out, along with a calculator and various coloured pens and pencils.
Pederson sat around the corner from him as Dad passed him a paper with a chart drawn on it with coloured lines. Jed and Daniel slid onto chairs near them to hear the discussion. Cheryl played with a cookie in her highchair beside Jed, who made funny faces at her.
“Evening, Ole! Good to see you!” Dad said. “Here are my projections for the year. Of course, these aren’t set in solid stone. We can still chip away at it.”
Jed and Daniel groaned at Dad’s attempt to make a paleontology-related pun.
“Well, Ed, we may just have to change these projections a little.” Pederson said. “But let’s wait for the others so I don’t repeat myself!”
“How about some iced tea?” Mom asked, standing behind him with the jug and a glass in her hand. She nodded at Daniel to pass the tray of desserts.
“Don’t mind if I do!” he said, accepting a glass from Mom.
Daniel grabbed the tray and offered it to Mr. Pederson and then Dad. Jed stood beside him with the napkins. That’s when the Lindstroms arrived. Jed’s mom, Greta, sailed into the dining room.
“My, aren’t we the helpful host?” she teased Jed, setting down a plate of cherry squares.
Jed blushed and rolled his eyes at his mom. His three sisters entered next and took their places respectfully at the table. Their dad brought up the rear, as usual.
“Evening, everyone,” Doug Lindstrom said in a jolly mood, and scraped a chair across the floor and sat on the other side of Daniel’s dad.
All at once the room filled with chattering and laugh-ter as everyone talked at the same time. Once the greetings and small talk were over and everyone had been served, they focused their attention on Ole Pederson.
“Well, everyone, as you know the townspeople and community around Climax have rallied together and we have the fine beginnings of a paleontological museum. We have a long way to go to equal Eastend, and in fact that’s probably not going to be a reality or even advisable.”
“Yeah, I’m sure the federal and provincial governments won’t consider financing another huge research station,” said Dad. “However, I think we have a case to fund a research outpost, but that’s another topic for some other time.”
“Agreed,” said Doug Lindstrom.
Pederson shifted in his chair, and added, “Yes, we’ll talk about that possibility later. For now, Ed and Doug, are you all set for the weekend’s first reservations?”
“Yes, indeed,” Dad said.
“We just finished outlining the parking lot this afternoon. Tomorrow we’ll haul the garbage cans to the camping sites, and then we can finish the rest area at the dig site,” Doug added.
“Fantastic!” Pederson said, and then turned to the ladies. “I probably don’t even need to ask, but it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t.” He looked at them expectantly.
Jed’s mom answered for them, “All, a-okay! We’ll put the finishing touches on the rest areas and pick up the fresh food we need in town tomorrow.”
“All the painting is done, and the kitchen area in the yard is ready to go.” Mom nodded confidently. “And it seems you all liked the snacks we’re planning on serving,” she pointed to the near empty dessert trays.
Everyone laughed.
“No problem there, Libby,” Pederson agreed.
“We’re ready too,” Lucy spoke up from across the table. She handed Cheryl, who’d been sitting in her lap, over to her two younger sisters. They took her to the kitchen to play with her.
He led Pederson into the dining room where Mom had set out a tray of chocolate chip cookies and saskatoon muffins, and two jugs of iced tea on the table. Dad sat at the end of the table opposite from the stack of glasses and napkins. He had his usual array of papers spread out, along with a calculator and various coloured pens and pencils.
Pederson sat around the corner from him as Dad passed him a paper with a chart drawn on it with coloured lines. Jed and Daniel slid onto chairs near them to hear the discussion. Cheryl played with a cookie in her highchair beside Jed, who made funny faces at her.
“Evening, Ole! Good to see you!” Dad said. “Here are my projections for the year. Of course, these aren’t set in solid stone. We can still chip away at it.”
Jed and Daniel groaned at Dad’s attempt to make a paleontology-related pun.
“Well, Ed, we may just have to change these projections a little.” Pederson said. “But let’s wait for the others so I don’t repeat myself!”
“How about some iced tea?” Mom asked, standing behind him with the jug and a glass in her hand. She nodded at Daniel to pass the tray of desserts.
“Don’t mind if I do!” he said, accepting a glass from Mom.
Daniel grabbed the tray and offered it to Mr. Pederson and then Dad. Jed stood beside him with the napkins. That’s when the Lindstroms arrived. Jed’s mom, Greta, sailed into the dining room.
“My, aren’t we the helpful host?” she teased Jed, setting down a plate of cherry squares.
Jed blushed and rolled his eyes at his mom. His three sisters entered next and took their places respectfully at the table. Their dad brought up the rear, as usual.
“Evening, everyone,” Doug Lindstrom said in a jolly mood, and scraped a chair across the floor and sat on the other side of Daniel’s dad.
All at once the room filled with chattering and laugh-ter as everyone talked at the same time. Once the greetings and small talk were over and everyone had been served, they focused their attention on Ole Pederson.
“Well, everyone, as you know the townspeople and community around Climax have rallied together and we have the fine beginnings of a paleontological museum. We have a long way to go to equal Eastend, and in fact that’s probably not going to be a reality or even advisable.”
“Yeah, I’m sure the federal and provincial governments won’t consider financing another huge research station,” said Dad. “However, I think we have a case to fund a research outpost, but that’s another topic for some other time.”
“Agreed,” said Doug Lindstrom.
Pederson shifted in his chair, and added, “Yes, we’ll talk about that possibility later. For now, Ed and Doug, are you all set for the weekend’s first reservations?”
“Yes, indeed,” Dad said.
“We just finished outlining the parking lot this afternoon. Tomorrow we’ll haul the garbage cans to the camping sites, and then we can finish the rest area at the dig site,” Doug added.
“Fantastic!” Pederson said, and then turned to the ladies. “I probably don’t even need to ask, but it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t.” He looked at them expectantly.
Jed’s mom answered for them, “All, a-okay! We’ll put the finishing touches on the rest areas and pick up the fresh food we need in town tomorrow.”
“All the painting is done, and the kitchen area in the yard is ready to go.” Mom nodded confidently. “And it seems you all liked the snacks we’re planning on serving,” she pointed to the near empty dessert trays.
Everyone laughed.
“No problem there, Libby,” Pederson agreed.
“We’re ready too,” Lucy spoke up from across the table. She handed Cheryl, who’d been sitting in her lap, over to her two younger sisters. They took her to the kitchen to play with her.
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