look of disbelief, she shrugged. "Okay, I was just wondering just how hard this is on you."
"What do you mean?"
She waved her hand. "It must be hard with all of us just descending upon you. It's just been you for a long while."
"I'll deal the way I've always dealt."
Grinning, Susan shook a finger at her. "Running away is not an option."
"I know. If things get too close, I'll just go off for a bit by myself into the woods. Or, I shall hide up in my bedroom with the covers over my head until the urge to murder you all in your sleep passes."
"Can you let me know when you're getting close to the edge?"
"I can try." Jay dumped the big pot of water out in the sink over the dirty knives and bowls. She filled a smaller pot and put it on the stove in readiness for Doris' return with the beans. "Don't mistake me, Susan. I don't regret y'all being here at all."
"I know. I won't take it personally." With a saucy wink, she headed out of the kitchen. "Let me go check on the kids."
"Excellent. Bring everyone in for food in about two hours and a half." Jay took the beans from Doris and put them on the back of the stove to stay at low heat while they rehydrated.
"What about the rice?"
"I've got a canister here."
Doris poked around the kitchen. "What are you going to put on them?"
"We've got a jar of chili sauce that didn't seal. I figure that everyone can add the amount that they want."
"So, we're finished?"
Jay answered, "For now. I'll need help with dinner but you're free until then."
"Finally," Doris said as she flounced from the room.
Shaking her head, Jay finished making lunch. She was able to sit down with a book while she waited for everything to finish. She called everyone in by ringing a bell that was hanging on the porch.
Once everyone had come together at the table she said, "I think that we can work tomorrow morning on getting everything ready for the fishing trip. If we head down around lunch, we should be able to catch something for dinner."
Martha asked, "It's not that far?"
"No, we're just going to the other side of the mountain. I'll spend the night with you and head back the next morning."
"You don't want to stay out longer?" asked Susan.
"No. I agree with Piper that fishing is boring. I'll leave it to you."
"I'm surrounded by Philistines," complained Martha. "If you'd only give it a chance."
Laying a restraining hand on Martha's wrist, Susan hinted, "Honey, I thought we were going to enjoy our time together with the kids."
Martha exchanged a significant look with her partner and nodded sagely. She turned to Jay. "Of course, I completely respect your opinion on fishing. We'll let you show us the best place to go and then wish you well for your trip back."
"Good answer."
The meal finished with continued banter and joking. The household went their separate ways after the meal. The members found their own ways to relax the rest of the day away.
Chapter Eight - On Jordon's Stormy Banks
I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
Words: Samuel Stennett, 1787. Music: Miss M. Durham, 1835
"So, what kind of fish are in these waters?"
"At this time of year, mainly trout."
"What else?"
"Salmon and steelhead, that's it." Jay pushed back from the breakfast table. "All right. Martha, you work with Cody and Susan to see what of these rods and reels we can take with us." She opened the closet to reveal a mess of fishing supplies. "You may have to cannibalize a couple."
Muttering darkly to herself about people who don't take proper care of their equipment, Martha began to empty everything out of the closet. In quick order she was hip deep in tackle boxes, rods, reels and flies.
"Oh, and you might need to sharpen the hooks."
Ignoring the commentary that her comment engendered, Jay took Carol and Eva downstairs with her. "Okay, Eva, why don't you grab a first aid kit?" She directed Carol into the storage area and had
"What do you mean?"
She waved her hand. "It must be hard with all of us just descending upon you. It's just been you for a long while."
"I'll deal the way I've always dealt."
Grinning, Susan shook a finger at her. "Running away is not an option."
"I know. If things get too close, I'll just go off for a bit by myself into the woods. Or, I shall hide up in my bedroom with the covers over my head until the urge to murder you all in your sleep passes."
"Can you let me know when you're getting close to the edge?"
"I can try." Jay dumped the big pot of water out in the sink over the dirty knives and bowls. She filled a smaller pot and put it on the stove in readiness for Doris' return with the beans. "Don't mistake me, Susan. I don't regret y'all being here at all."
"I know. I won't take it personally." With a saucy wink, she headed out of the kitchen. "Let me go check on the kids."
"Excellent. Bring everyone in for food in about two hours and a half." Jay took the beans from Doris and put them on the back of the stove to stay at low heat while they rehydrated.
"What about the rice?"
"I've got a canister here."
Doris poked around the kitchen. "What are you going to put on them?"
"We've got a jar of chili sauce that didn't seal. I figure that everyone can add the amount that they want."
"So, we're finished?"
Jay answered, "For now. I'll need help with dinner but you're free until then."
"Finally," Doris said as she flounced from the room.
Shaking her head, Jay finished making lunch. She was able to sit down with a book while she waited for everything to finish. She called everyone in by ringing a bell that was hanging on the porch.
Once everyone had come together at the table she said, "I think that we can work tomorrow morning on getting everything ready for the fishing trip. If we head down around lunch, we should be able to catch something for dinner."
Martha asked, "It's not that far?"
"No, we're just going to the other side of the mountain. I'll spend the night with you and head back the next morning."
"You don't want to stay out longer?" asked Susan.
"No. I agree with Piper that fishing is boring. I'll leave it to you."
"I'm surrounded by Philistines," complained Martha. "If you'd only give it a chance."
Laying a restraining hand on Martha's wrist, Susan hinted, "Honey, I thought we were going to enjoy our time together with the kids."
Martha exchanged a significant look with her partner and nodded sagely. She turned to Jay. "Of course, I completely respect your opinion on fishing. We'll let you show us the best place to go and then wish you well for your trip back."
"Good answer."
The meal finished with continued banter and joking. The household went their separate ways after the meal. The members found their own ways to relax the rest of the day away.
Chapter Eight - On Jordon's Stormy Banks
I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
Words: Samuel Stennett, 1787. Music: Miss M. Durham, 1835
"So, what kind of fish are in these waters?"
"At this time of year, mainly trout."
"What else?"
"Salmon and steelhead, that's it." Jay pushed back from the breakfast table. "All right. Martha, you work with Cody and Susan to see what of these rods and reels we can take with us." She opened the closet to reveal a mess of fishing supplies. "You may have to cannibalize a couple."
Muttering darkly to herself about people who don't take proper care of their equipment, Martha began to empty everything out of the closet. In quick order she was hip deep in tackle boxes, rods, reels and flies.
"Oh, and you might need to sharpen the hooks."
Ignoring the commentary that her comment engendered, Jay took Carol and Eva downstairs with her. "Okay, Eva, why don't you grab a first aid kit?" She directed Carol into the storage area and had
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