November Days

More With Brick and Stone Part 21

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     It's been about a year now, since Brick first found Stone on that day outside the village and Stone has grown quite a bit. And from his size, it kinda looks like he is going to grow up to be just as big as Brick. And that is so cool! Brick loves the idea of Stone being as big and strong as he is. That will make sure that Stone will always be able to take care of himself and stay safe.

Brick knows that he will always be around to help and protect Stone, but it's still good to know that Stone will be able to take care of himself if he needs to...when he's all grown up that is.

Stone is now old enough to go to school some during the day, so the routine now is that Brick and Stone get up each day and have breakfast... Stones favorite is tuna steak and eggs and so they actually have that most mornings since Brick likes it at a lot too. And then they walk to the school. And Stone learns his lessons each day and Brick patrols the grounds and makes sure all is safe.

One day, while Brick is about halfway around the edge of the village, he hears a crash and a yelp and rushes over and around the corner to see the most beautiful cat in all the village sitting in a mud pile and surrounded by a pile of pretty, wrapped up boxes of different sizes.

"Oh, hi Cloud" he says trying his best not to laugh. Cloud's white fur is covered in mud, and she has this angry look on her face and she is so cute that Brick can't help smiling at her with such a big goofy smile that Cloud's face can't help but smile back "Oh, well.. I am glad you think all of this mess is so funny Brick" she says, but you can tell she's not mad anymore.

"Now you can help me get all these packages home... I was carrying way too much anyways."

And so, Brick sets about gathering up the packages and Cloud carefully tries to wipe off as much mud as she can after she gets out of the mud puddle. "You should really get rid of that puddle Brick...did you leave it there on purpose?" she says, with a smile, at Brick. Teasing him a little.

"Oh,no ma'm, not at all. I'd have gotten rid of it, but I hadn't made it here yet on my rounds. It did rain pretty hard last night though. I'll get you home and then I will come back and take care of it... Promise." Brick says, smiling back at Cloud..... and yes the two of them are smiling a lot aren't they? Why do you think that is?

Brick is noticing Cloud a lot more than he ever had before and it looks like Cloud is noticing Brick quite a bit more too. It is Spring there and maybe that has something to do with it. But I think it's more that it's just the right time for them. It's like that sometimes with someone you've known a long time... grown up in the same village together... and sort of taken for granted and then one day you realize that they have grown up and you look at them differently... through new eyes in a ways... and that was how Brick was seeing Cloud. He had never really paid attention to just how beautiful and sweet Cloud had grown into.

It only took a little time to get Cloud sorted and she and her packages were safe at her house. Brick had never been there actually and was very impressed. It was a nice, big and very clean house with a spotless porch and a swing on the porch.

"Well, I am so sorry that you got all dirty in that mud puddle Cloud. GladI was able to help, and I best get back and fill in that puddle before some one else falls into it." Brick says

"Yes, thanks again Brick....hey would you and Stone like to come by later and have dinner with me? My way of saying thanks for all your help today?" Cloud asks

"Oh, yeah that sounds perfect... I'm sure Stone will be excited to come over" Brick says.

"Say, in about three hours then?" says Cloud

"See you then" says Brick and he is on his way back to fill in that puddle.

The work only takes about an hour and then Brick finishes his rounds and with nothing else needing fixed he has plenty of time to drop by the school and wait on Stone to get out of class for the day.

On the walk back home, Brick tells Stone about the mud puddle and helping Cloud home and about the dinner invite. And yes, Stone is very excited and can't wait to get to go to Cloud's place in about an hour.

So, the two boys clean and wash up and then are on their way to Cloud's for dinner. Brick is pretty excited as well, actually. This is a first for him... he's been on a few dates over the years but he always had to ask. He's never been asked before and really is this even a date? He thinks to himself.  It's probably not a date at all... it's just what Cloud said it was. She's paying him back for helping her out of the puddle and getting her packages home. That's all this is. So, no need to think it's a date. And with that settled in his mind, he's still excited.  He's heard Cloud is quite the cook. But he's not nervous about it being a date anymore and now can just be himself and enjoy the evening.

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Every so often...maybe every two or three years??... Claire and I will spend the day inside with the blinds closed and all the lights on and we will put up our Christmas tree and play carols and give each other presents and eat turkey and all the fixings and watch our favorite Christmas movies all day long. We do this for Easter and for our birthdays too. Not every year, but every few years we get nostalgic and feel like we need to do this to feel connected and like we are still part of the world. Even though it's months from Christmas or Easter or our birthdays for that matter, we still like to honor those days and all they stand for. And even though it's just us two that's doing those things on that day we know its the right thing for us to do. Its how we have come to live our lives now.

Some of our fav movies at Christmas are Elf and A Christmas Story, of course. Then there is Serendipity and When Harry Met Sally. It's kinda in with New Years so we put that in with Christmas as well sometimes. We'll find a Christmas book to read... like Dickens

A Christmas Carol of course and then there are other more recent books. A really fun one that we enjoy... because, well if you've read the book, you'll know what I mean... the title is In A Holidaze...such a good book! And a lot of fun for us too :)

And other then the holidays that we take part in every few years, our days are still reading and watching tv shows and movies and we are still very much in love and enjoying our lives together so very much. We've read the Harry Potter books several times and loved getting to share our favorite books with each other. Doing that and our travels back to the caves and the beach every so often has helped to keep us feeling like it's still new in our marriage and we have not gotten tired of each other at all.