Friday

Having adult daughters puts me on a wonderful path of discovery, as each each day I learn something new (and wonderful) about each girl. One beautiful characteristic of my older daughter is that she wants as much of family for her young child as is possible, given the constraints of time and distance. Snowdrop has just two grandmas, but for my daughter, that is not a "just." It is a "hey!" I'm sure if Snowdrop had a hundred grandmas, my girl would be equally excited to welcome each to her home and make each feel like she is important. Because to her (and to her husband), each one is hugely important. The more family, the better!

Today, Snowdrop's other grandma, known to you, Ocean readers as grandma Charlotte, a frequent commenter on this blog, flew in to spend a good bit of time with Snowdrop.

It is also true that grandma Charlotte flew in just a little before I am to fly out, so that the young parents could benefit from her help in the weeks I am away. She is that thoughtful. Snowdrop is a very lucky girl.

Because it is my last full day here, I am in a complete kerfuffle as to what should  happen when. There are not enough hours in the day and so you must forgive me for the brevity of my story here. I have a huge check list of all that must be done before I depart. Let me run through the day with it in mind, because it surely is a guidepost to my activities throughout the day.

Breakfast? Yes, of course. Hurried, but yes. Check.






Feed cheepers who are en masse at the  farmhouse door. Check.





Go grocery shopping. I know it's weird to have that on the list on the day before I leave, but I have a dinner party at the farmhouse tonight and besides, Ed needs some foods stored in the fridge. Surely he can't do without the cheese curds and bananas that I pick up for him and certainly he'll benefit from tonight's dinner leftovers. Check.

Then onto Snowdrop's home. Her mommy needs to get the house somewhat in order for the guest from Buffalo (that's you, grandma Charlotte!), so I babysit a little. Snowdrop is just waking up when I get there...






... and then the three of us -- my daughter, Snowdrop and I go for that long walk around the lake (1.5 hours).


 
("let's go, mommy and grandma!")


It's glorious outside! Mid sixties! A beautiful, sunny day! Check.



(mommy's sleeves are rolled up)





(even as the ice fishermen are still out on the lake)


Oh, but time's running out! And I need to give Lily a wash! Of course I do! I can't leave that car all encrusted in salt for 2.5 weeks! And I forgot to buy some Dijon mustard! How can I sizzle mustard chicken thighs for dinner without the principle ingredient? Back to the grocery store. Check.

Late afternoon. Back at the farmette. Ed shows me the wood carving that he did for his friend on his mini CNC milling machine. I must take a picture! Check.






And we had planned on moving the cheepers' coop today from the barn to the outdoors! That's a big project. I roll up my sleeves and shovel a winter's worth of soiled wood shavings out of the coop. And we move it! Check.











Print boarding pass, fold laundry, water plants -- check!

And I cook -- to the chicken thighs and drumsticks, I add a celery root puree and we have a beautiful family meal and I tidy up -- check check check!

Throughout, Snowdrop is a little uncertain. The routines seem different. The sounds, the movements, the dinner hour here, at the farmhouse. Her mom extends a reassuring hand.






She'll be okay. She has a great mommy and daddy.






I take her for one last glance at her favorite red elephant in the mobile above her farmhouse crib...







...I feed her and hand her over to a loving grandma Charlotte, who helps Snowdrop master her newest skill -- finding her own fist and thumb to suck.






I say goodbye to Snowdrop. She has many pairs of loving hands to care for her. Knowing that, makes me very very happy.

(Even as I miss her intensely! Check.)