Chocolate, Pretzels and Cocktails

A candy making party was in full swing by the time I showed up with the vanilla extract that I was called upon to deliver. I walked carefully through the rain saturated yard, the water soaking the sandals I wore while the misty rain caused the natural curl in my hair to corkscrew into tight ringlets. Casey, Lesie, Carrie, Ted, Shane and April were taking up different spaces and different chores in the candy making endeavor. Pretzels being dipped and rice crispies treats being poured from the big pan into the cooling pan to be cut later into squares and packed away for delivery to the neighbors later in the week, everyone was busy. Carrie had chocolate from her wrists to her elbows and when some one mentioned something about her going home with me, I slid toward the door and made my way to my car.

Before leaving I watched the pineapple and coconut drinks being consumed by the chocolatiers and the sibling play and sibling arguments sporadically met and conquered without interference from their mother. She lets them settle their own arguments and only if blood flows does she interfere.

Elise wore her jeans, a black t shirt and a black feather boa around her head. Carrie was in a dress that was originally a shirt for an older child. Casey was busy trying to gain 10 lbs before she leaves for basic training in January and Ted visited occasionally from his room where he was studying for finals this week. The house was rockin with much laughter and play and I enjoyed watching them.

I'm back home now and the silence is deafening. I'm sure the laughter continues and the candy making will not cease until the last pretzel is coated and the last treat is bagged and placed into the refridgerator.

From my spot on the sofa I can see flashes of lightening and hear the rain falling in on and off again rythyms. I'm ready to call it a night and get some sleep. I've been busy this day finishing off all the gift wrapping, photo printing and house work. Tomorrow I intend to do very little except watch the rain fall and listen to the a/c unit as it fights off the humidity that threatens to smother me.

For now, I'm done.