Thursday, May 14 -- Gerryland

The minute I saw the grass in the pasture and smelled them pines, I knew that I was back home. Glad to be here!

Tuesday evening, Carolyn Holt picked me up at the airport. Next morning, ‘Sweet Baby’ Bob cooked us breakfast and delivered me back at Gerryland. Outside, the Argosy was draped in a green, mossy film; inside, dust covered the furniture, shelves, window frames. Spider webs crisscrossed the corners; insect carcasses littered the floors. But Gerry had vacuumed the floors, cleaned out the air conditioning units and chased off the black snakes. The casita, studio and the Argosy wintered well. There was some flooding and mildew in the studio, but overall, no major damage. Even the food stored outdoors remains edible. Mini Mo started right up; the AAA guy got the truck running. 

While peering under the hood of the truck, precariously close to a big wasps nest, I asked the AAA guy if he minded the wasps. “Nope,” he said confidently. “I don’t bother them; they don’t me. Besides, I’ve been bit so many times, it don’t bother me no more.” Continuing, he said, "If I get into a critter’s home, he can kill me. But if he comes into my home, then I kill him." It's a Southern (guy) thing, I suppose.

After the MiniMo and Old Betsy were up and running, I tuned up the fiddles--Heide, Mousehole, Adeline and Erynn--then, downloaded pictures. The next few days, I took advantage of the cool weather to do the heavy, outdoor work: scrubbing down the Argosy, stem to stern, and clean out winter droppings from the storage areas 

The hard work done, I drove to High Point to visit Andrew and Joni, and met Mya Isabelle, a chubby little creature, who struggles to hold up her head, focus her eyes, and make sense of the world around her. Two things she knows already: where supper can be found and how to make her wishes known. Joni is the confident mother; Andrew, the proud papa. 

Andrew has seen many changes in his life this past year. “Yeap,” he said. “I sold my Audi and turned in my ‘man card.’ Now I have a wife, a mortgage and a baby.” The Audi had become troublesome, expensive to maintain, while his vaunted man card was so worn that barely a shred remained. He agreed. He’s gotten his money’s worth from the ‘man card.’ Was it worth the sacrifice? Looking at Mya, he said, “When I look at this little face, it’s worth it. That’s the cutest little face ever!” 

My wish to my son, Andrew: May he always feel this way. 

(Andrew, Joni, Mya pictured top right)