Friday, June 4, 2021

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful Boys


I had one last Levon-August time today until we see them in July. Jessie brought them out for me to take care of while she and Vergil got things packed. Honest to god, how in the world they are going to decide what to bring with them for the summer that will fit into that RV is beyond me. Talk about your tiny houses! 
But it's going to be an adventure and that is the truth! 
I just told Vergil who picked them up that I love the fact that the boys are growing up with parents who will travel with them, show them new things, introduce them to other ways of life. And I told the boys that I will miss them but that I am not sad because every time I think of them, I will think about how much fun they are having and that will make me happy. 
And it's true. It will. 

We didn't do anything special today. The Bop is off fishing so it was just me here. We read a lot of stories, we watched what seemed to be fourteen hours of Frozen II, we picked beans and tomatoes and got eggs. 


Well, August helped me pick. Levon helped by finding a shovel and digging, digging, digging.
As he said.
I had to hold August up to pick some of the beans but he doesn't weigh much more than Jack the Cat so no problem. 
In case you're wondering, Levon is being a narwhal in that picture which is why he has beans sticking out of his nose. 
And off they'll go, probably tomorrow. 

So it's been a bittersweet day. I woke up to an empty house as Mr. Moon left at 4 am to drive to the coast to fish with buddies. There have been so many trips planned this season, all of them canceled by bad weather. They are cautious men and I appreciate that. He'll be spending the night down there tonight, fish tomorrow and come home. I think they are having a very fine time. 


I am thrilled that my husband is getting to do something he loves so much and that he is going to bring fish home. 
I think this was today's combined catch.


They were hoping for grouper but found red snapper instead and that is fine with me. Although I do love grouper, I love snapper too. 

Mr. Moon just sent me this.


Twenty pound, eight ounce snapper. As I replied in my text- "Holy mother of god!"
He called me right after that and he is having a great time. They went forty miles offshore and he said it was cool and the water was flat. And they saw dolphins. What could be better for my Viking-descended man? 
Funnily enough, that fish reminds me so much of the fish named Otto in a book I read to the boys today and which I have read almost as many times as I've read "The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza."

Both fish have approximately the same look on their faces. But whereas Otto was restored to his normal goldfish size and hopefully lived out a life of happy contentment in his goldfish bowl, the fish that Glen caught will be part of a delicious supper and we will appreciate it with all of our hearts and bellies. 

My house will be so quiet tonight and I will enjoy the peace, the solitude. I've long since figured out that one of the reasons, probably the largest one, that I love being alone is that the only time I truly felt safe when I was growing up was when I was in the house alone. Even though my stepfather quit abusing me when I reached puberty, I never, ever felt safe when he was in the house. And when I became a teenager, there were a few instances where I was trusted to stay at home alone when everyone else was gone for a day or two and I cherished those times. I could sleep soundly. The threat of an intruder was so less frightening than the threat of that man coming into my bedroom that I felt free enough to fly. I can remember night after night after eternal night when I could see the light on in the family room from my bedroom (it was a strangely arranged house) and know that he was the only one up, watching TV in his hideous lounge chair. And yes, my door did have a lock but only from the outside, a slide lock placed up high to keep my little brothers out of my room after they had painted various objects of mine with red fingernail polish. 
I do not have that same fear anymore, of course, when my husband is home but I will admit that I do sleep better when he has come to bed before I fall asleep, as if the light from the Glen Den (which strangely, I can also see from our room) was the demon I fear. Not the man, certainly. Him I want right beside me but the light feels threatening. 
And being alone is fine with me, especially knowing that it's only temporary- that he will be back soon. And knowing that he is doing something that brings him so much joy makes me happy. 
Like with August and Levon going to North Carolina. 

Meanwhile, perhaps Jack or Maurice will sleep with me tonight. Maurice has been the one to snuggle with me for the past three nights which is always a bit odd considering her seeming disdain of us. It is lovely to have a small living being cuddled up, to reach for, to pet, to feel that vibrating purr should I need comfort in the darkest hours if I wake up from a bad dream. 

Happy Friday, y'all. 

Love...Ms. Moon





21 comments:

  1. A happy and peaceful post for a good Friday night.

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  2. I had no clue snapper got so huge! That’s going to be a mighty fine dinner.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. That's probably going to be a FEW mighty fine dinners.

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  3. That is one huge fish; it's the size of a turkey. I didn't realize your big guy had Viking ancestors, mine too. Makes sense, it explains their height.

    I like time alone too, not too much time but some time. The time will fly until you see those boys again.

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    1. Those Vikings were tall! Some of them still are.
      You're right about time flying. It will.

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  4. Wishing you a sweet night. Those snapper will make great suppers.

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    1. I think so, e. It's always a bit daunting to cook something that took so much energy and time to catch. I want to honor it!

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  5. that fish makes mr. moon look short.

    and i completely understand about being alone as safe place.

    xxalainaxx

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  6. I am so glad that you're the sort of person who speaks the words that the boys needed to hear at a time when your heart was screaming everything BUT what came out of your mouth.

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    1. Well, I meant it, even if I did lie a little about being sad. It will make me happy to think of them having so much fun.

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  7. Hope you had a restful night.

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  8. look at all those redfish! and that big one! glad he is having a grand time and that you get a couple of days alone. I didn't get my week alone this year because of the pandemic.

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    1. Only two days, one night. I know you must absolutely need some alone time by now, Ellen. Jeez.

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  9. You're right, the boys are going on a big adventure and will have so much to tell you/show you when you see them next. And if ever there were a happy man it's got to Mr. Moon in those pictures!

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    1. You're right- they will be able to show us everything about the mountain. Or at least the part they're staying on.
      And you can totally believe that Mr. Moon was a very happy guy.

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  10. Those Boys are so Cute!!! And oh My, your Man's haul is impressive, the size of that one Fish would have scared the shit out of me had I hooked something like that! *LOL*

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  11. Holy mother of God is right -- that fish is HUGE! I don't know anything about deep-sea fishing (is what he's doing even considered deep-sea fishing?) but it looks like he's had a great haul.

    I wondered why Levon was sticking the beans up his nose. Thanks for the clarification!

    I love being home alone, and I almost never am.

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  12. As always, love love love your pictures of the boys/grandkids in general. That red snapper looks amazing, especially the one Mr. Moon is holding!

    When my kids were little, nigh on 40 years ago now, and we lived in San Francisco in an affordable flat (now rarer than the proverbial hen's teeth), you could buy fresh red snapper at Petrini's market nearby. It was cheap and Good. Back then I found this recipe for "Fish Baked in a Covered Dish" in the Joy of Cooking. It has a bit of nutmeg in the prep and lemon/parsle/chive/caper butter sauce for the finish. I've been making it ever since. I think it is worthy of this magnificent fish. Link to a copy of the recipe in case you don't have a copy of JoC: https://books.google.com/books?id=C4_5MCUd6ucC&pg=PA399&lpg=PA399&dq=fish+in+a+covered+dish+joy+of+cooking&source=bl&ots=2g6THBoAXU&sig=ACfU3U1SPtMtHC2I1I5XbdDx33C_Xdxnag&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj0uP66novxAhUUup4KHYZaC6gQ6AEwEnoECAcQAw#v=onepage&q=fish%20in%20a%20covered%20dish%20joy%20of%20cooking&f=false

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.