Snow in Portland?

The death of an old client caused us to make an unexpected trip to Humbolt County. However, on the way we found out that we did not need to be there after all. So we went as far as Portland to celebrate Grace's birthday.

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While in Hannaford the temperatures were in the 60's and 70's, we woke up to an inch of snow in Portland (hence the pathetic snowman).

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The kids made Mama's cake with a little help from Grandma and Grandpa. We all had a great time.

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As we made out a card for Barnabas' birthday, I was reminded of my "adventures in babysitting" with the Cain kids several years ago in Pennsylvania. I don't recall how many years ago it happened, but Gracie had just learned to crawl.

It was early afternoon; the kids were sleeping. Nathan was at work. Erleen and Melodee decided to go shopping in Hagerstown, Maryland. It was a warm, peaceful day so I volunteered to babysit.

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Gracie and Barnabas woke up and were playing quietly in the living room. My cell phone rang. It was my office with an emergency. I peeked into the living room and saw Jerry and Abe with a jar of peanut butter and one of jelly which they were eating with their fingers. I told the office I would call back. After cleaning PB & J from the kids, the divan and the floor I called the office back.

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Before I could do anything, one of the kids asked me where Gracie was. Another look into living room which was absent Gracie and I hung up on the office again. A thorough search of the main floor did not turn up the missing child. Careful searches of the basement, second floor and the attic rooms were fruitless. I began to panic.

I began a second search beginning at the top and ending in the basement. Once again, no Gracie. as I sat near tears I noticed a slight movement in a three-foot high pile of dirty clothes. I tore through the pile and at the bottom, you guessed it, there was Gracie.

Back to the phone again. As my office answered, there was a blood-curdling scream from the living room. I dropped the phone and ran to the scene of the emergency. On the divan, screaming was Barnabas. I didn't see any blood or broken bones and at first was not sure what the problem was. Then I noticed that his hand was between the cushion and the end-piece of the divan. This seemed to be the source of the problem. A quick look verified that a large furniture staple was attached to the divan by one end and the other end had gone through his finger and out again.

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Several attempts to free him failed. Meanwhile he continued to scream at the top of his lungs. In desperation I fumbled for my pocket knife and cut the fabric. The staple had gone through his finger and out again like a fish hook. I was able pull the staple out with only a slight increase in the volume of the screaming. The finger was bleeding profusely. I washed the puncture and looked for a bandaid. Of course there was none. So I wrapped the finger in toilet tissue and had him hold it.

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Back to the office emergency. I needed to receive a FAX. So with the the cell phone between my shoulder and ear I began trying to figure out my son-in-law's FAX machine. At that moment, the land-line phone rang. I continued to work on the FAX machine with the cell phone between one shoulder and ear and the other phone between the other shoulder and ear. The call was from Erleen. I yelled into the receiver: "GET HOME NOW!!!"

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With the exception of that one fiasco, I remember having a wonderful visit with Nathan, Melodee and the kids. Grandparenting is great. If we had known grandkids were so much fun, we would have had them first.