Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
20/20 Investigations, Inc. The Vacation. Chapter 4.
I won’t say anything about us knowing each other, I said. Her bright pink hair and butterfly tattoo on her cheek kind of threw me off. But sitting here looking into her eyes…those eyes…they are unmistakable, such a vibrant blue, I have never seen eyes so blue. Except on one person. I looked into those eyes before, while a gun was staring at me. I need you to help me Steve, there’s something going on here and I don’t like it. Meow.=Hey, we on vacation, not case. Meow, meow.=Yep, no case, just fun, we pack, go someplace else. We can still have fun here you two, and work on a case too. The cats look at each other. I don’t think they believed me. Look in that box on the dresser, said Kathy, there should be a key in there. I checked, this key? Yes, she said, that’s the only other key for this room, I want you to take it. Okay, I said, now I think we need to go have some breakfast and then we can talk later. Good idea, she said, I need some breakfast too.
Meow, meow?=Who this person? Muffin meowed that quietly to me. I whispered to her and Mr. Cat. Their eyes got big and they stared at me. In the dining room Clara came over and asked if I wanted my breakfast heated up again. No Clara, said Kathy, make him something fresh, and the cats too, whatever they had ordered, and I’ll have my usual. Clara just shook her head and mumbled, wasting food like that. Meow.=I not trust human Clara. She’s okay Mr. Cat, just a little odd at times, said Kathy. Mr. Cat stares, then quietly meows to Muffin. Meow?=She think human Clara odd but not think bright pink hair is odd? Muffin giggled. Are they talking about me?, asked Kathy. Just then Clara came back with coffee for me and tea for Kathy. John left, said he was quitting, said Clara and went back to the kitchen. She is kind of odd. I think I’m with Mr. Cat on this one.
I wonder where those 3 young guys have gone, I said. Maybe they are out looking around that old castle, said Kathy. Meow?=There’s castle? Let’s go check castle after breakfast. Meow, meow?!=You crazy? Castle mean ghosts, said before, no castles! We go castle, I bite feet! Meow.=Castle fun place to explore and have fun. Brochure not say anything about ghost. Meow, meow.=Brochure not say anything about castle, just say old building, so they not know. All castles have ghosts. After breakfast we pack, go home, go some place else for vacation. But I need you to help me Muffin, don’t you like me anymore? Muffin looks down. Meow, meow.=Yes, I like you, you come home with us, then you be safe. Somehow I don’t think I will ever be safe, said Kathy.
After breakfast we went outside to talk, just in case someone might be listening inside. Do you think those 3 guys are after you too?, I asked. No, they really seem to be interested only in looking for something, but I don’t think it has anything to do with geology, said Kathy. I’m sure it’s them I have heard at night, walking around in the attic. Hmm, I think it would be good to check on them anyway and see if I can find out what they are doing here. Meow!=That mean we check castle! Yes, that’s right, I said. Meow, meow.=We going to die yet. There’s a legend about that old castle, said Kathy, centuries ago a northern king came and conquered this castle, but before he could, the king of this castle hid all his wealth so the other king wouldn’t find it.
So nearly every year people come out to look for it. That northern king probably found it, I said. That’s what most historians believe too, but people like a good treasure hunt. Meow, meow!=If it treasure we look for, that different, let’s go now! Meow!=Yeah, let’s go now! Okay, I said, but we have to get our backpacks first, and we need to check our room and all our stuff for any bugs. Meow, meow.=Yep, we get that done quick. Hey, I’m going to join this treasure hunt too, said Kathy. We checked our room but no listening devices found so we got our backpacks ready and down we went to meet Kathy. She was already waiting for us and off we went. Unknown to us, we were being watched as we walked along that path to the old castle.
To Be Continued.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
Daily Pics #223. Happy 500!
Good morning everyone and Happy Monday as well! It’s the day most people seem to hate the most. Possibly because it’s traditionally the first day back to work after the weekend. That’s not really the case for many people these days however since many people work weekends, days, nights and any combination of these. But why not just say “I’m going to have a great day today” and you will have a much better day than if you go off into the day mumbling and grumbling. Isn’t it more fun to be happy than unhappy? So let’s head out into the day with a smile and a positive outlook! Now, what’s with the “Happy 500”? This is my 500th post of the year! Muffin and I were so excited about that this morning that we were chasing each other around her scratching post, which is in the middle of the living room now.
She likes that location much better. So do I. I’m not kicking the base of it anymore. It has a very heavy base to keep it from being knocked over. Muffin can sometimes come running and jump at it landing on the post. A regular scratching post would fall over, possibly landing on my foot. So I made a post for Muffin and put a heavy base on it so that won’t happen. Even at that she has almost knocked it over a few times. Anyway, back to the 500. I was actually hoping to hit 500 posts by the end of June this year, but as you can see, I didn’t quite make that goal. But still, it’s nice to make it that far anyway. It’s a beautiful morning here again, though very cool. But it’s a great morning and Muffin and I are happy. The top photo is an “ox eye daisy”, a very plentiful wildflower during our short summer. They seem to be all finished blooming for this year.
In the photo just above is the “musk mallow”, not so common as the daisy but a very beautiful flower about 2 inches (5cm) across. I hope you all have a marvelous, Muffin says “meowvelous”, Monday and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
