Hi to everyone on this fine autumn morning!  Nice to go outside with a cup of coffee again without freezing.  Of course it’s not really light until about 7 am now.  It was like this at 4 am before.  Days are getting so short.  On the plus side, the colors are coming out so nicely now.  Except down by the river.  Not much color there yet for some reason.

Anyway, back to our insulator adventure.  Dad and I finally made it to our destination, or perhaps I should say, the beginning of our destination.  So we decided to sit down and have an early lunch before heading out to look for those insulators.  Dad needed to dry out a bit anyway.  Good thing it’s a warm day, I said, you should be able to dry out nicely.   Dad just looked at me.   You sit here, I’m going over there to sit.  How nice.  Doesn’t even want to sit close to me.  You’re not going to sit on that log, are you, I asked?  Naturally, said dad, good place to sit.  Could be bees in that old log, I said.

Too fresh and solid, he replied.  Um, maybe you shouldn’t sit there anyway, said I.  Just toss my sandwiches, and gently, said dad.  So I did.  And he caught them for a change.  Then it happened.  Suddenly dad jumps up and drops his sandwiches.  Then he starts yelling and dancing around.  Good thing no one is around to see you, I said, this is embarrassing.  I’m covered with ants, dad yelled!  Not surprising, you put your foot right on top of their little home, I said.  At this point dad was ripping his pants off.

What are you doing, I yelled?!  Dad didn’t say anything, he was too busy trying to wipe ants off of himself.  Why didn’t you tell me about the ants, asked dad?  I did try to warn you, but you didn’t listen, I replied.  BONEHEAD!  Strange that he would be enjoying this. For my new readers, dad used to say bonehead a lot when we were together.  I finally figured it must mean he was enjoying himself.

One of dad’s sandwiches was covered with ants.  Just scrape them off, I said, they are likely clean critters.  Dad just looked at me.  Somehow I don’t think he believed me.  Dad sat down on a small rock and asked me to carefully toss his thermos of coffee to him.  So I did.  Dad bent over right at that moment to look at something on the ground.  THUNK!  Right on his head.  Knocked his glasses off.  He got up quickly holding his head and moaning.  NO, be careful, I yelled!  Guess it startled dad and he sat down very suddenly. Guess he forgot that he was sitting on a rock now.  So he yelled again.  At least he isn’t rubbing his head now.

Then he asked what was wrong.  I didn’t want you to step on your glasses, I said.  You didn’t have to yell, he said.  I’ll help look, I said.  NO!! Stay where you are, he said.  Dad just sat there looking around.  There they are, I said, over by the ants.  Good, go get them, he said.  Me?  It was your fault, he said.  I’m not sure how it was my fault.  You really should be more careful with your glasses, I said walking over to him.  That’s when I tripped.  Dad’s eyes got real big.  He was pouring his coffee at the time.  He knocked the cup on the ground, coffee ran down his leg.  Dad jumped up again.  At least he didn’t dance around this time.  And he kept his pants on.  BONEHEAD, said dad.  I’m glad he’s happy anyway.

Guess there will have to be another part.  I hope everyone has a great day and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

© 2019 Steve McLeod.