Radio Isn’t Dead
Maybe I should invest in satellite radio in the Princess? I’d still get reception in the mountains right?
That way I could monitor the radio waves no matter where I drove…
(photo credit here, the words are mine)
Tag Archives: finder of lost things
Scotch
The Rusty Hinge’s scotch cupboards are a thing of beauty. Beatrice begged off from partaking, the slight rum hangover still fresh in her mind, I needed a sip to help me deal with Little Ben.
BTW there is another twelve feet (at least) of cabinets on either side of this picture.
Today Requires Much Coffee
I managed to swing past The Alter three times today, coffee was mandatory after last night’s adventures! (Plus I wanted to see their new advert)
(Photo credit here, Words are mine)
1.56 Yo-ho-ho and A Shot of Rum
(The ingredients for spiced rum according to Wood’s Gran’s recipe.)
Practically dancing in place waiting for Orin’s return I couldn’t work out which of the three fates would be worse if we were caught – becoming fodder for the police blotter. Explaining to the police (and Little Ben) what possessed us to bury rubber ducks in an empty field in the first place. Or the horror of calling Aunt Pearl to bail four pirates out of jail at one a.m.
The tree of humiliation bore rich fruit tonight.
Apparently, the Inebriated Three didn’t share my anxiety of capture (while they all still wore their tricorn hats, they currently embodied the philosophy of Yo-ho-ho And A Bottle Of Rum, thus their new nickname). The flasks of spiced rum they insisted on passing around each time we slowed down or stopped bore a portion of the responsibility for their lax attitudes (yet another one, or possibly two, made an appearance in my Orin inspired absence).
The joys of being the designated getaway driver.
Me (trying for calm): “Time to put that away, guys. We need to get ready to run.”
A scene from a Three Stooges movie ensued while they endeavored to comply with my request. Helpless I stood back and tried not to split a seam at their earnest efforts to simply stand.
Laney, the first to get up, stood on the tails of Beatrice’s greatcoat. This caused Beatrice to fall over when her ascent to an upright position was unexpectedly arrested. Wood was fine until Laney careened into him when Beatrice yanked her coat out from under Laney’s foot. All the while, trying to maintain radio silence, they pantomimed their displeasure to each other.
When they were upright and moderately stable (and trying to figure out exactly where they’d misplaced their dignity), I turned around to see if Orin had returned. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I discovered him standing inches away from the end of my nose.
Me (aggrieved): “Seriously, are doing that on purpose?”
The peanut gallery gathered behind Orin broke into a chorus of chortles at my demand. And judging by the number of Residents gathered on such short notice the Inebriated Three and I had managed to cause quite a brouhaha this evening. Their questions/comments solidified this idea; Wow you really are dressed as pirates./Did you miss us?/Did you know the police are here?/I’ve never seen Little Ben move so fast./I haven’t had this much fun in forever…. Their comments went on for a while.
The fact I was at the root of this uproar added to the Resident’s delight – the pirate costumes were just icing on the cake.
Wood: “Morticia are you talking to someone?”
Me (using the spirts they’d drunk in my favor): “Nope.”
Me (speaking to the Residents: keeping my voice low so hopefully the Inebriated Three wouldn’t hear): “Thanks…”
Orin (cutting in, turning to the Residents): “Here’s the plan. John, Peter, and Stu follow us to the west. Ruby, Sandra, and Iris the same to the east. Alice, you run ahead to the gate and call the all clear – if it is. I’ll lead them on. Everyone else fan out and keep a weather eye for incoming trouble. Ready?”
While Orin relayed orders to the Residents I eyed my friends – Wood looked to be holding his liquor well, Beatrice wove just slightly in place, and Laney was dancing to music only she could hear. Fantastic. The perfect illustration of the influence body mass played in drinking. With a sudden flare of inspiration (or perspiration or both) I knew how to navigate them through the marble maze which stood between us and the gates.
Me: “Laney take my hand, Beatrice you take Laneys, Wood you take Beatrice’s.”
Laney (in a slurring reworking of a Beatles’ song): “I want to hold Wood’s han-an-and.”
Me (trying to keep it together): “Ok, Wood switch with Beatrice.”
Beatrice: “Why?”
Me: “This way I can lead you through the headstones, and you won’t trip and break your necks.”
Orin (thoughtfully): “Well it has been a while since we’ve had a newcomer….”
Beatrice: “But I want to hold your hand.”
Ignoring both Orin and Beatrice, I lead our chain out from the safety of our hiding spot. With a few initial herks and jerks, we settled into a nice rhythm.
Laney (singing softly): “Following the leader. The leader. The leader. Following the leader where ever she may go. Tee dum. Tee dee…..”
Laney’s love of aliens is only eclipsed by Disney – figures she’d find a fitting song – from Peter Pan no less.
Why couldn’t our pursuers helpfully tick like the Crocodile? I ejected the analogy from my brain quickly. My heart didn’t care for it one bit since the Crocodile got Captain Hook in the end. Maybe we were one of the Lost Boys? In disguise? Stifling a giggle, I banished the picture of Orin zipping around us like Tinker Bell.
The Inebriated Three picked up the chorus (softly): “Following the Leader. The Leader…..”
We were a quarter mile away when I heard Alice’s faint all clear call – perhaps sensing my relief – the Fates threw a spanner in the works.
1.55 With Friends Like This…
An excited squawk from a walkie three rows away sent us scurrying behind one of the larger mausoleums in this section of Nevermore.
That’d been a near thing.
Who knew Seth (the newest groundskeeper) could summon that much stealth? Counting off a hundred heartbeats (sounds like a long time, but my heart was beating a brisk tempo at the moment) I slowly eased an eye around the corner, trying to catch even the smallest movement. Despite not seeing a single hint of our pursuer my heart refused to settle down into a normal rhythm.
Me (whispering): “Wood can you see anyone?”
Since no one’s yelling ‘got you’ or ‘their over there’ I will take it as a promising sign. Maybe this time we’d lost them? Hope springs eternal.
Wood (softly): “Nope, nothing.”
It seems Laney and Beatrice came to the same conclusion, or they were just tired from all the running and/or rum, either way, they’d sunk down to the ground for a rest. Wood joined them, leaving me to keep my eyes peeled for motion amongst the tombstones.
Me (taking a beat to talk to them): “We’ll catch our breath here for a few minutes then make a final push for the Crossroads.”
The Tricornies murmured their agreement and settled into more comfortable sitting positions. Inching around the side of the vault trying to get a better grip on our surroundings, I nearly screamed when a figure stepped out in front of me.
The Figure: “Caretaker, did you hear about the kids running around Nevermore in costumes tonight?”
As my hands were covering my mouth, trying to keep the squealing I was doing on the inside, I couldn’t reply to Orin’s question right away.
Orin (taking in my current attire – long coat, embroidered vest, linen shirt, bandolier and the dark plume in my tricorn hat): “I think you might have.”
Seems the dip my toes took in the creek during our hasty exit from the farm numbed them to a greater extent than I’d realized. Well, that explained why it hadn’t hurt very much when I’d kicked that rock – I’d chalked it up to wearing boots instead of sneakers (tomorrow’s bruise tally will prove fascinating).
Me (whisper yelling): “Orin! You nearly scared me to death!”
Orin (dismissively): “Don’t worry, no one’s died of that in years! Hey, aren’t there supposed to be more of you?”
Stepping around me he peered around the corner of the crypt and started laughing. Following behind, I glimpsed the three Tricornes as he must have – Beatrice one leg in the air pulling up her sock inside her boot, Wood with his phone aglow and Laney taking a slug from yet another flask (which she whipped behind her back when she saw the whites of my eyes). All of them wearing full pirate regalia.
Me (hissing at Wood): “Are you trying to get us caught? Put the phone away! Laney! Seriously?”
Doing a one-eighty, I tried to glimpse any activity amongst the shadows, while my ears strained to hear any tell-tale sounds of feet on grass (Orin’s laughing didn’t help my efforts). Stepping back around to the side of the vault I beckoned Orin to follow me.
Me: “Orin. Orin! Please stop laughing! We need to get to the Crossroads, can you help us out?”
His laughter slowly died during my plea, the silence stretching between us while I watched his wide grin slide into a sly smile.
Me (trying to wrangle what little patients I currently possessed): “Okay, what do you want?”
Orin (taking a moment to think): “You know Mazy’s squirrel? Could you make sure it has enough to eat this winter?”
This night just keeps getting better and better.
Me: “Done. Now, will you help?”
Orin: “No problem Caretaker. Let me round up some other Residents.”
On those words, he walked out of sight. Orin might have laughed, but we needed the Resident’s help. We were at the edge of the old original section of Nevermore – after that would be the Crossroad’s burials.
Where we’d have absolutely nothing, except for the night, to hide us from sight.
What Wetted Our Toes!
Just to give you an idea of the swampy mess Little Ben proposes setting the Sunny Valley Farm & Pet Cemetery next to – here’s a video from a section of Iron Creek a mile to two away from his proposed site (during a daytime scouting trip – video quality isn’t great, but you get the idea).
Laney, Beatrice, Wood and I may or may not have dampened our toes somewhere close to here, hard to tell with it being dark and all, during our flight!
Aunt Pearl Strikes Again!
Aunt Pearl’s sense of humor…This is what was waiting for Wood and I at the next Sunday dinner. We of course had to take it out for a spin!
Hospitality
Not really sure what other business happens in a police parking lot.
Though if the police blotter’s any indication people are willing to do all kinds of silly things in the most inappropriate locations…(not that I’d know anything about that)
On the upside I have the precinct’s address now without needing to look it up online – if the sourest member of the forest service doesn’t follow thru on the tip!
Finder Of Lost Things 
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