The day before Easter I was tied up all morning and afternoon with filming for The Wake. Marian had planned on taking the boys to Baldwin City to meet up with Lisa, Pat, and Cash Bishop for their city Easter egg hunt, and my truck had been loaned out to an acquaintance from school all week, therefore I was left without a vehicle. Filming began in the empty house 9-10 miles southwest of Ottawa at 8:00. So, I woke at the same schedule as for school days, 5:15, breakfasted, then set off. I allowed myself plenty of time because southwest of Ottawa are the Chippewa Hills. It's a very pretty landscape of rolling hills and curves. I wasn't sure how I'd do on them as I'd be riding my three speed and I wasn't sure if the low gear on it was quite low enough. Plus, I'd be carrying two changes of clothing, my workboots, and a canteen of water. The bike is built for utility to begin with, including fenders, chain guard, and two collapsing wire baskets. It's much heavier than a bike built for racing. Long story short, I made it up those hills slowly, but without walking and made it there in good time.
Then, we adjourned to town to a separate location for the basement scenes. I was done around 3 and went home. Mare and fam. were there. They said it was super busy a the egg hunt. Jack liked talking to the Easter Bunny, but told him "you're just a pretend one!" He also liked jumping in the moonwalk.
Sunday we went to Grandma Bonnie's house. We arrived shortly before she did. It was a beautiful day, but WINDY! All the regulars attended, except Addie, Dustin and Jayme (Stanley) Fowler's daughter. We ate a big meal. The men talked about fields, oil, and county news. The women talked about . . .Jack and Leo? Everything was delicious. Then we sang happy birthday for Jack and he opened his big Tonka Truck "like Tukers!" and we had a slice of birthday cake Marian had made and brought with her. Then Grandma handed out assignments and the men all split to perform various chores for her: change the oil and filter and grease two mowers; use the chainsaw to cut down some brush along the south pipe fence; repair her mailbox some lowlife had vandalized; and dad and I went ahead and prepared her flower beds for planting, just in case she decided she wanted to plant something.
I was roped into playing washers with Dustin and Ross. Ross has this custom made traveling washers game he brought to humiliate us with. Turns out, Dustin was the big winner. We then assembled on the west end of the big red barn for a group picture in the wind and had to give mom all kinds of heck about it. Once, she had to run from the group to catch the camera from being blown over on its tripod. We were all yelling for her to catch it and laughing, and it made Leo cry.
We left there about five. Our family went in to visit Grandma Irene for Easter, and to look at her Lincoln. We're trying to think ahead for a year and a half from now when Mare probably wants to get pregnant again, and we'd outgrow our trusty little Ford Focus. Grandma is so generous, she is not concerned about selling it to us, but using that amount of money toward a college fund for Jack and Leo instead. I tell you, my family is blessed.
We left there about dusk and headed back to Ottawa to prepare for another week. The boys were worn to a frazzle and I think Mare and I were too. It's hard work having that much fun.
