by Lynette Williams
I wake up just before dawn and check on my Thomas. He’s still sleeping soundly. Good. Thomas’s been a bit poorly lately, so I let him sleep on while in the kitchen I set the bread to rise and don his rubber boots and overcoat and trudge out to the backfield to call the cows in.
Just as the first rays of sunshine are peeking over the horizon, I get there to find them all waiting patiently at the gate, chewing grass and occasionally nudging the girl in front. Bessie is my lead cow. So reliable.
Time goes quickly as I apply myself to the task in hand. Once I get into the rhythm of it, I like to sing a hymn or two and milk to the same beat: Squirt boomp ,squirt boomp, squirt boomp. But … I don’t want to lose myself in song just yet: My mind wanders over the day to come. Later on I will take a quart of fresh milk to the new preacher’s wife who Anne is so fond of. That Anne; she is so whimsical…reminds me of Marilla a long time ago. (sigh) What times we had Marilla and I when we were just little flippity jibbits dreaming of romance and having our own families. Dreams are so frail, then life hits you in the face and you have to press on anyway. I don’t think Marilla dreamed that she’d end up on her own or that she’d lose Matthew so soon…nor that Matthew would lose their savings like that. I certainly never dreamed of having to bury any babies, let alone six of them (sigh).
I never dreamed that my girls would marry foreigners and move to the United States. That’s what comes from educating girls! I never dreamed that my pride and joy, Thomas junior would wed such an unkind woman. Why couldn't he fancy one of our good Presbyterian girls? Mixed marriages are always a hard road I say…but he wouldn’t listen.
From the upstairs sitting room, I saw young Josie Pye walking off towards the beach yesterday; no doubt up to some sort of mischief. Mercy that child will never turn Gilbert’s heart or head…I hope. Heaven help Gilbert if she does. Her parents should whoop her regular until all that silliness evaporates.
Yesterday was too busy for me to drop in on Marilla as I wanted. I could have told her about Josie, Thomas … and Thomas junior’s disappointing wife. Marilla spends so much time on her own. She must be sorely feeling the loss of Matthew even though he never said much. A quiet force was Matthew, kind of like a tame rabbit. What a blessing they decided to keep Anne in the end. How I wish she was my daughter-in-law instead of that nasty piece. Anne is still a little headstrong and peculiar, but has turned into a good, dutiful girl that Marilla relies on. It makes me sad though to see Anne let that scholarship slip. I’ll say a prayer for her tonight and perhaps all will still be well. As the good book says: The Lord moves in mysterious ways and I’m sure he can find one more surprise for us.
Don’t flick your tail at me Daisy! (ties Daisy’s tailback again). Almost time to get back to my Thomas. I’ll feed the hens and collect the eggs on my way, then pop the bread in the oven. That way I can make him a lovely omelette with fresh baked bread before I wake him. He worries me though. I don’t think he has long for this world and I don’t know what my world will be like without him.
Stop dwelling in misery Rachel! The Lord will provide. There’s no time for dilly-dallying. The sun has come up and the day is fast advancing. (sings)
“Today while the sun shines wo-ork with a will,
Today all your duties with patience fulfill
Today, while the birds sing, harbor no ca-are;
Call life a good gift; call the wo-orld fair”.