stood. “Guess I’d better go see who’s come a- calling.”
When Dad left the room, everyone resumed talking.
“Would you please pass me the basket of biscuits?” Mattie asked her brother Calvin. She could eat Mom’s delicious homemade biscuits every day of the week.
Mark asked for another biscuit as well. As Mattie handed him the basket and then reached for the butter, Dad reentered the kitchen with a big grin on his face. A few seconds later, Grandma and Grandpa Troyer stepped into the room behind him.
Such commotion there was with Grandpa and Grandma’s surprise arrival from Burton. Mark and Mattie squealed with delight; Mom shed a few tears, and there were lots of hugs and kisses going around.
Once the excitement calmed down, Dad added two more chairs to the table and Mom got out two more place settings. Grandma Troyer had even brought some of her delicious corn fritters, and also a pecan pie.
“We can’t have a celebration without my fritters,” Grandma said with a radiant smile. Corn fritters were Grandma’s specialty, and the whole family was never disappointed whenever they went to Burton, because Grandma always made a big batch of tasty fritters.
Sitting around the table, everyone, especially the twins, wanted to hear all about how Grandpa Troyer was feeling.
“My arthritis has been doing better the last few days.” Grandpa grinned as he stroked his bushy gray beard. “So this afternoon I looked at your grandma, and said, ‘Let’s hire a driver to take us to Walnut Creek, ‘cause I don’t think we should miss Mark and Mattie’s birthday party.’” He looked across the table and winked at Mattie, and then Mark. “After all, it isn’t every day that two of our grandchildren turn nine.”
Mattie smiled, and so did Mark. “It’s great to have you here,” they said at the same time. Having Grandpa and Grandma Troyer here was a wonderful surprise!
Once supper was finished, Mom and both grandmas washed and dried the dishes, and the men headed outside to the porch to visit. Mattie and Stella went upstairs to play, while Mark took John out to the barn to see the kittens.
“Would you like to hold one of them?” Mark asked after he’d led John over to the box where Lucky’s kittens were sleeping soundly.
John eagerly bobbed his blond head. “I kinda like the black one with four white paws.”
“I call that one Boots,” Mark said, gently picking up the kitten and placing it in John’s lap. “That’s the one I plan to keep.”
John looked a bit disappointed at first, but then while stroking Boots’s head, he smiled and said, “I figured Mattie and Stella would come out here, too.”
“Nah. Mattie doesn’t like cats, and I’m not sure about Stella.” Mark took a seat on the bale of straw beside John.
“I can’t imagine anyone not liking cats. Just listen to this little one purr,” John said, looking down at Boots.
“Well, Mattie doesn’t. But that’s okay, ‘cause I don’t like her hund Twinkles either.”
“How come?”
“That mutt’s a real
pescht
. She’s always underfoot and likes to nip at my leg.”
“She’s never nipped at me. Maybe she wants some attention and can somehow tell that you don’t like her.”
Mark nodded. “You’re right about that, because I don’t give her any attention.”
“Maybe you should. You might learn to like the dog if you spent more time with her.”
Just then Lucky leaped into Mark’s lap. “You want a loyal pet, get a cat.”
“I’d sure like one,” John said. “Think I could have one of Lucky’s busslin?”
“Don’t see why not. She’s got five of ‘em, and Mom says we can only keep one, so that means we’ll have to find homes for the other four.” Mark motioned to the box, where the rest of the kittens lay curled up sleeping.
John smiled. “I’ll ask my folks and see what they say. If they say jah, which one can I have?”
“Any but Boots.” Mark pointed to a white kitten with black on the
When Dad left the room, everyone resumed talking.
“Would you please pass me the basket of biscuits?” Mattie asked her brother Calvin. She could eat Mom’s delicious homemade biscuits every day of the week.
Mark asked for another biscuit as well. As Mattie handed him the basket and then reached for the butter, Dad reentered the kitchen with a big grin on his face. A few seconds later, Grandma and Grandpa Troyer stepped into the room behind him.
Such commotion there was with Grandpa and Grandma’s surprise arrival from Burton. Mark and Mattie squealed with delight; Mom shed a few tears, and there were lots of hugs and kisses going around.
Once the excitement calmed down, Dad added two more chairs to the table and Mom got out two more place settings. Grandma Troyer had even brought some of her delicious corn fritters, and also a pecan pie.
“We can’t have a celebration without my fritters,” Grandma said with a radiant smile. Corn fritters were Grandma’s specialty, and the whole family was never disappointed whenever they went to Burton, because Grandma always made a big batch of tasty fritters.
Sitting around the table, everyone, especially the twins, wanted to hear all about how Grandpa Troyer was feeling.
“My arthritis has been doing better the last few days.” Grandpa grinned as he stroked his bushy gray beard. “So this afternoon I looked at your grandma, and said, ‘Let’s hire a driver to take us to Walnut Creek, ‘cause I don’t think we should miss Mark and Mattie’s birthday party.’” He looked across the table and winked at Mattie, and then Mark. “After all, it isn’t every day that two of our grandchildren turn nine.”
Mattie smiled, and so did Mark. “It’s great to have you here,” they said at the same time. Having Grandpa and Grandma Troyer here was a wonderful surprise!
Once supper was finished, Mom and both grandmas washed and dried the dishes, and the men headed outside to the porch to visit. Mattie and Stella went upstairs to play, while Mark took John out to the barn to see the kittens.
“Would you like to hold one of them?” Mark asked after he’d led John over to the box where Lucky’s kittens were sleeping soundly.
John eagerly bobbed his blond head. “I kinda like the black one with four white paws.”
“I call that one Boots,” Mark said, gently picking up the kitten and placing it in John’s lap. “That’s the one I plan to keep.”
John looked a bit disappointed at first, but then while stroking Boots’s head, he smiled and said, “I figured Mattie and Stella would come out here, too.”
“Nah. Mattie doesn’t like cats, and I’m not sure about Stella.” Mark took a seat on the bale of straw beside John.
“I can’t imagine anyone not liking cats. Just listen to this little one purr,” John said, looking down at Boots.
“Well, Mattie doesn’t. But that’s okay, ‘cause I don’t like her hund Twinkles either.”
“How come?”
“That mutt’s a real
pescht
. She’s always underfoot and likes to nip at my leg.”
“She’s never nipped at me. Maybe she wants some attention and can somehow tell that you don’t like her.”
Mark nodded. “You’re right about that, because I don’t give her any attention.”
“Maybe you should. You might learn to like the dog if you spent more time with her.”
Just then Lucky leaped into Mark’s lap. “You want a loyal pet, get a cat.”
“I’d sure like one,” John said. “Think I could have one of Lucky’s busslin?”
“Don’t see why not. She’s got five of ‘em, and Mom says we can only keep one, so that means we’ll have to find homes for the other four.” Mark motioned to the box, where the rest of the kittens lay curled up sleeping.
John smiled. “I’ll ask my folks and see what they say. If they say jah, which one can I have?”
“Any but Boots.” Mark pointed to a white kitten with black on the
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