Standing Ovation
More abt my recent visit w/Gramps. We were sitting @ the table having tea and cookies, and I told Gramps, "We're almost finished school, Grampa--and I have a summer job @ a veterinary clinic here in town!" And Gramps went "Yes?" Then I sed, "It's just cleaning cages and doing odd jobs, but it's all pretty interesting! ...I got my driver's license [sic] [back in December]. I'm a good driver, 2. U'd B proud of me!" Then, I was saying this: "Oh, and I got an award in music. I got top marks in performance and composition!..." And while I was saying that stuff, Gramps pushed up in2 a standing position while saying, "MMM HHH," and I asked, "Gramps? ...Grampa! R U OK?" And I was relieved that he was saying MMM HHH and not MMM MMM, which has a diff meaning.
Gramps was standing there, supporting himself w/his arms, and kind of nodding his head. I was confused abt this, and went, "What R U doing?!! IRIS?!!" I started 2 stand up as Iris sed, "Don't worry, dear." Then she kind of led me in2 a hug w/Gramps, while saying, "...He just wants 2 give U a standing ovation!!" I was surprised she knew that just from him standing and nodding, but I guess when U're w/sum1 all the time, U know stuff, eh?
So, now U know my summer plans--staying local insteada going 2 the farm in Manitoba. Mom sed I had 2 stay in town in case Liz got it 2gether 2 have a wedding, like mayB in August or whatevs.
Jeremy, I thot studying w/U last nite was v. v., um, productive. <3 <3 <3
Apes
Gramps was standing there, supporting himself w/his arms, and kind of nodding his head. I was confused abt this, and went, "What R U doing?!! IRIS?!!" I started 2 stand up as Iris sed, "Don't worry, dear." Then she kind of led me in2 a hug w/Gramps, while saying, "...He just wants 2 give U a standing ovation!!" I was surprised she knew that just from him standing and nodding, but I guess when U're w/sum1 all the time, U know stuff, eh?
So, now U know my summer plans--staying local insteada going 2 the farm in Manitoba. Mom sed I had 2 stay in town in case Liz got it 2gether 2 have a wedding, like mayB in August or whatevs.
Jeremy, I thot studying w/U last nite was v. v., um, productive. <3 <3 <3
Apes
posted by April Patterson @ 6:26 AM
14 Comments:
At 9:23 AM,
howard said…
April,
I am trying not to be offended by Iris. Really I am. Beatrice and I went over to visit your Grandpa Jim and what did she bring out, but the old plain white tea set. Beatrice said, “What happened to the new one we bought you? April said you used it.” Iris said, “Oh, dear. That’s too nice a set to use. April got it out by mistake when I asked her to get tea the other day. I had to put it back and get out this one. It's Jim's favourite.” I said, “We got you this new tea pot, because this old tea pot is old and disgusting.” Iris said, “It’s like this, dear. Jim was telling me the other day how much he liked the new tea set, but the old tea set was more of his cup of tea.” Beatrice said, “Jim said that?” Iris said, “Jim loves making those little punny jokes. Jim and I are so in tune with each other; I know what he is saying from even the slightest gesture. For example, the other day he stood up when he was talking to April and I knew he meant a standing ovation.” Beatrice said, “And not that he needed to stand up for some other reason.” Iris said, “No, dear. I know my Jim.” I said, “So when he makes that middle-fingered gesture like he is doing right now, what does that mean?” Iris said, “He wants one more cookie.”
Beatrice and I got a good laugh out of that…after we left. April if you do decide to get something for Iris, make sure it’s something she actually wants. Don’t presume that just because the old tea pot looks like it needs to be thrown away, that Iris will actually throw it away.
Love,
Howard Bunt
At 10:31 AM,
Anonymous said…
april, i luv u. i also luv studyin’ w/u. i am definitely gonna get good marks on our xxamz next week.
i am kinda confuzed ‘bout ur summer planz tho. i thot u were gonna go back 2 manitoba 2 work w/ur cousin & i wuz gonna go out & meet u there so we cud check out u of manitoba 2gether, in case u decided 2 go pre-vet there. stayin’ in town 4 the summer kinda messes that up, duzn’t it? cuz i know b.c. & quebec send peeps n2 toronto 4 university fairs in october, but winnipeg duzn’t. i mean, ur sis hazn’t rilly started ne kinda weddin’ plannin’ & if she iz gonna get married in august, shudn’t u know that by now? i know ur mom iz n2 ur sis’ weddin’, but if ur sis hazn’t set a d8, then duz ur mom xxpect every1 2 stay n town just n case, she decides it’s tyme 2 get married? w8. wut wuz i thinkin’? sorry. i 4got 4 a moment who i wuz talkin’ ‘bout. ‘course she duz. sorry, april.
i guess this meanz if my fam wunts 2 invite u on a weekend trip sumwhere this summer, we prolly won’t b able 2 know 4 sure if u can go till the v. v. last minute, just in case ur sis decides thass the weekend she wunts 2 get married. i wish ur fam wuz more normal ‘bout weddingz. i mean, i know ur ‘rents talk ‘bout how awful ur bro’s 2nd weddin’ wuz, cuz of mira sobinski, but @least every1 knew wen it wuz.
congrats on the award in music. i think i 4got 2 tell u that. i mean, well, i kissed u a lot wen u won, but i don’t think i evah sed, “congrats”. the bit u told ur grandpa jim ‘bout top marks in performance & composition…um…i guess ur talkin’ ‘bout last semester, since we don’t get our final marks till july. unless…is this 1 of those tymez where u kinda know sumthin’ thass gonna happ b4 it happs? sumtymez u do that & i’m kinda, “well how do u know?” & it throwz me off how u know sum thingz like that. do u know wut my marks r gonna b? just curious.
ru quittin’ lilliput’s 4 the vet clinic? cuz i know u’ve been makin’ a whole lot more @lilliput’s ever since ur mom hazn’t been the owner. i know u think it’s cuz moira kinney still feels guilty ovah that whole kortney krelbutz thing, but rilly it’s just a good, regular salary. aftah workin’ w/ur mom, ur not usedta that. wen u told me how much u made workin’ 4 ur mom, i wuz rilly surprised u had az much money saved 4 university az u did.
frum wut u’ve told me, ur ‘rents r prolly only gonna pay 4 ur undergrad, & they’ve kinda sed the same thing 2 me. it kinda freaks me out sumtymes wen ur mom asks me if i’m gonna drop outa skool & support u thru vet skool, like she did 4 ur dad & dental skool. u know, cuz sumtymez she’s like, “ur wastin’ ur tyme on april. she’s gonna end up w/gerald delaney-forsythe livin’ back in mboro in a house walkin’ distance frum here.” & then othah tymes she’s like, “it’s good april’s got a good mboro bf goin’ n2 university, so she won’t end up like liz & wastin’ tyme w/guys frum othah places, wen she shud’ve been w/anthony the whole tyme.”
omg. if ur mom sez 2 me sumthin’ ‘bout how ur summer job iz gonna turn n2 a full-tyme position aftah u grad vet skool, so u can b just like anothah anthony caine, i will prolly freak. she hazn’t sed that haz she?
At 10:53 AM,
Anonymous said…
April,
Formerly little sis. You fell for the standing ovation? After I read my latest novel Blood Cargo to Grandpa Jim, he stood up for me too. I thought it was because he ran out of cookies and was going to get some more; but Iris said, “Don’t worry, dear. He just wants to give you a standing ovation!!!!!!” Then she put 2 hands on my back and pushed me over to Grandpa Jim to give him a big hug. Well it wasn’t a standing ovation, April. With standing ovations, there is clapping involved and Grandpa Jim didn’t do any clapping, unless you count the clapping he was doing over his personal areas to say he needed to go to the washroom. I hope that was not the kind of standing ovation you got.
Love,
Michael Patterson
At 11:51 AM,
April Patterson said…
howard, it's true that iris made me put away the nice new teapot and cups u all got her. i thought that was a shame!
jeremy, u r rite abt what my original summer plans were. i had things all set up w/the vet clinic in manitoba, and they were even talking abt giving me sum more responsibility this summer. and then suddenly mom was all, "no, april, u can't go away this summer! when liz finally decides 2 get married, it cd b v. sudden!" and i was like, "i cd book a flite back v. suddenly, 2." and mom was like, "don't b ridiculous. besides, i have a friend who owns the vet clinic in downtown mboro, and i've already gotten u an interview there." so i went 2 that and it wasn't even an interview, really, it was more like a tour 2 show me the cages i'll b cleaning and stuff. so much 4 assisting in surgeries. and yeah, i won't b working 4 lilliput's nemore, cuz the vet clinic wants me putting those hrs in there.
sorry abt the messed-up comments mom makes 2 u, jeremy. no, she hasn't sed nething abt me working @ that vet clinic after i finish vet school, but i'll bet she's thinking it! but i m NOT gonna move back 2 mboro. nor marry ger.
michael, no, gramps did not clap over his personal areas. he hugged me back.
apes
At 12:06 PM,
Anonymous said…
Actually, if your Grampa needed to tend to personal matters, he would have waved his hand frantically and thought-bubbled the symbol for the men's washroom.
Good luck on that job at the vet clinic. I know that cleaning the cages may be hard work, and "low-end" work, but at least you will get to meet some of the patients. Perhaps your cousin Laura can put in a good word for you at U of Manitoba or the vet clinic up there to intern there after you graduate.
At 1:38 PM,
April Patterson said…
v. v. good pt abt gramps and the thought bubbles, patrickrsghost! and thanx 4 the kind words abt my summer job.
apes
At 1:39 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hm, so your mom made your summer plans for you, eh, Apes? That's a shame. My mother trusts me to make my own summer plans.
Eva Abuya
At 1:46 PM,
Anonymous said…
eva, ru gonna b an arts & crafts counselor @that camp up north like last summer? or ru doin' sumthin' more in support of ur planned career of "general arts"?
At 2:38 PM,
howard said…
April,
I am so sorry to hear you will be leaving Lilliput’s. I liked it when I would come to the store and see Beatrice, it was also an opportunity to chat with you. However, I realize that working in a veterinary clinic is not only excellent career experience, but will also give you leverage towards getting accepted at a veterinary school. Beatrice says you’ve been working at Lilliput’s since October, 2003, when you were just 12 years old. It’s been close to 5 years, which is almost as long as your mom owned the store. I believe they are planning to give you a farewell party of some sort after you quit for the summer. Beatrice wants me to cater it, so if you have any favourite vegetarian dishes, let me know.
Love,
Howard Bunt
At 2:57 PM,
Anonymous said…
April,
Formerly little sis. I told mom your story about Grandpa Jim giving you the standing ovation. She was quite delighted by the news. She said, “Oh good! Dad will be able to dance with Elizabeth at her wedding! And since Elizabeth is wearing Mom’s dress, we can all remember how it was when Dad danced with Mom at her wedding.” Then she sighed rapturously, pulled out a checklist and marked something, as she said, “Dad can dance! Check!” I don’t remember mom acting like this when I got married, either time.
Love,
Michael Patterson
At 3:29 PM,
Anonymous said…
Jeremy, I will be the "general arts and crafts counselor." Why, what have you heard?
Eva Abuya
At 3:38 PM,
Anonymous said…
eva, i have heard nothin' in particular. it's just that aftah last year, wen duncan ran off 2 barbados 4 the summer & almost nevah came back, i seem 2 remembah u sayin' u were gonna do sumthin' 2 make sure that didn't happ again. i wuz just curious if u were gonna do that thing u sed u were gonna do. thass all.
At 5:56 PM,
Anonymous said…
Sh, Jeremy, that was supposed to be on the "down low."
Eva Abuya
At 6:40 PM,
April Patterson said…
howard, it's so sweet of moira and bea 2 throw me a farewell party! there r awesum recipes @ this site!
mike, mom is deluding herself again. gramps pulling himself up 2 a standing position and giving me a hug r NOT the same as dancing. he had 2 sit down rite after he hugged me cuz it took a lot of energy 4 him 2 b standing as long as he was.
apes
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