In which I’m in charge of feeding everyone: two very old ladies, three stray cats of indeterminate ages, and a whole constellation of birds big and small. My lucky coup was getting grandma’s coffee just right. Coffee is of the utmost importance to her – as it is to me. But we have different preferences of exactly how we like to take this magical beverage. I know how she wants it but she doesn’t fully trust me. She insisted the old lizard is the only one who can make her coffee. I told her the lizard is on vacation.
After she drank what I brought she told me it was good. I took the empty cup downstairs and though I hadn’t adhered to strict fortune telling protocol I did look at her grinds. I saw a seated woman dressed in white. Her head was the head of a bird. That’s a very good omen.
The lizard continued her vacation by doing whatever she felt like doing, mostly hanging out in her room sewing or reading things she’s already read. Grandma was disgusted by her absence and commented: “If I were like her, snakes would eat me.” She has quite the obsession with snakes. I don’t know why. There are absolutely none here. Then she started wondering out loud about the best possible weather to die in.
Also, I went up to the attic. It smells like old wood and is quite lovely. It’s always been my favorite room in the house.
