Tales from the Edge

Yesterday:

Taking the bus downtown to get Madelaine's hair cut at Styles On Mane. We left with only 15 minutes to catch the bus. Aleous (the beagle we are babysitting) follows us down the driveway. I run him back to the house with strict instructions to not let him out!!! So now we are running behind so we go down the railroad tracks which is a bit difficult with Gabe in a stroller. He has to get out and walk. He doesn't want to. Mary also wants to go in the stroller which I am carrying. We are hustling. Mary and Gabe need to be hurried up.

A train comes. This is only the second time in 14 years of walking on these tracks that I have met a train. We hurry ahead and get off the tracks at a flat spot. This flat spot, it turns out, has dead thistles that have been cut down from last year. Mary and Gabe get prickles in their feet because they are only wearing clogs. Although we are more than 30 feet from the train, it scares Gabe and Mary so along with the prickles in their feet, they are crying from fear. The train passes and we continue down the tracks, Mary and Gabe still crying about the prickles but we can't stop and continue to hurry. I can't carry anyone because I am carrying the stroller. We make it to the bus stop. I sit on the ground and pull out all prickles. The bus arrives. The children get on. We are so relieved to have made it to the bus (the week before we watched the bus go by).

With my foot raised to get on the bus, out of the corner of my eye, I see Aleous, nose to the ground. He has tracked us.

The children get off the bus. We walk back home and call a cab.

We wait for the cab a the end of the driveway. And we wait for the cab. And we wait. We walk back down the driveway and call the cab company. He will be there shortly. We have now been waiting more than half an hour.

Madelaine is now late for her hair appointment. Luckily it is my friend's shop. She washes and cuts Madelaine's hair between other clients.

Alls well that ends well?