Chapter 7

Many of you may remember reading about Eleanor, my four-year-old granddaughter attempting to talk her dad into a dog. They still don't have a dog. I've done my part in explaining to Andrew that my granddaughters need a dog but have gotten nowhere. LOL

Last Sunday on their way from the church service to the parking lot, Katie, Andrew's wife said, "I'm not used to it being so hot this late in October. Growing up in New Hampshire, we'd already have snow."

I need to pause here, with the story. Andrew, Katie and the girls live in St. Louis, Missouri. Katie's originally from New Hampshire.

Eleanor heard her mother and said, "Great, Mommy said we're getting a new hamster."

Andrew held Eleanor's hand in the parking lot, and said, "No, Ellie, Mom didn't say we're getting a hamster, she said New Hampshire, the state where she grew up."

"Daddy, she said we're stopping on the way home and getting a new hamster before it snows."

Charlotte, six years old, now got involved, "I think it's a great idea we get a hamster. Can it be black and white?" She tilted her head. "Ellie, I don't think it's going to snow today. It's too hot."

"It is going to snow, Mommy said it was. And I want a brown hamster," said Eleanor.

Katie frowned. "I didn't say it's going to snow. I said in New Hampshire it's probably already snowed."

"And nobody's getting a hamster," stated Andrew. He stared at Katie. "I think you need to weigh in on the hamster part."

"All I said is in New Hampshire it's probably snowing." Katie's eyes lit up as she teased, "You got this."

"See Daddy, Mommy said we're getting a new hamster. I want a brown one. We'd better hurry before it snows."

Frustration could be heard in Andrew's voice, "I don't got this, and we're not getting a hamster." He hesitated as he thought. "Besides LC will kill it."

Grandma break: LC, Little Cat, is their cat who is not opposed to killing anything that resembles a rodent or a bird. Bunnies are fair game too.

Both girls were securely in their car seats, but the hamster situation continued.

Charlotte said, "Daddy, I clearly heard Mommy said we are getting a hamster. Ellie and I will keep LC away from them. Besides they'll be in a cage. My teacher has a hamster in cage."

"There will be no hamster and no hamster cage. Katie, are you fixing lunch, or am I?"

"Maybe we need to grab something on the way home. Charlotte has to go to a birthday party this afternoon at one o'clock."

Andrew nodded. "Okay."

As Andrew parked the SUV to run into a sandwich shop, Eleanor yelled, "We're stopping for a hamster."

"We're stopping for lunch. We're NOT getting a hamster." He opened his car door. "I'll be right back with sandwiches, not a hamster."

As he the closed door, he heard Eleanor, "Mommy, remind Daddy to get the hamster."

*****
Charlotte giggled. "Maybe Daddy'll get two hamsters, a black and white one and a brown one. We'll each have one."

"Dad isn't getting any hamsters." Katie shook her head.

When Andrew returned to the SUV, with sandwiches, both girls frowned. Eleanor spoke first, "Are the hamsters in the bag? How can they breathe?"

"There are sandwiches in the bag. We aren't getting a hamster, and when did it become hamsters?"

"We need a black and white for me and a brown one for Ellie," explained Charlotte.

"Nobody's getting any color of a hamster. We aren't getting a hamster. Your mom's from New Hampshire, it's a state on the east coast. We took a vacation there two summers ago. Remember?"

"Is that where they had faces in rocks?" asked Charlotte.

"No that was this summer and it was the Black Hills in South Dakota. We went to New Hampshire two summers ago."

"I don't remember, but what do faces in rocks have to do with getting a hamster?" asked Eleanor.

Charlotte frowned. "I think it means we're not getting a hamster, right Mommy?"

"You're right," said Katie. "We're all too busy for a hamster. Your dad's right, LC would kill it. Nobody's home during the day to protect it."

*****
Inside their house, Andrew laid out the sandwiches as Katie got the place settings and said, "Girls, get to the table it's time for lunch."

"Since there's no hamsters in the bag, I'm not hungry," said Eleanor.

"Ah Dios, mio. I'm the only normal one in this family." Andrew sat and ate.

Katie kissed his cheek and took a bite of his sandwich. "I'm right there with you. Maybe we should've had boys."

He studied the missing bite from his sandwich. "Not according to the stories Mom tells. Right, Mom?"

"Right!"