The day after the storm, we are taking pictures of the demage for Mrs Penny, she called from the hospital that it needs to be done for insurance, that Mr Penny is now stable and resting after a rough night, a little to formiliar, may still be dealing emotionally with my mortality.
We took many photos to cover everything, we load them to the desktop in the study, load as a USB and email file, dad does some of his own research, sends photos in to websites for quotes, he gets 3 adds those to the photo file and emails Mrs Penny.
Amber jokes this is a full service family, a pit crew for a cause, that gave me a idea.
I don't know if I will fully run with the idea but what if we had a full time space for the youth to experience doing pit stops, not just for the sick ones but all of them at some affordable prices for different packages.
I write down the idea will keep thinking about it, don't want to add to much too soon when there is still a few other things that are in planning.
Around super time Mrs Penny calls again to thank dad and all of us for our help and for permission to swing by some time tomorrow to discuss something dad invites her for super.
Maybe collium is bigger then yes but No's are biggest. The four women in my life are scrolling webpages making notes, checking prices and making some funny faces at products that really question some people following designers.
I am suggesting to have hot chocolate and cheese cake, it's been doley noted.
"Slow head way is still head way",says Dad who also informs me that he is planning a feast for lunch tomorrow as he figures Mrs Penny is sick of the hospital food while staying with her husband and he would know. Feels lasagna and garlic bread and garden salad would be nice, so I got roped into shredding cheese duty. I think Dad was making a point of takes time and is layered for planning.
Tony and I end up playing some cards, crazy eights and he won twice.
I'm not sure why but that night I had a very hard time sleeping, although it could have been that they have been neighbors and friends of my parents before I was even born, they are like grandparents to me, Tony and I played with there kids but didn't really bond that well, but still almost all of the neighbors around us have been here as long as us maybe a few longer then that.
Breakfast was delicious, we all skipped the swim Nd got busy helping Dad in the kitchen, the girls cleaning and preparing the table nicely and they did do a good job on setting it, the ladies preparing the vegetables, chopping onions, celery, green pepper and tomatoes, they were also getting the salad ready, I was shredding cheese, lots of cheese, Tony preparing the beef and Dad the noodles, we all worked well together.
Amber asked how long we had known them so our whole conversation during meal preparation was a trip down memory lane. It started with me saying "all my life like extra grandparents" Tony added "I feel like they ended up the blocks extra grandparents, I mean there kids were what 5 years older then us? but it was just the way all of us got something from them at holidays and birthdays" dad also brought up the other side "the number of casseroles and baked goods when none of us felt like cooking with my wife's cancer, times we ate and cried together after she passed, bless their hearts, always there when needed".
"Sounds nice" Amber said she looked a bit sad, "My mom did that before we moved due to her treatment, we didn't really socialize outside of her treatments, just focused on making as many memories together as we could with balancing my work to afford all the payments, I need to decide about the house" we pause I break the silence " what do you mean sweetie?" she looks around at us all, "I don't know if you noticed but it's hard for me to be there, I am thinking of selling and with this families blessing move in here and look at a real physio gym location to operate with others".
I begin to wonder if I should have known that, the oven timer goes off all the food is ready and to our surprise a knock on the about 15 mins early but right on time food wise.
We all welcome her on and true to form for Mrs Penny she has little simple gifts for each of us even Amber, Dad had called her Christmas eve and told her of the engagement news, hand knitted items she made well sitting with her husband in hospital, hats, mitts and scarfs, we all went to sit at the table and you could see she appreciated this thoughtfulness.
"May I say the blessing" she asked, slightly choked up, so she prayed a beautiful blessing that included her appreciation for us as neighbors and we all said amen.
"Let me get right to the point, doctors are telling me that with my husband's health the way it is, a big house in disrepair like it is, isn't suitable for him to return home to, so...I have talked it over with him and thanks to Mr Mooses research and quotes and talking to insurance that inform me we would get lower then needed...I would like to discuss if Tony or Jonathan would be interested in buying the house to fix up for their families..no pressure to you of course... Jonathan and Amber no pressure on creating children just a option to consider." she takes a deep breath then continues "With how amazing you have all been through out the years I, we wanted to offer it to you first, we will be looking for something one floor and could still have our children and their families visit, we don't really want to leave the community or leave this area to far"
Amber looks excited "My place" her eyes are glowing, it does feel almost perfect, what is that saying about opportunity Knocks? In this case it opportunity came through Mrs Penny.