Love Enough To Spread Around

Subject: Love Enough To Spread Around Wed Feb 02, 2011 11:30 am

This day, Abe kindly sent me a recording of his daughter singing Amazing Grace. She sang it flawlessly. For the fun of it, he sent recordings of himself singing LOVE that was made famous by Nat King Cole and A Wonderful World. I have the cd's by Louis Armstrong and Nat. Abe did a fine job of singing those melodies. It is so nice when someone sends you some love in the middle of an ordinary day.

This story is for Abe, a beautiful person.

LOVE ENOUGH TO SPREAD AROUND

Old Agnes had not really noticed any difference. She had retired the moment her first ten grandchildren were born, of course, and she was no longer just the Mother of Thousands; she was the new grandmother of ten.

Old Agnes had changed, though. She was light-hearted. She was excited! She knitted things! She planned new adventures! She hummed happy tunes! She smiled her odd smile at odd times! Oh, yes, Agnes had changed! But Old Agnes never noticed it at all. Probably the only ones who did notice were The Thousands and Wooffer.

It was the beginning of spring. The breeze blew, the clouds flew, the flowers started to bloom, and the grasses grew. It was perfect weather for a field mouse (or any other body for that matter), and Old Agnes was cleaning house. She swept the halls, shook the rugs, turned the mattresses, and dusted the chandelier. When everything was as clean as it was going to get, she turned her energy to baking cookies and special cakes. When that was done, she went shopping. “Let’s see, pepperoni, cheese. Oh, mustn’t forget bubbles, paint brushes and, oh, what was it? … ice cream!” Off she went, wheeling her shopping cart and having a great time. Old Agnes was getting ready for her grandmice to spend the weekend. The smile that was on her face that day, must have frozen there, because that is the smile she had on her face for the rest of her life!

Old Agnes put everything away and sat down in her big old chair. She had to think of something special to do with her grandmice that would make their weekend very special. She thought a long time, and then, she began to smile. “If Wooffer would only do it!” she said to herself. Then Old Agnes stomped around and jumped with happiness at the very thought! She ran out the door and searched for Wooffer that very minute.

Old Agnes found Wooffer at the ditch with a big bully frog hanging out of his mouth. It was a game that Wooffer played with the frogs. First he would wait until he saw their eyes, just above the water … then he would dive under and try to catch them. He always let them go, if he ever got one, but the frogs thought that no one could catch them, and yelled, “NaNaNa Nanny Booboo!” with their big thumbs sticking in their ears and waving all the rest of their fingers at Wooffer. But that is another story.

When Old Agnes found Wooffer, she was smiling her odd smile and looking so happy that Wooffer dropped the frog and said, “What’s the matter?!”

“Nothing could ever be the matter,” exclaimed Old Agnes. “I came to find you on purpose.” Then Old Agnes began to explain to Wooffer just what she had in mind for her grandmice’s special weekend.

Wooffer listened with both ears. Wooffer began to smile too. It was a great idea!

When Old Agnes saw Wooffer running towards the Castle of a Mouse House she started to giggle, to jiggle, to wiggle. And when Wooffer was very near, she ran out to meet him. She could not help herself, she was that excited.

Wooffer rushed up, as he and Old Agnes had planned. He lay flat on his stomach … front feet out flat … and back feet out the other way … flat. Old Agnes ran up and leaped upon Wooffer’s back, right behind his beautiful ears. “Come on, children!” she exclaimed, “this will be a ride to remember!” The grandmice looked at Old Agnes, then they looked at Wooffer. Wooffer was at least twenty times the size of the biggest grandmouse there. They were all looking at Wooffer’s beautiful white teeth, and not a one of them missed Old Agnes holding onto his fur right behind his ears, and smiling her odd smile.

One by one, every grandmouse found the courage to climb up and hold on for dear life to Wooffer’s fur. Edgar did not like to think of Wooffer’s sharp teeth, and he wanted to ride on the tip of Wooffer’s tail, to be as far away as possible. Old Agnes thought very fast. “Come up here with me, Edgar, it is the best view in the world!” (Wooffer wags, you know!)

Edgar was glad to sit right next to his granny. It made him feel safe and special. And so, with everyone holding on for dear life, off Wooffer trotted. He followed the planned path that he and Old Agnes had mapped out the day before. Up over the dirt mound … then down as fast as Wooffer could run … through the tall grass and into the weeds … out of the weeds and into the ditch … through the water (everyone got wet), around the yard … through the nursery pots (which flew in a dozen directions) and just then … Wooffer saw Cho Lee Yen … as planned. Off he went on the wildest chase the grandmice could imagine. He caught Cho Lee by the tail and off they all flew … Wooffer, Old Agnes and all the grandmice … through the air.

When they landed on the roof of the house, Old Agnes was just cackling with glee. The grandmice began to join in one by one as they got over the shock that they were still alive … and, soon, everyone was laughing and congratulating each other on the joy of it all. “Can we do it again, Granny?” said Edgar.

All the other grandmice were asking the same question. “Can we do that again?”

“Well, first we have to get off the roof,” Old Agnes, chuckled, “and then it is up to our good friend, Wooffer, and our good friend, Cho Lee Yen!”

Cho Lee Yen flew Wooffer and all the field mice down to the ground, where it all began again. They started off once again, over the mound, through the tall grass … into the weeds … through the ditch … around the yard … through the pots … through the air … and onto the roof. The sounds that came over the air that day can only be described as “the pure joy of living!” It was a day that Old Agnes will never forget, and a day that the grandmice will tell their grandmice about in the years to come.

When Wooffer lay down on his stomach to let the field mice off at Old Agnes’ door, Old Agnes bowed to Wooffer and said, “I am sorry I ever called you a Heathen. You are the best friend I ever had.”

With saying that, Old Agnes ran into the Castle of a Mouse House and began getting out the Ice Cream and Cookies. All the grandmice told Agnes that she was the “best.”

And she was, you know. The best granny that ever was.

Love,
Betty Love Enough To Spread Around 78793

Subject: Re: Love Enough To Spread Around Wed Feb 02, 2011 11:31 am

Old Agnes is the coolest. Cool

Ann

Subject: Re: Love Enough To Spread Around Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:58 pm

Betty, I am honored. You are so kind.
I think Dick would have enjoyed your story. As I recall, he was one of your biggest fans.

Love is powerful. Animals can give it and feel it too.

Keep writing.

Subject: Re: Love Enough To Spread Around Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:39 pm

Abe asked me to upload the song for everyone here, so I did!

Subject: Re: Love Enough To Spread Around Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:34 am

Shelalgh,
you're amazing. Don't know how you did it, but did it you did.

As for my daughter singing, I guess I'm just a very proud Dad who wants to share that pride.

I hope you enjoy the song as much as I did an do.

Subject: Re: Love Enough To Spread Around Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:36 am

Oops, Abe, I didn't realise you were on the forum! I posted the video on its own thread so that everyone could listen.

Subject: Re: Love Enough To Spread Around Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:42 am

Shelagh,
I think you should change your name to, Grace.

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