{"id":1221,"date":"2013-12-05T22:50:35","date_gmt":"2013-12-06T03:50:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vg-ford.com\/?p=1221"},"modified":"2013-12-05T22:50:35","modified_gmt":"2013-12-06T03:50:35","slug":"advent-thursday-december-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/?p=1221","title":{"rendered":"(advent) Thursday, December 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sorry this is late, guys. \u00a0I was busy – hubby and I went to see Rifftrax Live do Santa Claus Conquers the Martians!<\/a>\u00a0 It was awful in a really, really funny way. \u00a0But here is today’s story!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cBrr! It\u2019s cold out here!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Molly grinned at Drew as he stamped his feet on the frozen ground. \u201cIt\u2019s winter, remember?\u201d she teased. \u201cWhat did you expect?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I know,\u201d he said. \u201cRemember, I\u2019m not from Maine originally. I\u2019m not used to it being THIS cold.\u201d \u00a0He squinted up into the slate grey sky. \u201cAt least I was used to some cold. Poor Steve is going to freeze solid one of these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That was an image that made Molly laugh. Steve, one of the other techs up at the Gate station, was from Texas, and as soon as the temperature dipped below sixty, he started to shiver. \u201cIf he\u2019s planning on staying up here, he\u2019d better get used to it,\u201d she said, after she got herself under control. \u201cGlobal warming isn\u2019t going to make it that warm up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTrue.\u201d Since it was fairly common knowledge that Steve was deeply in love with one of the new postal carriers, who had made it very well-known that he wasn\u2019t leaving his hometown, the Texan was working to up his tolerance to the cold. \u201cHow much longer are we going to be here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Molly looked at her watch. \u201cIt should be any minute now.\u201d As if that was the cue it had been waiting for, the bell rang. \u201cSee?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lily and Zoey ran over to them. \u201cIt\u2019s cold today!\u201d Lily announced. \u201cToo cold to make snowballs, sadly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d Drew said. \u201cSo we\u2019ll have to postpone our snowball fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo we\u2019ll have to get you another way,\u201d Zoey said, and before he could move, they both jumped on him and knocked him into the snowbank.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHey! Help!\u201d Drew squirmed, trying (but not very hard, Molly noticed) to get away from the two girls, who proceeded to wash his face in the snow. \u201cHelp!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Schrodinger and Jack leapt into the fray, pulling Zoey and Lily off him, so he could fight back. She sat on her swing and laughed at them all. \u201cYou guys are going to be soaked!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the sound of her voice, they all turned to look at her. Drew leaned in and whispered something to Lily and Zoey, who both nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare,\u201d Molly warned them, as they all got up and started towards her. \u201cI mean it. Don\u2019t you dare!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They dared. In fact, Drew not only scooped her up from the swing, but he, Schrodinger and Jack held her down as Lily and Zoey dropped snow on her face. Molly shrieked in laughter and promised them all doom when she was free.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finally, when they were all chilled through, they trooped down to the tea room, stopping briefly by Molly\u2019s apartment so she and Drew could change. Lily and Zoey had snow pants on, but Molly\u2019s jeans were soaked through, and so were Drew\u2019s. Once they were changed, they went down to CrossWinds Books.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what the advent calendar has in store for us today!\u201d Zoey said, as they entered the back door of the bookstore. Her eyes were bright and she pulled at one of her braids. Molly noticed they were tied with gold ribbons today, and there were tiny bells in the center of the bows.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, come on and find number five!\u201d Lily told her, hurrying over to the calendar. \u201cIt\u2019s your turn today!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Molly smiled as she watched the four scrutinize the picture, searching for the elusive number five. It was Lily who finally found it, curled up under one of the stars in the night sky. Zoey reached out and touched it with one fingertip, then she stepped back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As they were used to now, the paint crumbled away in a perfect square around the number, and a silvery, shimmering snowflake came out. It hovered in front of Zoey, who held her hand out expectantly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She wasn\u2019t disappointed. The snowflake spun and, to her surprise, two carrots and two perfect sugar cubes dropped into her hand, along with a note. She handed the note to Lily, who squinted at it and then read aloud, \u201cI hope you have warm clothes! This is going to be a cold one!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Carrots?<\/em> Jack nosed her hand. Are we making more snowmen, then?<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If we were, then why the sugar cubes?<\/em> Schrodinger asked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Maybe we need to sweeten their disposition?<\/em> Jack said, and Lily giggled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, silly! The sugar would melt!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe you aren\u2019t thinking it through,\u201d Aunt Margie said, coming into the kitchen. She had a large bag in her hands, and from this, she pulled out scarves, mittens, and hats. \u201cIt\u2019s a good thing these showed up today, I guess!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did they come from?\u201d Zoey asked, as she accepted a set of lovely gold and green mittens, with a matching hat and scarf.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI bet I know!\u201d Lily said, peeking out from under the silver and purple hat she\u2019d crammed on her head. \u201cGramma! Gramma makes the best knitted stuff for us!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There were even scarves, hats and mittens for Molly and Drew, and as she drew hers on, Molly thought that Lily was probably right. Mrs. Barrett loved to knit (a common habit in Carter\u2019s Cove, and one that made sense, considering how cold it was every winter), and her products were welcomed by everyone who got them. She\u2019d included scarves and hats for Schrodinger and Jack too, and it was a testament to how cold it was that Schrodinger didn\u2019t object to the hat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, we\u2019re ready, snowflake!\u201d Zoey announced, giving one of the carrots and one of the sugar cubes to Lily. \u201cWhere are we going?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In answer, the snowflake sparkled through a rainbow of colors and shot out through the front door of the kitchen, heading out the front door. They all trooped after it, waving to DC as she checked out a customer, and headed back out into the cold.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The snowflake led them back down to the park, and Molly wondered if maybe Jack had been right after all. But instead of leading them to the clearing where the two snowmen lived, it flashed along another path that led to the other side of the park, where they saw a large, ornate sleigh with two large draft horses hitched to it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s that?\u201d Zoey asked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDoc!\u201d Molly raised her voice in greeting, and the older man in the captain\u2019s great coat raised one hand in response. \u201cDoc\u201d Robbins had been a merchant marine in his younger years, before retiring to the Cove and farming. No one knew why he was called Doc – as far as Molly had ever heard, it was a nickname given to him when he sailed the Sea Gates.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Every December, Doc hitched his two Percherons Daisy and Shredder to the sleigh he\u2019d built with his own two hands, and gave rides around the town to look at the lights. It was a tradition that Molly had enjoyed as a child, and now she looked forward to sharing it with Zoey and Lily.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAh, I see you\u2019ve come well-prepared!\u201d Doc said, as they got closer. Doc had one rule: he never charged for his sleigh rides, but Daisy and Shredder needed to be bribed, or so he said. The gentle beasts loved both carrots and sugar cubes, and Molly had taken two apples from the refrigerator, as well as a small package of scones for Doc himself. This he accepted with a grin and a wink.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then he showed Zoey and Lily how to give Daisy and Shredder their bribes. He had them balance the sugar cubes on their outstretched hands, and the two horses leaned their massive heads down to daintily lip the treats from the girls, who giggled. Daisy was all grey, with a white blaze down her face, while Shredder was dappled grey and black. Both had red and green plaid ribbons and holly sprigs braided into their manes, and their harnesses were covered with bells.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAll aboard!\u201d Doc cried, after Lily and Zoey had offered their carrots as well. Molly knew they\u2019d have the chance to do the apples at the end.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doc helped them all to climb into the sleigh, where they snuggled down under layers of blankets and sheep skins. Then he climbed up into the driver\u2019s seat, picked up the reins, and called out to the two horses. \u201cGiy-up!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Daisy and Shredder perked up, and began to haul the sleigh forward. Molly leaned back against Drew, Schrodinger snuggled on her lap, and enjoyed the ride.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lily and Zoey were up on the edges of the sleigh, wrapped in blankets, looking with bright eyes at the glory of the snow sculptures around the Cove. Every year, the artisans in the town went out and put the snowmen that many towns had as decorations to shame. It was another part of what Molly loved about Christmas in her town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The middle school had done a Charlie Brown theme this year: sculpting the various characters as they skated around the frozen pond (which Molly realized was ice that glowed blue). To Lily and Zoey\u2019s delight, as the sleigh slowed down to give them a look, another small magic made the snow sculptures actually move around the pond, and they heard the strains of music from the classic TV special.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the Gate Station, the theme was A Christmas Carol. Molly identified Scrooge, the three Ghosts of Christmas, Tiny Tim and more. These didn\u2019t move, but they all carried various forms of light that flickered in the mid afternoon gloom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys did really good this year,\u201d Molly told Drew.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMac is a slave driver,\u201d he replied. \u201cAt least this year, we didn\u2019t have to replace all the lights on the mansion.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Carter\u2019s Cove land Gate was housed in a large mansion on the outskirts of the main town area, and Molly and Schrodinger loved to walk to it on their days off. It wasn\u2019t far from the bookstore or her apartment, and many of the techs and engineers knew they were welcome to stop by the tea room for some homemade goodies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doc then took them down by the harbor, where Lily and Zoey cheered the large three-masted ship Daughter of Stars<\/em>, which was lit by thousands of magical lights. Captain Carter\u2019s historic ship was permanently moored in the harbor he\u2019d discovered by sailing through the Sea Gate, and it was the centerpiece of the harbor\u2019s display. There were smaller ships that were lit up as well, and at the end of each wharf was a tree that was decorated according to the type of ship that docked there.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then it was a swing through the commercial district, where the shops all had their window displays up. In addition, many of them had musicians that played, and the music was piped out to the outdoors. Molly much preferred that to the muzak that many other stores in other towns had.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finally, Doc brought them to Happy Garden, the only Chinese food restaurant in town. There, he turned around and handed Lily, Zoey, Jack and Schrodinger a jingle bell that matched the bells on Daisy and Shredder\u2019s harnesses. \u201cThis is a magic jingle bell,\u201d he told them solemnly. \u201cIf you are ever worried, or scared, jingle the bell, and remember this ride.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s magic?\u201d Zoey asked him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doc smiled. \u201cThere\u2019s more magic in memories than you can imagine, little one. Much more.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She looked down at the jingle bell clutched in her hand. \u201cWow.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Molly handed the apples to Doc and then they went into the restaurant. The fresh air had stimulated their appetites, and they fell onto the food as if they hadn\u2019t eaten in months.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been awesome,\u201d Lily declared, finally leaning back and putting her chopsticks down. She\u2019d learned to use them over the summer and was very proud of that fact. \u201cThis has been one of the best days ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Zoey nodded. \u201cYou know, though, that we\u2019re saying that almost every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe that\u2019s part of the magic too,\u201d Lily told her. \u201cYou know? The magic of Christmas seems to be rediscovering the wonderful things around us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Molly hid a smile behind her mug of tea. Well, well, well, my niece is beginning to realize there\u2019s more to life than what she can get out of her elders because she\u2019s cute. That\u2019s a very good thing.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lily wouldn\u2019t do that!<\/em> Schrodinger objected, but on their private wavelength. She\u2019s a good person!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t say she wasn\u2019t,<\/em> Molly said. She\u2019s young, and she\u2019s self-centered. Most youngsters are. It\u2019s the ones that don\u2019t grow out of it that are worrisome.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Oh.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They walked back to the bookstore through a clear chilly night, with Lily and Zoey singing \u201cJingle Bells\u201d at the top of their lungs. When they walked in, Molly saw that Mrs. Allard was seated at one of the small tables. She had a book in her hands, which earned her points in Molly\u2019s world. Maybe she wasn\u2019t as bad as Molly had been thinking after all.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMom! Look what the advent calendar gave us today!\u201d Zoey saw her mother and ran over, brandishing the jingle bell in one fist. \u201cA jingle bell!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Donna Allard put her book down and smiled at her daughter. \u201cOh, how pretty! What did the calendar have you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lily and Zoey shared the story of the afternoon, telling her all about the snow sculptures and the lights and the music. Donna listened, her face genuinely interested.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now you came here!\u201d Zoey finished, throwing her arms around her mother. \u201cSo you can see the calendar! And you can meet Molly and Jack and Schrodinger and Drew!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I can!\u201d Donna laughed as her daughter tugged her out of the chair and started dragging her towards the kitchen. \u201cThat\u2019s why I came down! I had to meet all these people!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Schrodinger moved over to them. I\u2019ve been waiting to meet you, Mrs. Allard,<\/em> he said politely, holding up one paw in welcome. Zoey has been a wonderful friend to share the advent calendar with. I\u2019m Schrodinger.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Donna paused, her eyes wide as she took in the large CrossCat sitting before her, one paw raised, his hat and matching scarf still on, his intelligent eyes upon her. Molly held her breath, wondering what the woman would do. Would this be the point where it fell apart, and she dragged her daughter out, determined to keep her away from anything magical?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then she knelt down to get to Schrodinger\u2019s level, took his paw, and shook it. \u201cIt\u2019s very nice to finally meet you, Schrodinger. Zoey\u2019s told me so much about you, and I wasn\u2019t sure how much of it was true. But you are. Very, very real.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And soft,<\/em> Schrodinger added modestly. My fur is very soft.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it is,\u201d Donna agreed, chuckling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPlease don\u2019t feed his ego,\u201d Molly said, moving forward before Schrodinger could say any more. \u201cIt\u2019s big enough as it is.\u201d She stuck out her hand. \u201cI\u2019m Molly Barrett, Lily\u2019s aunt.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cVery nice to meet you, Molly.\u201d Donna stood up and shook her hand, and then Drew\u2019s as well as he moved forward to greet her. \u201cThank you both so much for making Zoey feel welcome here. We were worried, moving her so far from her friends and family so close to the holidays, but it was such a good chance for Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s been a sweetheart, Mrs. Allard,\u201d Molly said, and Drew nodded. \u201cShe\u2019s very talented.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, it\u2019s Donna.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDonna.\u201d Molly smiled. \u201cWould you like a cup of tea?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you can see the calendar, Mom!\u201d Zoey said. \u201cAnd meet Jack!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jack had hung back, knowing that Donna couldn\u2019t hear him. After all, Zoey couldn\u2019t. Now he came forward, his tail wagging, and she stroked his head. \u201cZoey tells me you can talk too, but she can\u2019t hear you,\u201d she said. \u201cWhy is that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe think it might be because she wasn\u2019t born here,\u201d Drew said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re born into a CrossRoads town, you\u2019re kind of steeped in the magic of the Gates, and it expresses itself in all sorts of ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo there\u2019s actual genetic manipulation?\u201d Donna asked, following them into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely,\u201d Drew said, and Molly looked at him. \u201cThey\u2019re doing some studies in some of the bigger CrossRoads towns, especially Boston, on exactly what that genetic change is. The studies are fascinating.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have to look into that,\u201d she said thoughtfully. \u201cGenetic manipulation has always fascinated me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really interesting,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Mom! This is the advent calendar!\u201d Zoey, impatient with the talk, pulled her mother over to the giant calendar. \u201cIsn\u2019t it amazing?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt certainly is,\u201d Donna agreed, leaning forward to inspect it as if it were a painting hanging in the Louvre. \u201cAnd you still don\u2019t know who sent it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have suspicions,\u201d Zoey told her, and Molly smothered a laugh with difficulty. \u201cBut no proof.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou sound like a detective,\u201d Drew said, ruffling Zoey\u2019s hair. \u201cGoing to give Jamie a run for his money?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019d make a good detective.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you would,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Donna declined the cup of tea, declaring that she needed to get Zoey home for school tomorrow. But she did stroke Schrodinger\u2019s and Jack\u2019s heads before she left.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

DC stuck her head into the kitchen, a grin on her face. \u201cAnd there goes another victim of Schrodinger\u2019s charm,\u201d she reported.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Molly looked up, intrigued. \u201cWhat did she say on the way out?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThis town is so much warmer than I thought it would be! Weirder, but in a good way. Maybe magic isn\u2019t as bad as I thought it was,\u201d DC recited, and Molly giggled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Schrodinger, however, looked insulted. I am NOT weird!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Molly knelt down and hugged him. \u201cOh, you are, Cat, but honestly, I like you that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sorry this is late, guys. \u00a0I was busy – hubby and I went to see Rifftrax Live do Santa Claus Conquers the Martians!\u00a0 It was awful in a really, really funny way. \u00a0But here is today’s story! *** \u201cBrr! It\u2019s cold out here!\u201d   Molly grinned at Drew as he stamped his feet on the …<\/p>\n

>>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[61,15],"class_list":["post-1221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent","tag-advent","tag-christmas"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1221"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1222,"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221\/revisions\/1222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}