{"id":1705,"date":"2016-12-08T08:00:49","date_gmt":"2016-12-08T13:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vg-ford.com\/?p=1705"},"modified":"2016-12-07T18:02:14","modified_gmt":"2016-12-07T23:02:14","slug":"advent-day-8-christmas-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vg-ford.com\/?p=1705","title":{"rendered":"(Advent) Day 8: Christmas cards"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday, December 8<\/span><\/p>\n

Normally, Thursdays were their days off, but Molly had decided that she wanted to go into the store to finish her cookies for the bake sale on Saturday. Also, it was easier to pack everything up there, since most of her supplies were at the tea shop. Schrodinger was happy to join her, as he loved seeing folks come in.<\/span><\/p>\n

The snow had finally stopped, and it was a bright sunny day outside, the sunshine glimmering off the piles of snow that surrounded and surmounted everything. The air was crisp, clean, and sharp enough to cut glass. Schrodinger had worn both his hat and his coat, but he was still refusing to wear boots, since the fur between his toes was nice and thick and protected his paw pads. Molly had finally attached her Yaktrax to her boots, since there was a thin glaze of ice that coated the new snow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, Schrodinger was drowsing in his bed next to the wood stove, and Molly was sitting in the kitchen, nursing a cup of tea and enjoying the quiet bustle before starting the decorations. All the candy cane cookies were packaged up and tied with red ribbons, and the tea cakes were wrapped in red and green cellophane. Sue had dropped off the labels she made every year the other day, so everything that was wrapped was labeled and in boxes, ready to go. All she had left to do was decorate the gingerbread men and women, and the snowflake cookies, and package the shortbread.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a very serious face,\u201d Aunt Margie said, coming in and sitting opposite her. \u201cWhat deep thoughts are you thinking?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, nothing that deep,\u201d Molly admitted, grinning at her aunt. \u201cI\u2019m just wondering if dipping the vanilla shortbread I made in dark chocolate would be over the top or not.\u201d She got up and poured her aunt a cup of hot water. \u201cWhat kind of tea would you like?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the peppermint herbal, I think, actually,\u201d Aunt Margie said. \u201cMy stomach hasn\u2019t been the best this week for some reason.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Molly took down the peppermint and asked, \u201cDo you want me to add a bit of honey as well? That might help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, just the peppermint, thank you.\u201d Aunt Margie accepted the cup of tea and then said, \u201cWhat if you dipped half in the chocolate and left some plain? That way, people could have a choice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI might. I\u2019ll see how long it takes me to decorate everything.\u201d Molly took her seat again and picked up her mug<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you decided what your showpiece is for the gingerbread?\u201d Aunt Margie asked her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSort of. I\u2019m still working on the details, but I think so.\u201d Molly did a sculpture in gingerbread every year as her centerpiece for the bake sale, and she hated to repeat (although the magical lake with the skating children had shown up several years in a row before she retired it). <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou do realize that the bake sale is Saturday, right? Will you have time?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course I will,\u201d Molly said. \u201cI\u2019m not planning on doing something like the castle or the pirate ship.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank heaven for small favors,\u201d Aunt Margie said dryly, and then laughed and got up. \u201cI suppose I should go and make sure the store is still running. I assume that the children will be here after school?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Zeke was going to bring them in, since Kiaya\u2019s already here writing, and Corrine\u2019s working today.\u201d Molly sighed. \u201cAnd no, before you ask, nothing on Caliban.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t going to ask, actually,\u201d Aunt Margie said. \u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to come here, Molly. I think you need to stop worrying, and enjoy the Christmas season.\u201d She reached out a warm hand and laid it on her niece\u2019s cheek. \u201cThere\u2019s not always an underlying cloud, you know. Sometimes, people really do just move on, and I think that\u2019s what Caliban has done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could be sure of that,\u201d Molly said, leaning against the warm touch.<\/span><\/p>\n

She was working on the gingerbread men and women when she heard the children come in. Gideon and Kaylee were talking excitedly about something they had discovered, and she could hear Jack woofing quietly to Schrodinger. But she didn\u2019t hear Lily, and had to actually look out to make sure her other niece had actually come in with them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lily had already taken a seat near the wood stove and was writing in her little notebook. Goldie was sitting near her, reading from his book, and watching her when he thought she wasn\u2019t looking. Her aunt may think that Caliban wasn\u2019t a big deal, but it was obvious that Pavel still did.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMolly, can we do the castle now?\u201d Kaylee had caught sight of her and came running over, Gideon right behind her.<\/span><\/p>\n

She smiled down at them. \u201cWe can, if Lily\u2019s ready. Let me go and get it. I\u2019m decorating in the kitchen, so you\u2019ll have to stay out here today, okay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kaylee pouted a little at that, but Gideon nodded. \u201cBecause you have all the cookies out, right, Molly? Are we helping decorate cookies today?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d Molly said, and went to go get the castle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lily had finished writing by the time she came back out with the advent castle, and the six of them looked for the little number 8. After a few moments, Goldie came over to join them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that it?\u201d he said, pointing to one of the windows on the main building.<\/span><\/p>\n

Leaning over, Lily nodded. \u201cIt is, Goldie! Press it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The pirate\u2019s finger touched the golden number, floating next to a large window. The window opened up and they all saw a room full of people sitting at desks, busily writing on small pieces of paper. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an assembly line of cards!\u201d Lily said, awed, and Molly saw she was right. The cards started at one end, where the design on the front was drawn on. Then it was passed to the next person, who inked the design in. The third person then took the card and colored in the design. The fourth person wrote inside, and then it went to the last person, who stuck it in an envelope, wrote a name on the front, and placed it in a basket. There were two other people who were collecting the baskets and pouring the completed cards into a large mailing bag.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs that Santa\u2019s assembly line?\u201d Gideon wondered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt kind of looks like it,\u201d Molly agreed. \u201cI had no idea the Snow Queen did so many Christmas cards!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the cards, instead of landing in the mail bag, sailed up and out the window, and landed in Lily\u2019s hand. She opened the envelope, and read out loud, \u201cI happen to know that the post office is in need of a special decoration this year. Do you think you can help them? Talk to Molly – she\u2019s got the goods!\u201d She looked up at her aunt. \u201cWhat are we doing for the post office, Molly?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what kind of decorations do you think they should have?\u201d Molly asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChristmas cards!\u201d Gideon said promptly. \u201cBecause they do so many!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you might say that,\u201d Molly agreed. \u201cWait here. Goldie, can you help me and bring the castle back?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the castle had been stowed in the pantry, Goldie and Molly brought out several large boxes of Christmas cards, glue , and scissors, as well as a large bundle of ribbon. \u201cAunt Margie found a whole box of these from last year that we thought we\u2019d lost,\u201d Molly explained, as they set everything in front of the kids. \u201cSo we thought that it would be fun for you to use them to make decorations for the post office. What do you think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes!\u201d The kids began to pull out the cards, and sorting through them. Goldie settled down with his book again, and Molly went back to her cookies, half-listening to them plan as she decorated.<\/span><\/p>\n

<><><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese are amazing,\u201d Lily said, pulling the cards out. \u201cLook at them all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can we do with them?\u201d Kaylee asked, running her fingers over one card that had penguins and a Christmas tree on it, all dusted with glitter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gideon pointed to the Christmas tree. \u201cWhat if we made sculptures with them?\u201d he said. \u201cLike trees, and houses?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I like that idea! We can make a village, and then they can keep it year after year,<\/span><\/i> Schrodinger said. <\/span>That would be cool!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Yes, we can make the Cove!<\/span><\/i> Jack added.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the end, that proved a little harder than they had realized. While it was easy to make trees from the cards, using the glue Molly had provided, their houses didn\u2019t really hold together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, how about this? What if we made the skating cove instead?<\/span><\/i> Schrodinger said, as Kaylee and Gideon finally gave up on the house they were trying to put together. <\/span>We have a lot of blue that we can use to make the ice, and we can do trees! And then maybe Molly will give us some lights to string through the trees.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I like that idea, Schrodinger!\u201d Lily gave him a hug. \u201cYou\u2019re a genius!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Once they had figured it out, the skating cove came together quickly, with lots of trees lining the shore. They had even managed to figure out how to make the rocks in the center, with flames leaping from the bonfire. <\/span><\/p>\n

As they were finishing up, Molly came out with cups of hot cocoa (and tea for Schrodinger and Jack), and cookies. \u201cWow, guys, that looks awesome!\u201d she said admiringly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSchrodinger said you might have lights we could use,\u201d Lily said. \u201cAnd we have lots of cards left over.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do have lights, yes,\u201d \u00a0Molly agreed. \u201cAnd we\u2019ll keep the cards for later. Unless you want to send some?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They looked at each other. \u201cThat would be fun,\u201d Gideon said. \u201cI can send one to Grammie!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can send one to Zoey!\u201d Lily said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we can send one to Brynna too!\u201d Kaylee added. \u201cAnd Grandma and Grandpa!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

By the time that Zette stopped by on her way home from the post office to pick everything up, they had a stack of envelopes for her, and Kaylee and Gideon were reading to Jack and Schrodinger while Lily worked on homework. The mail carrier exclaimed over the scene they had set up, and promised to send Molly a picture of it set up in the post office window.<\/span><\/p>\n

<><><\/span><\/p>\n

It had been a while since Caliban had walked among people, just walked, not flaunting his power, but moving like a ghost through their masses. He was dressed in regular pants, boots, and a jacket that he had seen pictures of in a window at one of the towns he\u2019d passed through after he left Nadine\u2019s palace, courtesy of his magic, but other than that and disguising his face so that he wasn\u2019t recognized, he didn\u2019t use any of his gifts. He was on foot, walking the Roads aimlessly, waiting to see where he was actually pulled.<\/span><\/p>\n

He\u2019d thought of going to see Jack, see why he\u2019d sent him the brown leaf, but after leaving Nadine\u2019s, that thought had drifted away, blown by the winds on the Roads. Caliban simply wandered, leaning on a slender oaken staff that he\u2019d found one night, all his worldly goods in a simple backpack. It was soothing, in a way nothing had been in a very long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, he wandered through a small town, not really sure where he was, and not caring. Wherever he was, it was early spring: there were still small piles of snow here and there, mostly under eaves and tree branches, but the air held the promise of warmth, and he could feel the sun\u2019s rays caressing his cheeks, even under the beard he\u2019d let grow. There were light green buds on the trees, and it was mud, not snow, under his feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

The village itself was busy, as if waking up from a long winter slumber. Windows were open and people called to one another in happy, cheerful voices, haggling over services and gossip as if they hadn\u2019t seen each other in months. He accepted a small bun from a child selling them, and gave her a silver coin; she smiled at him and ran off to sell more. The bun was warm, full of raisins and cinnamon, and Caliban chewed on it contentedly as he walked down the main street.<\/span><\/p>\n

Contentment. It had been a very long time since he\u2019d felt anything like this, and Caliban almost fell over when he realized what it was. For so long, he\u2019d been striving towards…what? Power? A kingdom of his own? He wasn\u2019t even sure anymore.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps I shall find it on the road,<\/span><\/i> he thought, the last of the bun melting on his tongue. <\/span>Perhaps the road is what I\u2019m looking for.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

>Activity: Everyone likes to receive a Christmas card! Send one to someone you haven\u2019t seen in a while.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thursday, December 8 Normally, Thursdays were their days off, but Molly had decided that she wanted to go into the store to finish her cookies for the bake sale on Saturday. Also, it was easier to pack everything up there, since most of her supplies were at the tea shop. Schrodinger was happy to join …<\/p>\n

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