Adventurous Spirit 8
Adventurous Spirit 8
Back at Nicks place for sale Ari and Essie looked over the backyard garden and came to the conclusion that if it were cleared and raised beds with a sitting bench built in it could be very well
managed by anyone of any age.
There would be room for cutting flowers, herbs and small daily vegetables. With suitable paths and patches of easy to groom lawns it would be an easy maintenance chore.
"I think that shade tree is a beautiful old olive. The trunk looks like an olive. I'll have a landscape friend of mine come look at and make sure it can be pruned a bit and saved." said Ari.
"Yes, back in the states the older homes always had a picnic table in the back seating 8 to 12. We all loved gathering out there under the trees in the summer.
Such fun memories with my real family. They are mostly all gone. Now it's the selfish ones I do not know or trust." replied Essie.
Ari squeezed Essie's hand saying gently "Now you have Maria and I and other new and true friends. You will not forget your old friends Remember;
“Old friends, like old shoes, are comfortable.
But old shoes, unlike old friends, tend not to be supportive:
it is easier to stumble and sprain an ankle while wearing a pair of old shoes than it is in new shoes, with their less yielding leather.”
"That was from Alexander McCall Smith."
"Yes clapped Ari"
The two of them heard a gruff voice saying:
Yiasou Ari and Maria. Happy to see you. Come see all the fish I caught."
Nicks Papa was back. His friends helped him with the fish catch.
He thought Essie was Maria at first then he asked who the good looking lady with Ari was.
By the time the fish was cleaned and packed away in ice and Essie introduced to Zeus, Nicks father Rasmussen,
Sophia and Omega drove up to the house.
Ari and Essie proceed to show them the house and their plans to renovate. They were so excited at the possibility of living in a 4 bedroom house and a garden for Mama there were tears of joy streaming down Sophia and Omegas faces.
Essie excused herself and asked Nick if it would be OK to bring the ladies over to sit in his backyard under the shade tree.
Zeus heard them and knowing his son would say yes hurried into the house to make coffee and bring out some sweets he had just purchased at a local market.
When Nick came into the kitchen to see what his Dad was up to he laughed when he said:
“ If Ari wants to buy let him.
Did you see her Mama? What a sweet lady she must be.
Sell!
Sell!
I'll even help with clean up.”
“Oh, Papa let me help with the tray and coffee pot. You bring the cups.”
Outside Maria and Essie tended to the ladies making them comfortable. All the backyard cats that belonged to Zeus gathered around hoping for their treats.
“Oh what lovely cats said Omega. I do hope if we move here I can have a kitty to keep me company. Are they all yours?”
Zeus stammered out their names: Pepper, Crackers Bella, and Duffy. What about the little white one over there?
Under the woodpile. Kind of hidden under that big salt lick.
Oh, that's a new one to me. I never saw it at all.
Let's name her Salty.
Salty?
Yes you have a Pepper so why not a Salty?
Ari looked at Nick who looked at Rasmussen the three men all put their hands out touching and said: Deal.
Essie went over to Ari and the two took hands and danced around in circles.
Mari was totally confused. She was happy for the Taverna owners to find suitable lodging. Especially right next to her good friend Nick.
She was also happy Zeus and Omega, who were close I age would become friends.
Maybe Essie was happy because she would have some employment.
She still had a perplexed look on her face when Ari hugged her saying:
Sissy we don't like frowns on your cute face. Come here Essie let's let Sissy in on our secret.”
Essie came over saying: Remember when I said I liked I at your house so much I never wanted to leave.
You said you wished I would stay as long as I wanted?
Well dear new friend I'm going to stay. I'm going to help Ari with the repairs that I know how to do with this rental of his. I will live upstairs rent free. In exchange for that I will be caretaker here.
We are going to make a lift with a sturdy and safe seat for you to visit. There are four bedrooms downstairs and four upstairs. You can even stay over if you wish. The smallest bedroom will be my tiny office. I am so happy I can't wait to get to work.
Ari beamed.
© Julia A Knaake