SETTLING IN... or down, or something (Part 116a)

SETTLING DOWN... a bit (Part 116a)

I was half way home when I realized that I couldn’t have Elle wear the new panties. They were white as snow and all of hers were dingy and stained. For sure, she’d want to know where I got them and I knew couldn’t come up with a reasonable answer. Elated at having the panties, I was disappointed that I couldn’t do anything with them. I had to console myself knowing that if I got to the city I’d have a source from which to buy more.

However, that disappointment didn't deter me from doing a close up study of the old style Spanky Pants with the new. While Elle was cleaning up after supper and the kids were occupied with playing a game I went upstairs and checked them both out. My observation of the new style proved correct and the crotch was definitely longer. I really wanted to have Elle try them on but... reason prevailed and I tucked the new ones away for the future.

The old style Spanky Pants

The new style Spanky Pants

My birthday was on Thursday and, in anticipation of it, I’d signed all the loan paperwork so I could borrow against my Trust and sent them off. The bank officer who oversaw my Trust had promised that the check, which I’d calculated at a little over $1,100, would be mailed on my birthday. Elle’s mother had baked me a cake as Elle had been called in to teach. That served as my only recognizable present. With no money I’d told Elle “No presents!” and held her to it. When we sold the mobile home I didn’t let the kids playhouse that Jay and I had built go with it. I worked out an arrangement for it to remain until I could get it moved. The buyers had agreed provided I had it out of the yard by May first. With no money it had remained at the mobile home. So... my parents stepped in and found someone to move it and that was my present. I know my kids sure appreciated it.

The “busy period” at work ended that Friday. Once past that, things settled down. Jerene, after my stern talk with her, didn’t do anything untoward... until we walked in together about mid week. As I held the door for her and she walked past I heard her whisper “Guess what I’m wearing?”. At least she didn’t turn around to look back up at me as she walked across the floor. I was a bit upset right after she said it but a little later on I had to smile to myself. At least she was one female that I knew exactly what type of panties she was wearing every day.

Elle was getting more calls to come in to the local school to teach and as she did she got to meet more people from the community. It became clear to her that the people who had been to our party and to the one hosted by Ginger and Jon were well connected within the younger element of the community and were hell bent on making some changes within the school system. When she discussed this with me I wasn’t surprised but I did wonder how they had drawn us into their group. I really didn’t want anything to do with school politics but it seemed like I wasn’t going to be able to avoid it. Elle had become really friendly with Pat, the PTA lady and Ginger, the milkman’s wife. The other women she’d met at the parties, Phyl, Nancy and Lisa were a part of the group as well. Elle found out that monthly, although not “set in stone”, one of that group would host a party and that Bob and Phyl were holding one on Friday night, April 15th, to celebrate income tax day. I thought it was weird but Elle wrote it down on the calendar.

The check with the money from the loan arrived on Saturday. Banks weren’t open so I had to wait until Monday to deposit it. Elle’s and my need/want list had grown to two pages and I’d started to prioritize in anticipation of the money. By then we owed around $300 and I’d promised Rex $300 as a down payment on the Sunfish sailboat. Even with money as tight as it was we’d both agreed to go ahead with the purchase of it. We both missed sailing and it had become clear to us that our two older girls loved it. Of course we rationalized it by assuming that we’d be able to sell the Sailfish we owned. In any case, with those expenditures accounting for a little more than half the money represented by the check, the prioritizing our list was essential. To give myself an idea I’d started pricing things out by using the Spring Sears catalog.

Number one was a power lawn mower. The property was a little over a half acre and there was a lot of lawn. Next was to do a slight modification to the kitchen so we could have a dining area. Eating our meals in the dining room had proved very inconvenient. That item started out as a “want” but after three plus months it was shifted to the “need” category. So did Elle’s desire for a an outside wash line. I’d managed to hold her off on that by the fact the ground had been frozen and I couldn’t dig the necessary holes for it... plus I already owed the lumber yard a fair amount of money. By the time I got done not only was the money all gone but we needed about $150 more just to finish off the “need” column.

As I left for work that Monday Elle was told to get the check to the bank and to find out how long it would be until it was available for us to use. Back in those days banks had varying “hold“ periods they used to verify the funds were real. Since the check was from another bank and within the state I hoped the money would be available by Wednesday, the day I’d promised Rex the money. Arriving at work I was greeted by an excited group of employees. Mala had given birth to a girl. She was over a month early but they said that she and the baby were doing well. She’d planned on working until the end of April and I was about to run a want ad in the local newspaper for a replacement. However, Cee, the other young teller came to me saying that she had a friend who needed a job. Like they say, any port in a storm, so I told her to have her contact me.

To be continued...