Changing Seasons. Winter part 1

Winter, part 1 Let’s face it, Lachlan thought, he had completely failed his family. This disaster had been his idea and it was all his fault. If only they hadn’t bought this place before Marianna got pregnant. They would have had some capital behind them – not a lot, but they could have bought somewhere sensible. Instead, here he was, stuck in the middle of nowhere, with a place they couldn’t sell. And four children. And a wife who didn’t seem to like him very much any more. When he thought back to the young couple they’d been only four years ago, they seemed like different people. “This place is impossible as it is.” Marianna, pushing and driving again. “The beds and cots will all have to come downstairs. I thought we were moving to a warmer part of the country! And there’s no stove. But you’re clever with your hands. Make something for us.” “But what with?”
“There’s a mountain of scrap metal outside. Go sort through it and see what you can find. We need hot meals. The children need hot food, Lachlan.” Unpacking hadn’t taken long. They had pitifully few belongings. The beds had all been moved and set up downstairs – he’d better head outside and sort through the scrap pile.
“We need that stove, Lachlan. It won’t wait.” He started to dismantle a likely-looking bit of junk. And there had been an old metal barrel out there. And he’d seen some grating. That bit of his mind still seemed to work, amazingly enough. The ideas were flowing. A bit sluggishly, but they were flowing. He started to hammer a better curve into the piece on his workbench. If only he could reshape his life as easily. Go back in time and not have that moonlight swim, that romantic evening, that sunrise walk. It had been a great weekend, but the results had been disastrous. His hammer struck sparks from the metal. Marianna’s kiln sat silent and neglected behind him. She’d been going to do more glasswork: she was a promising young glassblower. He’d been going to do the metalwork he so loved. They’d build up a reputation, get links to local galleries. And later start a family. He went in to help with the lunchtime feeding frenzy. At least he could do this. When the babies had been tiny little scraps in their hospital cots, he’d not been able to do anything. Marianna had been valiantly expressing milk for them, but he’d been useless. “It’s salad. What about that stove? Are you getting anywhere? Any ideas or useful bits?” Just getting four children up in the morning took so long. And it was so dark and gloomy. The shutters were closed over the windows to keep the heat in, and that made sense. But there was no daylight. Anywhere. There. That should work. He’d put some sheet metal on the wall, above and below the stove, just to cut down on the fire risk. They’d been living off salad for three days, but now they could cook again. He’d felt more in control there. Were these children ever going to get the hang of using a potty chair? It honestly didn’t seem like it. It wasn’t exactly snow, but there was a hard frost at night. The stove helped keep the room warm – and Marianna wanted him to make a guard to put round the fireplace so that they could light a fire as well. Having a practical goal helped. Lachlan went outside to dig through the scrap heaps again. He headed towards his workbench to make a start on the fireguard. This was better. This was better than being in the house with Marianna and those children.
Your children, said a voice in his head. Your wife. But he stifled it. Out her in his workshop he could achieve something, could succeed, even if only in a tiny way. Making things was so much more straightforward than dealing with people. The fire was safely fenced off, and the metal panels were far enough away that they didn’t get too hot. Marianna draped the washing over them and they did help it to dry. Now the faucet was leaking and he needed to fix it so that she could use the sink for yet more laundry. But what now? Now he didn’t know what to do with himself. “Somewhere round here there has to be a shop. Or shops. Go out on your bike. Find them. Find out something about where we’re living. Go outside and look. We’re going to run out of things. And come back and tell me what you find out.” He’d cycled past the shop before he realised what it was, before he saw the light on inside and a person there. Sticking plasters. He could do with some of those for the workshop. And there were baby things too. He supposed Marianna would be pleased about that. But he didn’t know what she wanted, so he’d better not buy anything. The woman behind the counter was so talkative!
“Hi! I’m Minnie. Minnie Wagner – and this is my little shop. We’ve not met before – are you just passing through? Or visiting Patience and Euan? If you are, can you tell her I dug out my mother’s old sewing machine for her, but it kind of needs servicing. Used to work just fine, but I haven’t used it for, oh it must be…” He let the tide of words wash over him, but eventually realised he was going to have to say something. “Nice to meet you.” His manners felt creaky and underused. “I’m Lachlan McGowan.” What next? Oh yes…
“I’m sorry, I don’t know Patience and Euan. We’ve moved in to the old forge…”
“Oh my! I know the place you mean! I’d heard rumours it was sold – well, Old Tench told me so a few years back, so I guess you bought it from those people, whoever they were. Anyways, welcome to the town. You said, we?” He couldn’t face any more interrogation.
“Did you say that machine needed servicing? I could do that for you. I have a workshop.”
Minnie noticed him turning the subject, but said nothing about it.
“That’d be real kind of you. Do you want me to drop it off for you in my car? I know the place…”
“No. I’ll take it with me. And return it when it’s done. Next week, I should think.”
And now he was going to have to face her again later on!

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Changing Seasons. Autumn part 3.

Autumn. Part 3 “Look at this place! Minnie’s transformed it! I last came in two weeks ago and it looked nothing like this. How has she done it?” “She called in a whole whack of favours from the son-in-laws. Sons-in-law? Anyway, her daughters’ husbands, all three of them. Plasterboard, paint, an industrial sander…”
“Hey, I wonder if we could borrow that? We’ve got a lot of floor.”
“You could always ask.” “Which reminds me, Clara, talking of doing places up. You know loads about this town. Where’s the school? I mean, eventually my children will need it, and I was wondering if the building was still usable. I did train as a teacher…”
“I could show you. I’ve been meaning to go and have a look for myself, but I haven’t got round to that bit of the town yet. I’ve heard loads about it…” For some reason Clara blushed, and went on. “Read about it, that is, in my great-great-aunt’s letters. She was one of the first few teachers there.” “We have to stop meeting like this.”
“Who? You and m-me or you and the baby?”
“Me and Joy,” Patience said firmly. “When are they supposed to sleep through the night?” “Good morning, my gorgeous floor and window fixer!” It was amazing how having the room looking better lifted Patience’s mood. She and the babies had decamped to Marcus and Annette’s for the day while Euan did the sanding! “Mmm, that was nice. Didn’t we use to do this more often?”
“I think you might be right. Can’t think what’s got in the way. I’m going out with Clara today, to see what sort of state the old school’s in. You okay to hold the fort?”
“Sure thing, Cap’n.” And Euan kissed her in return. “Well, this is it. First built in Victorian times, when it was used to educate children up to the grand old school-leaving age of ten or so.” Clara did a good imitation of a tour guide!
“Later on, the highly intelligent few would stay on until the age of fourteen. The headmaster had a house next door and used to teach the oldest there. There was originally one teacher for the whole school as well as the headmaster, and later there were two teachers – one for the younger children and one for the older ones…Do you want to look inside? I have the key.” It was a good solid-looking Victorian building. Patience followed Clara inside, hopefully. And the entrance hall didn’t look too bad. A bit shabby, but nothing that some paint couldn’t fix. Then Patience got a better look at the interior. This must have been the classroom for the youngest ones, judging by the wall frieze. And this for the slightly older ones? Through the window, Patience could see Clara playing hopscotch. This would have been a nice little school once. The other rooms were in much the same state. And the wooden interior walls had too many holes in them for it to be a safe place for young children to play. “I haven’t played this in years.”
“I’ll give you a game. And take you next door to show you the first headmaster’s once-amazing house. He didn’t teach for the income – he’d married a fairly well-off wife: her parents owned the first of the factories. He just loved teaching.” Clara was right – the house had lost some of its former glory.
“The next headmaster didn’t live in it,” Clara had explained. “He couldn’t afford it! So it was sold, and not everyone wanted to live next to a school. It sort of went gently down in the world.” Patience peered through one of the windows at the neglected interior. That was a sort of theme to this town, she thought, neglect. And yet she wasn’t unhappy here. In fact, when she had a baby-free moment to think in, she kind of liked it. Three babies happily cooing and crowing on the new rug – which now had a clean floor underneath it! – and Euan would be home soon. He’d taken to working in the evening: it was a cooler part of the day, plus he was around to help with the babies for those challenging mornings!
Though it was getting colder now, as they neared winter. Clara needed some new clothes, Patience thought. If only I had a sewing machine…Maybe Annette might spot a second-hand one in Newborough for her. “I came over to see if you’d started the b-bedroom,” Euan said laughing, at the sight of Marcus sitting down in a squishy mess of half-trodden grapes. “Is this some kind of new b-bathroom instead?”
“No!” Marcus said, frustration and laughter warring in his voice. “It’s not a bathroom – but it is instead of a bedroom, I’m afraid. This stuff was going at a bargain price. And we had been thinking about making wine next autumn, but this was too good a deal to pass up on.” “And people are going to drink something that your sweaty feet have trampled?”
“Hey! I washed them first! Annette made me.”
Euan watched Marcus for a bit longer and wondered why he was suddenly feeling so happy. There was the obvious entertainment value of course, but there was something deeper as well.
Optimism, he realised. Optimism and a return of his own confidence. Okay, he wasn’t earning much, but he was earning enough. They could reshape their lives here. And do well by their children. This was going to work. And he hadn’t failed his family.

Changing Seasons. Autumn part 2

Autumn Part 2 “Look at this beautiful bedroom we’ve got ready for you.” It was the only lovely room in the house – and there wasn’t much in it – but it was ready for the baby.
“Not long now.”
“The sooner the better! Go and see Old Tench on your own – I’m going to take a rest. I’m exhausted. Send him my love, won’t you.”
“Promise you’ll rest?”
“Don’t worry! That bed is calling me loud and clear.” “See, the thing you need to know is, that company you’re workin’ for, they wrecked this town.” Old Tench had decided Euan could be trusted with the whole story. He was no company spy.
“Ain’t your fault you’re workin’ for them, and I reckon they cheated you the way they cheated us all. ‘Cept we got a bit of our own back on them at the end. Come outside, and I’ll tell you the rest.” They were good friends with Old Tench now. They hadn’t met Clara yet, but then they didn’t get out much, one way and another. Euan had been busy repairing floors, starting a haphazard garden and working. And Patience was getting bigger – a lot bigger! – and tireder. Euan listened to Old Tench’s story.
“So each of those old factories used to be owned by different companies?” “Yep. Then that company bought them all up, one by one, secret-like. See, when they was owned by the people who lived here, no-one went foulin’ the water or drainin’ the lake dry. Why’d they do that to their neighbours? But that company didn’t care nothin’ ‘bout that. Move in, squeeze the place dry, move on.”
“But they didn’t get away scot-free?” “No sir!” Old Tench grinned, pure mischief gleaming in his eyes. “We forced ‘em to make re-parations. Clean up the waterways – not too hard, once they stopped foulin’ ‘em – and provide clean power for the town. And provide free clean water and free power for as long as anyone was livin’ or workin’ here.”
He paused and chuckled reminiscently.
“So that’s why I stayed. And that’s why no-one would sell their homes or businesses to them. Else they’d have knocked it all down and claimed the town didn’t exist any more.”
“So if Marcus and Annette make a go of their farm, then the company will have to keep paying out?”
“Yep. They thought it was just me they had to worry about. I’d kind of appreciate it iffen you don’t mention Marcus and Annette…”
“They p-pushed m-me out of my job, stuck m-me and m-my wife here to g-get rid of m-me…” Euan’s stammer was getting worse in his agitation and anger.
Old Tench merely grinned again. “Guess it’ll suit you too to make them go on payin’, huh?” “Three babies! What are we going to do?”
“Love them,” Patience said, and the simplicity of her answer calmed Euan instantly.
“You’re right. And Annette and M-Marcus are thrilled, and offering us food by the b-barrow-load. We’re n-not on our own.”
“And we have each other. I still wouldn’t swop anything, Euan. We’ll get by. I think we better order two more cots though.” But despite her words, Patience was a bit worried. There was so much that still needed doing round the house, and three babies were going to be expensive, both in terms of money and time. This was going to be more of a challenge than they had bargained for. And Euan was a good man and a good husband, but the way the company had treated him had shaken him badly. Would three babies be one straw too much? “What do you think we should do first then?” Patience asked, a bit nervously.
But Euan’s prompt answer showed that he had been thinking about this, not panicking about it.
“The windows. We’re not cold, but the babies will feel it more than us, and it is going to get colder. I’ll ask Marcus and Annette to pick up some glass for us as we can afford it, and I can fit new glass.”
“That’s one of the many things I love about you,” Patience said, getting a bit misty-eyed. “You’re so practical.” Little Barnabas had the smaller bedroom at the front. Euan had repaired that window first – one more down, lots to go, Patience thought with a sigh. Joy and Hope shared the larger room at the back of the house. But the babies were warm and safe and loved and fed. “And that’s enough,” Patience reminded herself. “And how are you doing then, young Barnabas? That’s my nose, you know.” Marcus was a natural with the babies. “Patience, this is Clara. Clara, this is Patience, who has single-handedly almost doubled the population of this town.”
“Not quite single-handedly,” Patience said demurely. “I did have some help.”
Clara did a double-take and then burst out laughing. Patience collected Barnabas from Marcus, who said they’d be happy to pick up more diapers next time they were in Newborough.
“Do call round some time if you’d like to,” she said to Clara. “If the thought of three babies doesn’t put you off.”
“I’d love to,” Clara said after a bit of thought. "I’ll take you up on that sometime.” “Patience, they’re gorgeous. It almost makes me want to have a baby myself – except I haven’t got the time. Hey did I tell you our new news?”
“No,” Patience said, smiling to herself as she watched Annette.
“We have a kitchen! A real kitchen – one fridge, one cooker, one sink and one counter. It’s as good as yours. We're keeping up with the McPhails.” And they both laughed. “And I forgot to comment on your upgrade. You’ve bought a rug.”
“I needed something to put the babies down on that wasn’t filthy or splintery! It’s our big extravagance for the month!” “Tell me a bit about Clara before I put my foot in it with her. There’s something going on there, but you two and Old Tench aren’t worried about it…” “I’ll tell you what I can. Not Clara’s own story – that’s for her to tell you if she wants to. But what she’s run away from truly is awful – and she does need the sanctuary of this place…”
Love, as well, Patience thought at the end of Annette’s account. The girl needed loving. And I have love to spare. Euan and the babies – they give me so much love. I can give it away to others. Patience was sleeping the sleep of the truly exhausted and Euan was doing the midnight feeds before he went to bed too.
“I should be worried and fearful,” he thought. “But when I look at these babies, all I can think about is how lucky I am. Patience is right. We’ll find our way through all this. And we have friends around us to help us.”