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Summer vacation in California Montecito by Ann Wood part 20

January passed quickly every weekend to the hut by the Lake. Michelle had a new exhibition of paintings and sold several paintings at a pretty good price. Annabelle opened a bank account in Michelle's name and deposited the money to raise interest. Michelle and the twins played piano and violin at the Winter Farmers' Festival. And they won first place for the youngest performer in the trio category. Cynthia was awarded as a journalist for the month of January. Annabelle published a collection of poems with children's poems and a children's book with short stories. The men made a large greenhouse and four smaller ones. They planted seedlings of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cambi, carrots, radishes, garden spices, zucchini, peas, beans, eggplant, lettuce, and many other greens. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, and raisins were planted in two of the smaller ones. At one end of the garden, they planted fruit trees, plums, pears, apples, cherries, figs, walnuts, peaches, apricots, oranges, lemons, limes, pomegranates, olives, tangerines, and several other trees. They planted roses, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, daisies, chrysanthemums, peonies, gerberas, lilies, and many other beautiful flowers in one greenhouse.

One day, at the modern dance club, Annabelle met a young dancer who everyone called Mario. Mario was very handsome, with the most dazzling smile. Annabelle was blinded by his appearance and was left speechless when he invited her to dance with him the new Latin dance they were studying. They were very good at dancing, and Annabelle felt like a student again. Mario wished her good night at the end of the lesson, and she winked playfully when he told her the next time she was beautiful. After the dance, they had a barbecue for dinner in the closed yard. It was a warm January evening, and they decided to have an indoor barbecue. They stayed up late playing guitar and singing old country songs. This weekend they would stay in the city because they would have a masquerade ball for Evelyn's 50th birthday and anniversary. They had invited their schoolmates and friends to the party. The children would play instruments and sing songs, as well as a short play and a recital of classical poetry. Cynthia would make the cake, as well as the party menu. Annabelle and Marie Antoinette prepared the decorations for the party and ordered a huge bouquet of red roses, and bought a Chinese dinner set, tea and coffee, a cake tray, and a vase.
Michelle had painted a portrait of Evelyn in a photo she had taken a month ago in the teachers' office. Everyone participated in the preparation of the party, while Evelyn was at a conference in Chicago of the principals of all private schools in America. She would return on Friday night or Saturday at noon, by which time the house would be ready for the party and locked. The week passed quickly in preparation and work. Evelyn came home late Friday night and stayed overnight at the airport hotel because a snowstorm broke out. At noon on Saturday, Paul went to pick her up from the hotel when the roads were cleared. Everyone else finished decorating the house. Paul was tasked with taking Evelyn to the hotel for lunch on the pretext that there was a big traffic jam in the direction of the city and that roadside assistance would be delayed as they were being towed. This, in fact, was true when passing on the way to the hotel; a tree had fallen from the weight of the snow and storm, roadside assistance was pulling out the wrecked cars, and firefighters were cutting the tree to clear the road. When they returned, it was 4 in the afternoon. The guests would arrive in an hour; Evelyn came home and went to have a shower and change for dinner.

When Evelyn went downstairs, the first guests had come, and there was music. She went into the living room, but it was dark there, and she decided to go and see where the others were when suddenly the lights came on, and everyone shouted surprise, happy birthday. She thanked them and went to greet everyone. After a while, voices were heard at the front door, and the bell rang. Evelyn went to see who was at the door and opened it. They were her schoolmates; she invited them in and walked into the living room. Dinner was served at seven, and they had a 15-course menu. The food was delicious, and the guests enjoyed it. The music played all night, and there were dances and songs and many party games. The party lasted until the morning, with plenty of food and drinks.

The guests left on Sunday afternoon after lunch. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the cleaning company came and cleaned the whole house and the garden from the decorations for the party. It was seven in the evening when they were finished. The family sat for dinner at eight, and then everyone returned to their rooms to rest. The children had learned in the afternoon and were now playing in the playroom. Evelyn liked the presents, especially the portrait Michelle had made for her. He hangs out in the living room, watching him in amazement all night. By ten, they were all in bed, sleeping sweetly like babies.

So February came, full of many surprises, the weather was quite cold, and it rained almost every day. The first week it was snowing and cold. The roads were closed due to heavy snowfall. Schools were also closed, and children studied online. Cynthia and Paul worked from home like everyone else. It was good that they were shopping and had flour to make homemade bread. They only went out to buy some necessities and medicines. Their time was spent in work and entertainment. They watched movies in the evening or played various games. Annabelle has started writing a new children's book and short stories, and Michelle will illustrate the book and cover.

The second half of February was a little warmer, and everything returned to normal. The schools opened their doors again, and everyone was happy to be able to go out and walk in their free time. Paul and Martin had decided to buy some chickens, turkeys, ducks, and rabbits. They made a bunny and a chicken coop in the backyard to the beach, where they fenced off so the animals could not go out to the gardens. They also bought a cow with two calves, six pigs, a goat with three kids, a sheep with three lambs, yurds, guinea fowl, and other animals for the farm they bought recently. They had hired ratai to help them on the farm and take care of the animals. They paid a shepherd to graze the cattle. The children wanted ponies. And Annabelle decided to go for a ride in her spare time and bought a few horses and three ponies. They went to the farm weekly, and the children enjoyed the animals very much. They went for a ride every time they were there. Paul had hired a coach to teach them to ride and care for the horses and ponies.
A village woman went daily to take care of the animals and make seedlings for the spring to plant in the garden. They had set up several greenhouses for this purpose. In the spring, new fruit trees and fruit bushes would be planted. This year, they decided to indulge in agriculture instead of traveling around the country again. The village house is located in the village where the hut by the Lake is. The farm owner sold it to them cheaply. After all, he could not take care of her because he was sick and started and asked them to let him live with them until the end of his old age. He had no children or family, and his grandmother died a few years ago, leaving him alone. The people of the village helped him take care of the few animals he had left and the garden, but he did not have much money to pay them. So it was suitable for everyone, and the children got a grandfather. Grandpa Jack was very happy for them, and every time his new family came to the village, he welcomed them with delicious dishes and fresh fruit for the children. One day Paul offered to take him to the city to live with them, and Grandpa Jack thanked him and was glad to see the big city again after so many years.
They took him to the farm for the weekend, and when they left on Sunday, they took him with them. He had been given a room downstairs so he wouldn't have to climb the stairs. The room had its own bathroom and toilet equipped according to his needs. They also bought him a rocking chair for the porch and one for the living room in front of the fireplace. They also had a special hospital bed with a remote control to adjust the positions. Also, an armchair and a table where he can drink his morning coffee or tea while watching the birds from the window. They also put a TV and a radio in his room. They took him to see their GP, who gave them referrals for all the specialists and blood and urine tests. They took the drugs he had been prescribed. They took him to a barber to cut his hair and shave his beard. Then they went and took his new clothes; after all, they made him a citizen, and he will not walk in his old country clothes. Grandpa Jack was very excited by their attention and care for him.

March came, and the weather got a little warmer. Grandpa Jack quickly adapts to his new life in the big city. Every day he went for a walk to the park or went down to the beach where he did gymnastics or swam in the pool. He used the gym in the house and rose to his feet surprisingly quickly for his age. Paul had hired a woman to do physiotherapy and care for him while they worked during the day.

March passed quickly and in preparation for Easter. They bought new decorations for a holiday. The children made an Easter tree decorated with painted artificial eggs. They bought a few straw hats decorated with artificial flowers and tiny plush chicks, bunnies, and lambs. Grandpa Jack showed them how to play chilik, an old game he had learned as a child in Bulgaria, where his father used to be an ambassador. The children really liked the game.
As every year, Annabelle and Michelle's parents arrived from Australia, and Cynthia's sons came from Canada for the holidays and stayed for two weeks. This year they would come to spend a few weeks together for the summer. Easter was celebrated in many ways, and the children had unforgettable moments together. Michelle had a lot of fun with her brother and sister, and they were very much missed. Annabelle, offer Michelle's parents if they want to come and live with them in the States. They thanked her and said they would think about it. They went to the farm for a few days and to the house on the Lake with their friends and family.
Time passed quickly, and they had to part with their loved ones again until the summer, when they would visit them for a long time. They took them to the airport, and everyone cried; they didn't want to part even for a few months. They hugged and said goodbye, and each went his own way. When they returned home, Michelle was very sad and returned to her room, where she had been crying for a long time. At noon, the twins knocked on the door and asked her to come down with them for lunch and play beach volleyball with the neighbors' children. They had lunch and talked about various topics. After lunch, Grandpa Jack went down to the beach with the children and took the dogs with them. Neighbors' children came to play, and Evelyn took them to the beach where the others were. It was a sunny afternoon, and the children were playing. At four o'clock in the afternoon, Evelyn called them for breakfast and made sandwiches and homemade lemonade. There was also a bowl of fresh fruit from the farm. The children thanked her and went in to wash their hands. They had a quick breakfast and returned to their games. About six children next door left, and the family sat down to dinner, having roast lamb and lamb liver sarma for garnish and lettuce. For dessert, they had a fruit salad with vanilla ice cream. After dinner, they watched a movie and played monopolies. Grandpa Jack tells them stories of his newlyweds and the war. They all went to their rooms at eleven o'clock and got ready for bed. Cynthia helped Grandpa Jack to bed and then went to say good night to Michelle and Annabelle. Evelyn and Paul had gone to bed, and she wished them good night but did not enter their rooms. Martin and his family had gone to their part of the house. The servants had left, and the house was silent.

The next day everything was the same, school, work, out of class for the children, and in the evening, everyone was together. During the day, Grandpa Jack was with the nurse who had hired the housekeeper. Today he goes to lunch at the retirement club where Paul enrolled him, and his sister takes him there a few days a week for lunch. There they have lunch and then play with other members, chess, backgammon, bingo, dominoes, or cards. So his day passes faster while the others are at work and school. And when he doesn't go to the club, his sister prepares lunch at home or takes him somewhere outside, and they have lunch at a small restaurant.

I think he came and passed quickly, then June passed in an instant. They went to the manor every week since the relocation began. Grandpa Jack was delighted that the greenhouses were complete, the ovaries whitewashed, and the vines were trimmed and sprinkled with blue stone. The children made a scarecrow for the garden and one for the bush, where they planted pumpkins, melons, watermelons, corn, sunflowers, and cabbage. And in front of the hut by the Lake, they planted alfalfa for the animals in the winter. The school was over, and the children counted the days until summer vacation. As every year, on the last Sunday before the end of the school year, the school held a big barbecue party for everyone. There was also a concert by the school choir and orchestra at the barbecue. Everyone had a lot of fun, and the weather was wonderful, without a single cloud in the sky.

Michelle and Annabelle's parents arrived on July 1 and would stay for the rest of the summer. Cynthia's sons also overtook their friends, and the house was filled with laughter and noise. The next day they all went to the village to spend the summer. The children were delighted to be able to ride and play with the animals. They had taken all the animals from the town to the village so they would be there all summer. The gardens in the city would be maintained by the gardeners they had hired. And they left the house in the care of the servants in the village. The nurse would be with them in the village to care for Grandpa Jack. It was an enjoyable summer full of work and games. The men went hunting and fishing and boated on the Lake, where they made their beach when the sun was very strong for gardening. For the 4th of July, they had a big barbecue party and invited the whole village and their friends from the town. There were fireworks, and campfires sang and danced all day and night. Everyone was dressed in traditional costumes for the 4th of July and had a lot of fun.

The summer passed imperceptibly, full of joy and emotions. Everyone worked hard and enjoyed the harvest. This year there were many cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, and other fruits and vegetables. They made a lot of jams, marmalades, compotes, and canned vegetables. They dried fruits for the winter, slaughtered some of the animals, some of the meat was preserved, some made into felts and salami, and some stored in freezers. They bought young hens to keep in the winter, as did many other animals. The whole village helped them with the manor and the gardens. Annabelle wrote her new book, The Manor by the Lake, which sold out very quickly.
Michelle painted all summer and, in September, prepared a solo exhibition. He made a family portrait of the whole family that would be hung in the house in the city. Their parents decided to move to the United States for a year to see how they would be air-conditioned. Michelle's and Annabelle's father went to Australia to pick up luggage and rent the houses. The twins enrolled in Michelle's school. She is delighted that her relatives will be accepted in the United States. They returned to the city in early September to prepare for the new school year. The two men would return to October after they were ready with their documents and luggage.
The house was filled with children's laughter, and everyone understood each other like a big, close-knit family. Michelle's mother would start working as a music and art teacher at the school. Her father would be a geography and history teacher. Annabelle's parents would transfer their interior design and real estate sales business. The two men arrived back on October 1, and Michelle's father worked online for several weeks while in Australia. Their luggage arrived on time, and everything went as planned. They prepared for Halloween as each year their house was best decorated. The twins are used to the new school and their new home.
The five children got along very well and played together. Grandpa Jack was happiest to be surrounded by many people who loved and cared for him. Cynthia's sons stayed until Halloween and left for Canada for a while on November 1. They would be back before Christmas. The time until Christmas passed quickly and was full of holiday preparations. They decorated their home as every year with the best decorations and a Christmas tree. They were going to celebrate in the city, they invited their friends, and everyone was thrilled. As always, they went to the Lake every weekend to have fun with games and views of the Lake. The men hunted, and fish and the children gathered mushrooms and herbs in the forest. They had the best Christmas and New Year. One day shortly after the new year, Michelle received a letter from the National Art Gallery for a new solo exhibition, and the School of Arts and Music also invited her to study with them for the next new school year. Her paintings sold very quickly, as did the album with original songs.
Everyone was very proud of her. She still went to modern dances and won a gold medal for solo performance. She was named the best young singer and artist of the year. Annabelle was chosen as the best author in the category of children's literature, poetry and drama. The last few novels have become bestsellers and bestsellers around the world. They remained in the United States, and their parents returned to Australia after the twins finished school and went their separate ways. Michelle graduated and graduated with a gold medal from the university and became a very famous artist and musician. Annabelle married at the age of 30 and has twins.
Cynthia became a grandmother, and she and her son married and had one child. Evelyn and her brother still live next door, as do Martin and his family. They all lived together as before, and only Grandpa Jack died in the summer of 2024 as he slept one day. This was the case of two young girls who went to the United States on summer vacation and stayed there. Cynthia became a grandmother, and she and her son married and had one child. Evelyn and her brother still live next door, as do Martin and his family. They all lived together as before, and only Grandpa Jack died in the summer of 2024 as he slept one day. This was the case of two young girls who went to the United States on summer vacation and stayed there. Cynthia became a grandmother, and she and her son married and had one child. Evelyn and her brother still live next door, as do Martin and his family. They all lived together as before, and only Grandpa Jack died in the summer of 2024 as he slept one day. This was the case of two young girls who went to the United States on summer vacation and stayed there.

Short story by Ann Wood