A Matter of Character

A peculiar thing happened to me this morning… I’d collected a bowl of blueberries for my pie. I happened to look across to old Maisel’s abode. That loon was out sweeping her yard again. What drives this woman to absurdity? Sweeping one’s outdoors…Forty years my family has been her neighbour. My grandmother used to say her mother was a right quack too. And all that time she spends on her sunflowers, as if she was the next Gertrude Jekyll. I’m getting carried away. After contemplating my neighbour’s madness, I set back to my task, only the berries were no longer there! Which led me to think that I never picked them at all. Perhaps I was on my way to do something when I stopped… That darn woman. A complete distraction! I must set off again if I am to have the pie baked. I suppose I’ll invite Maisel to tea later. She does so love my pie, and I have a question about my hedge. I will also enquire about the sweeping. Perhaps I can convince her to refrain as it distracts me so.

My stores of grass have dwindled. Now, I am certain that I was not mid-task in this instance. I spent the better part of a fortnight collecting the healthiest grass I could find since I have to thatch my roof. What is happening? I will surely need to replenish these stores and likely make plans to build some kind of chest or storehouse. It’s all rather vexing… I dread to think that the Harpy is back. A nightmare that was. I should confer with Maisel. We will want to work together if that monster has returned. Perhaps I can steal her broom and blame it on whatever this is.

This is no ordinary carriwitchet. Now my mushrooms have fled! I collected them on a full moon without the aid of a lantern, as my mother would have done. Far more dangerous and time consuming, but the freshest ones make the best Everhart Deer and mushroom stew. It is important for maximum nutrients. Luckily, I have some cured meat left to eat. I will set out to gather more mushrooms tomorrow. Unideal, but I must make the stew in haste before anything else goes missing. I cannot explain these vanishings. I am perplexed and mildly fearful. I have enough to worry about as it is.

Foul trespassers! Realmwalkers. Sorners, the whole lot of them! More items disappeared, so I took matters into my own hands, and I caught one! With rapt attention and a sleepless night, I watched over some newly picked berries, and, as dawn rose, this indolent rogue looked me dead in the eyes and swiped my berries. With a berry bush mere feet away! Knave! Have they no honour? Unabashedly entitled and spoiled with all their technology and magick. I must rely on my gathering skills to stock up and survive. I don’t care what hardships they face, it is no waltz in the garden here. I will build better storage to keep these vultures away. More work for me, but I fear my gathering will double if I do not act. It does not suit me to feed these ratbags. Maisel has been kept busy as well since her stores have been raided worse than mine. At least the sweeping has been put to rest for now.