The Watkins

(The Early Bird remembers the previous owners of our home)

You know, folks, I've been living up here in the Old Pine for quite some time now.  I used to live in the Big Oak, which is right in the middle of the cornfield.  There weren't very many houses around here at the time, and then one day the Watkins came by, looked around, and decided it would be a real nice place to build their home.  They looked like a very nice couple, and I guess I sort of took a liking to them right away.  I remember the day they planted the Old Pine!  I sure couldn't understand why they put it right in the middle of the front yard, and right in front of the Big Window, but I guess they had their reasons.  Once it grew big enough, I decided I could keep an eye on the Watkins a lot better if I moved in here, so that's what I did.

I kept hoping they would have some children, but they didn't.  It was still kind of fun watching just the two of them.  Yea, Mr. Watkins liked to go fishing, and he built this little "lean-to" on the end of the garage, just to keep his boat in.  I could understand why he left one end of it open, I mean, how else would he get the boat inside?  But I never did figure out what the sliding glass door on the other end was for.  Maybe it was just a left over part from when they built the house that they were going to use, and then decided not to?  Oh well, the sliding glass door is still there, and probably will remain there forever.  Bj was out there looking at it one day, and I'll bet she was wondering the same thing.

They put this really neat looking birdbath out in the side yard one day, and I used to have a blast with that!  Mrs. Watkins would go out and fill it up with fresh, cold water, and then I'd swoop down there and splash all over the place!  They'd both come out in the evening and watch us birds, and it made us all feel good to see them smiling and enjoying our company.  Yea, those were pretty good days back then.  Now the birdbath just sits there, empty.  It's pretty worn from age, and the bottom doesn't even hold water anymore.  I overheard Bj talking to her hubby one day, and she was telling him that she just didn't have the heart to get rid of it.  

Well, anyway, the years went by and I sure was sorry when Mr. Watkins passed away.  He was really picky about how the yard looked, and him and  Mrs. Watkins used to have silly little arguments about what got planted and where.  He was really good to her, though, and he always planted the flowers right where she wanted them.  I could never figure out why she couldn't remember where it was she wanted them, though.  He would plant them, and then she would have to ask him where they were.  So then he'd take her by the hand, and walk her around the house, and show her where each of the plants were.  One day, she insisted on planting some ivy, and she not only wanted it up against her house, but she went around and gave some to all of the neighbors, too, so they could have it around their houses.  He didn't really like ivy, but he did like to make her happy.  He was really good about keeping it trimmed up, too.  Yea, folks, he was quite a fella.  Mrs. Watkin's health wasn't very good, and it was difficult for her to do the yardwork, but she sure didn't waste much time in telling him how to do it!!  

After Mr. Watkins passed away, I hardly ever saw her outside anymore.  I would go down and sit on the windowsill of the Big Window, and I could see her sitting in her rocker.  Someone came by and mowed the yard, but they sure didn't take care of everything the way that Mr. Watkins did.  A few years later, her nephew came by and told her that she had to go to the nursing home down the road.  I don't think she even understood what he was telling her.  I know I sure didn't!!  I flew on down to the home one day, and I found the room she was in.  There was a doctor and a couple of nurses in there, and I overheard them talking about Alzheimer's Disease.  That was a pretty sad day for me.  She was looking at the window, and I know that she didn't even remember who I was.  But she's still down there, and I still fly down and sit on her window sometimes.   I like to make sure they're taking really good care of her, and they are, and now I know why she has to be there.  One of these days I'll probably fly down there, and the room will be empty.  But I know that her and Mr. Watkins had a very good life here together, and I think that somehow Bj knows that, too.

When her and her hubby first moved in, they talked a lot about all the changes they were going to make.  I guess that must be something normal for you people to do, you know, make changes and make things the way you want them?  But they've lived here four years now, and I sure don't see many changes.  Bj did spend their first summer getting all that ivy cleaned up, though! I was kind of glad to see her do that, because it sure had overgrown things around here!  She kind of scared me the day she came out beneath the Old Pine, though, and started cutting.  I thought for sure she was going to cut the tree down!!  Miss Robin got so nervous about it that she flew on over to the Maple, landed herself on one of the outer branches, and really squawked at Bj!!   But then I heard Bj tell her to just relax because all she was cutting down was the overgrown brush underneath. Whew! That sure was a relief!!  

You know, I've overhead Bj and her hubby talking about all the stories the neighbors have told them about Mr. and Mrs. Watkins. I have to admit I feel kind of good, because they both seem to be kind of sentimental, too.  While they were doing all that talking about making all those changes, they finally decided they liked it better just the way it is.  For some reason, I honestly think they both look at this house and see all the love that went into building it.  I think maybe I figured that out the day Bj took down the wall hanging that got left behind.  She looked at it for a long, long time.  Then she cleaned it off and put it right back on the wall, where it has been hanging for over 50 years now.  Yea, folks, I know that changes can be a good thing sometimes. But then again, accepting things just the way they are can sometimes be even better.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, folks, but I have to go now.  Even though Mrs. Watkins doesn't remember who I am anymore, I kind of think she enjoys our visits.  I know that she won't always be there for me, but I'd sure like to continue always being there for her.