Through the Window

A girl needs a place of her own sometimes. I chose our old chicken coop that once held 50-60 chickens at any given time. Once we moved the girls into their new spot in the big barn, that left a building which immediately filled up with stuff and things. In there rummaging through all that old stuff one day, I looked up in the rafters. I said to myself, “Dang, that would make a great fort.” Myself said, “I believe you're right.” Myself tells me that often. He he he.

I asked dad for boards and he gave me the okay to use a couple sheets of old plywood and boards that were too short for anything useful. Once I got all that up in the rafters, which was no easy task, I had enough for half of the rafter area. That’s okay though cause I don’t need a lot of space. Next I found an old rug that mom stuck in the corner of the coop. It was quite an experience getting that sucker up there. I was sweatin’ like crazy by the time I got it balanced on the rafters. I rolled it out over those old plywood sheets. Fabulous!

Next came a few old wooden boxes that were the right size to fit between the rafters. I got two side tables and a dining room table out of them. There was one chair that had a broken leg. Not a problem though since I just used another box to support it. I found a few fabric pieces mom was never gonna use, and the mice hadn’t gotten into yet, for tablecloths to cover my beautiful furniture.

Essential to this fort was a secret chamber so I could hide from my brothers when they wanted to find me. They loved to tease me. I didn’t like it so much. If I hear em coming, I sneak behind it and stay as still as I can.

Rich says, “I can see you Andee.”

But I don’t believe him.

So Kenny gives it a try, “Andee, you’re up here. We know it.”

Well I’m not so dumb to fall for that. They have a couple other stupid things to say, but after awhile they get bored and go do something else. When they are good and gone, I come back out and giggle, quietly, cause I fooled em, again. They’re not so smart as they think they are.

Once the boys are completely out of sight, I climb out the 4x4 window with stairs that are nailed right onto the side of the building. It’s my favorite way to get in and out of the fort. I can also step down on the boxes that I’ve stacked up on an old dresser inside. But the window is way more fun. It takes me quite a few trips back and forth from the house and cellar to outfit my home. I sneak out a glass, plate, knife, and peanut butter & crackers from the house. Then I swipe a jar of mom’s amazing dill pickles from the cellar on my next trip.

“Whatcha doin’ Andee,'' Mom asked?

“Nothin’ Mom. Playin’ in my fort,” I say running out the door.

“Chores in an hour,” she reminds me.

After my feast of ill-gotten goods, I hang the pictures that made their way to the coop. They are ugly as sin, which is why they are there in the first place. I don’t much care cause they help make my little fort homey. It’s tricky to find just the right spot for them. Takes me the better part of the afternoon to figure it out. A bunch of old pillows make a cozy little corner to sit in. In a few minutes I’ll have to do my chores for the afternoon, but for now I gaze through the window and watch the clouds roll on by.