Memoirs of a traveler

Home sweet home

I sat with moomin papa on the veranda. He leaned in his chair to get a closer look at the baby.
"Goodness! did you perhaps find him or birth him in this short amount of time?"
I plinked two cubes of sugar in the tea mama had just poured and thanked her.
"I found him. down on the beach between some large rocks."
Mama returned to us, wiping her paws as she sat down.  Little My soon made herself seen from under mamas chair.
"So you stole a baby?!"
Mama game My a look of disaproval.
"No of course she didn't, My. The poor thing sounds as though he was abandoned."
"Yes, he was. There was,"
I grabbed Kiviäs tiny paw and tipped his bottle to see if he were hungry. He grabed his bottle and pulled it the rest of the way to his mouth.
"There was a note pinned to his blanket saying he needed a caring parent as his mother could not care for him herself."

Pappa sat back and cleared his throat while adjusting his hat.
"It seems he is in good hands so i will make sure he sleeps soundly in a proper bed. I am off to make him a cradle."
Mama held out her paw and papa paused.
"Moomin, son?"
moments after mama called out moomin came troting around the corner with snufkin.
"Moomin, is your old cradle still in the cellar?"
"Yes mama. Why d-"
Before moomin could ask why, Snufkin leaped the railing and gasped.
"Why.. Theres a baby!"
Snukin came closer and examined him.
"How did you come across such a thing?"
I waved Moomin up and explained.
"Wow! Hes very small isnt he?"
"Yes hes certainly a might."
Mama ruffled Moomins fur and smiled.
"Thats why i called you over. Could you boys do us a favor and get your old cradle out for him."
"And where would you like it?"
She pointed across the stream and into the woods.
"To Kestrets cabin if it isnt too much of a chore."
Snufkin removed his hat and nodded while looking back over at the baby.
"Of course mama, we can do it."

Once the boys placed the cradle in my bedroom, mama placed down a small mattress. It was fashioned of Moomins old blankets sewn so that he could not suffoate in them. They were light blue with a flower embroidered in the bottom right corner.
I laied Kiviä down and clasped my paws.
"My goodness isnt it wonderfull! Thank you boys for bringing it all the way over here and thank you mama for the bedding."
Mama watched how Kiviä moved about and pouted as he was sleepy. I walked down staired with Moomin and Snufkin.
"I really apreciate your hard work. Wait right here."
I swiftly stepped into the pantry and grabbed a couple jars of jam. One was mint and the other white grape.
"Mint for snufkin,"
He took the jar and examined it before thanking me.
"White grape for Moomin."
Moomin recieved the jar and looked it over.
"Is this from your first harvest?"
"Yes they are early picks from before i left on my voyage"
Snufkin, now more interested, opened his jar and tried a taste.
"That is some mighty fine canning. Did mama teach you?"
Just then, mama came down the stairs and placed a finger on her lips to tell us the baby was seeping.
"Why yes, I learned from the best."
I whispered and pulled out a cookie from a jar.
"Mama, would you like a jar of my first batch made on my own? You must be curious as how im getting on wth your teaching."
She nodded her head and spoke softly.
"Yes of course dear, i am sure you are doing well, you are rather quick to catch on to things anyhow."
I dissapeared and considered my flavors. Mint? Grape or apple? I grabbed the furthest and went with it. wild blackberry.
"here we are, this is also a thank you for saving papa the work and being so quick to recall Moomins cradle."
She took the jar and smiled.
"I shall have to hide this as you know everyone will want a taste before i can."
We laughed and i saw them off into the evening.

As the sun set i made dinner for my guests and we ate into the night. A small, but quiet, celebration for a new member of my family.