Stir Crazy 

 Being on the boat was a luxury, 

but it lost all its excitement eventually.

Annie wouldn't give up her place on the Belle for anything, 

so she did what she could to make life exciting. 

She found the perfect remedy when 

she got the name of her secret Santa friend. 

Aunt Sue needed an apron...she thought for days on end. 

Pacing the deck, she tried to recall 

how her mother had sewed aprons 

or sewed anything at all. 

 She took the afternoon to go ashore 

to get fabric and trim from the general store. 

Back on the boat, she measured and pinned. 

Then measured and measured again. 

She wanted it to be perfect. 

Bart came up, along with Brett. 

"You're making a shadow." Annie didn't look up. 

 "Sorry, Annie, dear. Brett, back up.What are you trying to make? 

How many pins does this take?" 

"It's an apron. Or it's supposed to be." 

Annie's exasperation was plain to see. 

"Here, let me hold the pins 

and then you put the stitches in." 

 It worked much better that way. 

Now the apron wouldn't take all day. 

Annie kissed Bart in thanks for his help, 

then went to town again all by herself. 

She stopped by the cafe 

to spend some time with Gyn and AJ. 

"Can I help make some muffins today?" 

That was all she needed to say. 

They gave her an apron, a bowl, and some flour. 

This would keep her busy for almost an hour. 

She mixed and stirred and soon forgot 

all of her earlier frustrated thoughts. 

By the time she was finished cooking, 

 her borrowed apron was all messy-looking. 

"No wonder Aunt Sue needs a new one!" 

Annie looked down at the old one. 

She took it off to be washed at a later time,

and told AJ and Gyn goodbye. 

But before she left, she found where Aunt Sue 

kept her old apron and left the new. 

Attached to the apron a note was pinned. 

 "To Aunt Sue, with love." Annie grinned. 

"That's that." She dusted her hands off and went back to the boat.