Expert on the etiquette of perilous times.
It was a great kiss.
It would have been an amazing kiss minus the cloying smell of milk gone bad which was causing a slight feeling of nausea. I tried to think of a way to delicately broach the subject.
“Would you please brush your teeth?” I cut to the chase.
He smiled sadly, “Yeah, your breath isn’t smelling too sweet either.”
“Does it smell like rotten milk?” I cleared my throat meaningfully.
“Worse,” he paused to think, “Dog poop.”
Days later, that is still making me laugh.
“Swing your partner round and round.
Get out of my way you little clown!”
And they were gleefully square dancing.
I have mentioned before that my left hand is Eden’s “Liddo Spido”. Paul is the one who started this game of fancy by pretending that his giant hand was a Daddy Long Legs. They had a little game where he would creep around and try and tickle her and she would smack him back with her hand.
You’re all thinking, that’s great, encourage the Bean to hit. I did too.
Anyway, it is a favorite little game of theirs that is limited only by Paul’s absence. She started finding replacements. I supply her “Liddo Spido” and Christopher offers, “Peep” and “Grofer”. Lydia has somehow avoided this game. The voice Christopher uses for Peep is migraine inducing, but as it bring joy to everyone but me…and Paul – anyone over the age of ten – I choose to breathe deeply and let the merriment continue.
Eden recognizes that her menagerie of arachnids moonlight as hands and, as such, are sometimes compelled to interrupt her play. This morning she was having a good time with “Daddy Lon Legs” and “Big Brudda Spido”, Paul’s other hand, when he took them off to finish up his morning routine.
Beanie continued the conversation, “Daddy Lon Legs, Big Brudda! I know you are helping Daddy bruss his teess, but soon we will play a game. OK?”
Paul has separate voices for each spider and wasn’t able to answer until he had rinsed and wiped his mouth. His spiders both assured her they would love to play a game with her but needed to go to work with her dad.
She bent over with her hands on her knees to address them, “When you come home I will get out my toys for you and we will play a game. Awwight?” Then she kissed them goodbye and sent them on their way.
Later she said in the sweetest little voice, “I cann wait fo my brudda spidos to come back.”
It’s been a quiet day, here, at our house.
Let’s just look at that sentence and give it some space.
The kids played outside while I putzed around the yard this morning, my mom and one of my aunts came for a short visit around noon, then after lunch I met Paul at his office and he took the kids for a treat while I worked out. Coming home the storm clouds were gathering so I ran around and picked up all the things that needed to be put away: books, tools, cushions, toys and wheelbarrows.
It was an excellent storm.
The kids watched it while playing pioneers. Lydia dressed up in a black dress and wore an apron. Eden put on her Koala costume. Perhaps they were Australian pioneers. There was a brief bit of trouble when I needed to remove a rifle from Christopher because he shot Eden. The next thing I knew Lydia was trying to set it above a portrait. As I was about to question her I realized she was just feathering her pioneer nest. I recommended the mantel. They played quietly and then read while I looked through garden books.
The koala became a little tired so I layed her down on my bed and then cuddled beside her reading a novel. She was soon asleep. The window was open and a cool breeze gently blew on us. It would have been perfect if I had showered after my workout so that I could have crawled under the covers. Christopher and Lydia came in at different times to check on us and to admire Eden’s sweetness.
Neither of them could resist kissing her.
1. I am covered with mosquitoe bites, having spent the morning and afternoon working in my garden.
2. I really like to garden, especially on a small scale. Tell me why I bought a home with a shade border that is 80 x 6?
3. That is just one of my dozens of beds. Today, with the help of a friend and a ton of new plants, this area is being tamed and lovelied.