Child’s Play
After two days of staying up late (first was last Saturday, when we watched Bianca’s concert with the Australian Girls Choir at The Hills Centre in Castle Hill. Alf, Amiel and me stayed until 2am talking and drinking. And then Sunday night, chatting online with the Manlulos), I felt I needed a well deserved extra time in bed. (Besides the fact that is was a very wet 12 degrees winter day). But it was Alfie’s first day at his new job and Bianca has school. So early to rise, dragging feet and hands with drooped shoulders ala Frankenstein, breakfast was prepared. Alfie had to opt for a ham sandwich takeaway as he didn’t want to miss his bus - on his first day at work. We (the girls and me) took Bianca to school, came back to finish off whatever was left of breakfast and then a light bulb struck me! Ting! A much needed lie in and a good book - two good enough reasons to invent a game of turtles!
And so I became a turtle on my tummy, and resting my eyes. The girls decided they were whatever animal or thing they wanted - Julia said she’d be an elephant and was lying down beside me, pretending to splash in the water. Sofia was a hippo, playing games with the elephant. Alex standing along side the bed said she’ll be horse, but later on decided to be a strawberry. (ridiculous choice, but kids are kids and we don’t want to argue with them, especially when I’m trying to rest my eyes and being the slowest turtle in the planet!). The girls continued on with their charade while the slow turtle continued to hide her head in her shell, resting her eyes and listening to the sounds of the waves splashing onto the shore. Of course, I didn’t fall asleep. After a few minutes, we decided to do "four in the bed, and the little one said, roll over…. you all know how it goes…. about 12 times. No grumbling here. I was enjoying my extra time in bed, and I’m guessing the girls did as well. After an hour and a half, it was time for morning tea for the girls, and for me to take on the day - make up beds, clean up the breakfast table, dry the laundry clothes, etc. It was a great help and a big energizer! I asked the girls if we can play turtles again tomorrow, and they all cheered "Hooray!!" Lucky me.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Well written article.