"Yes, baby, it's tidy now."
That was the change. Things were put away. The three cyclones that continuously trash the place were absent for long enough that I could put it back into some semblance of order.
The kids loved it. Everything looks bigger.
That said, it didn't stop the carnage commencing as soon as the house even heard them approaching. I think it started throwing things up in preparation.
I would love to say that it will stay this way now I have got it to this point. Fact remains that that is not going to happen. It just can't. Because I have three children under 6 who don't think about those sorts of things. It is far more important to have your Mike the Knight shield and sword when it comes on the TV, or to involve every one of the little people in the farm setup, and to ensure that no doll is left out when it comes time for the tea party.
And much as I hate mess and I hate cleaning up toys and rubbish that is left all over the place, I'm all for role playing games and allowing the kids to express their creativity. So it's a fine line. We are trying to do the pack up after yourself thing, and to some extent it works. To some extent not so much.
I have lost count of the number of times I have told them I'll throw stuff out. And I do get to the point that I have a garbage bag in my hand, at which time the looks and cries of desperation interject and the toys get put away.
Yesterday was spent cleaning. A lot. But last night was my work Christmas party. Granted I work with only one other person who is a 74 year old fellow, and what a character he is. So we opted for a few glasses of champers and then a nice dinner at one of the bistros at Crown.
Well. The food was amazing. Absolutely truly amazing. And the ambience was brilliant. And the company was fabulous. My boss and I could talk the hind legs off a donkey. It's funny you know, he and I met at one of the Lawyers' Association dinners, not knowing each other, and hit it off straight away, talking as though we'd known each other for years.
That happens sometimes. At my old job, a new lady started and as she walked up to my desk we commenced a conversation as though it were halfway through, as though we had simply always known each other.
Anyway, several bottles of wine later, and well into the wee hours of the morning, I stumbled across the threshold, checked my emails then tumbled into bed.
When I awoke I turned, instantly expecting to see Miss 4. She wasn't there. And then I thought that the house was awfully quiet and I wondered if everyone could possibly still be asleep. And it was then I remembered that my babies were elsewhere. And I had such mixed emotions. Because I knew I could go back to sleep if I wanted, but I also missed them terribly right at that instant and just wanted to cuddle them.
That is the thing with motherhood. You can't turn it off. Even if I have a day to do things while the kids are at school or daycare I never leave them there the full time as if I were at work. Because I just miss them. I get antsy. And then they get home and try to rip each other's heads off and I wonder what the hell I was thinking getting them early. But you know what I mean. They are my little babies and I just love them so.
So today I did sleep in. Till around 9.15am. Fabulous. 2 cups of coffee and a bacon and egg buttie later and I ventured outside. Into the garage, filled the mower with fuel, and off I set on my merry mowing way (though I must admit I did take the time to put on sunscreen first because I am terribly sensitive to the sun, much as my little ones are too).
So mow mow mow and away we go.
That grass seriously grows so quickly.
And there is one area of grass that is a different sort to the rest. And it is, how shall I say, a little more "verdant" than the rest. It is lush. Thick. Spongey almost. And hellishly difficult to mow.
But I did it, all done now, back and front. I even attacked some of the weeds, and after about 15 minutes realised that I really did need some gardening gloves.
So I used the next bit of time far more wisely. I lay down on the grass and rolled around with my beautiful 14.5 year old dog. And as we were rolling around I felt yet another lump on his back. And I felt a tear come to my eye. Because my beautiful baby boy is getting old and is now visually impaired, has hearing loss, and is amassing lumps at a fairly regular rate. He isn't in pain, he still eats well, he still loves a cuddle. He's just getting old. And every day now I look out the window and wonder if I will see him. It is with much sadness that I remind myself that one day I will look out there and I shan't see him. Because he is 14.5 years old. He is so very old.
And the thought of losing my very first baby, my fur baby, has tears literally streaming down my face as I type. He has been an absolute power for me throughout the years. Truly the most loving and loyal dog, and such a beautiful little man.
It's funny how quickly our moods can change based purely upon thoughts in our heads, put their consciously or inadvertently.
It is amazing how 'association' can change things so dramatically.
An illustration to demonstrate.
Party A mentions he went somewhere on the weekend and had a fabulous time. Party B remembers having gone there in the past, and mentions an activity she did at the time.
Party A then is reminded of a similar activity he did and that he went to a place with a large purple feather out the front.
Party B then relates the feather to an incident involving a flock of chickens that fell off the back of a truck.
That then reminds Party A of when a set of tools fell off the back of the truck and relates the fear he felt when that happened.
Party B then recalls a time she felt extreme fear when a car failed to give way at a set of traffic lights.
And both parties realise that they could, had fate turned differently on those occasions, have actually been killed.
And as you can see, the conversation turned from talk of a fabulous weekend to contemplating one's own mortality.
Amazing. The power of association.
Speaking of power, I forgot to turn the Christmas tree lights on……
Fa la la la la.
La la la la.
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