LineaLanoie's Weblog

It is always interesting to watch little kids take the first taste of new foods.  Their faces are so honest.  Tonight Zaka had his first fresh cherry.  He ate the pit and spit out the fruit.  It was funny to watch.  He has decided against cherries. 

Only two years and already he has very definite likes and dislikes.  Most green foods are not fit to be eaten – "no want" is his pronouncement.  And even without the words, one look at the turned up nose and the face full of disgust tells the true opinion.

The day began early – that’s how it goes when a garage sale is going on. Also Leo left at 6 for a meeting in Davidson so I was up for that. He did bring me coffee in bed this morning though.

My contribution to this humongous garage sale is childcare. For the most part it went fine. This morning we played in the livingroom. I have one end barricaded off with the sofa and the other with a baby gate so Ronin can’t escape. We have too many stairs and they are hard to block off. Then we all went for a walk in the park – interrupted towards the end by a call from the security company that monitors the office. So I went running off to check on that – all was fine as I suspected. No idea what set it off.

Made lunch and fed the shopkeepers, then played some more.

Later I decided that it would be fun to take Zaka to a little fun house for kids. It was the first time we’d been. Got to the door – carrying Ronin and dragging Zaka by the hand to read on the door “all persons must wear socks” Back we went to the car. Strapped both kids(now crying) back into the car seats and drove to the closest store. Grabbed a shopping cart, unbuckled the kids and loaded them into the cart. In we went and out we came with Zaka’s pick – some Spiderman socks. Pretty cool. And the ride in the shopping cart was a hit for both kids.

Buckled up again for the two block ride back to the fun house. Unbuckled and went in, Zaka proudly wearing his new socks. I was wearing sandals – I ended up purchasing a pair of socks which I discovered they sell at the door for unprepared people like me. Also paid for Zaka and myself. Ronin was free.

I had no idea that Zaka would be so hesitant to interact with strange kids. He refused to try any of the climbing and sliding equipment so he spent his time in the area for really little kids with me and Ronin. He seemed to have a good time but it was an expensive treat considering it consisted of crawling around on foam toys and he might have had just as much fun at home for free. I think he needs to go with someone who is a bit braver and more agressive socially.

It was a good day of just being a grandmother. But entertaining and hauling around a couple of kids is tiring work.

I am up and listening to the Boyce Symphonies.  We played one in orchestra.  I like baroque music.  I suppose that music is some of what I like best on the recorder.  Oh if only I could make mine sound like the really good recorder artists.  I guess I have neither the skills or another lifetime to perfect them.

Listening to this kind of music in the morning starts my day off well.  It seems to have some sort of effect on me.  Sort of says to my spirit – all will be well as long as there is this kind of beauty around me.

Even if we have this huge garage sale beginning – which is really NOT my kind of thing!

Even birds parent.

Tonight I was in the yard clipping off the trees that seem to sprout in the rock garden and any where they shouldn’t, when I noticed a very young bird sitting and looking at me from the thick foliage of a spruce in out neighbor’s yard.  It fluffed up its tiny wings that were, apparently, not strong enough yet to carry him into flight.  The neighbor’s cat was hanging around – till Maisy, our dog, spotted it and sent it high tailing out of our yard. 

There was a lot of commotion as the cat decided to seek refuge in a tall tree.  The jays that have been around this spring began to make a lot of noise as well.  They were a relatively long way off and hadn’t made a lot of racket till the cat did.  Then I noticed that up above me, one of the jays was perched in the poplar tree.  As I went over to the fence to get a closer look at the little bird, she started to swoop over my head and cried out. 

Obviously the little chick was hers. 

I continued working in the yard then watered the lawn and flowers.  Later when I went back to the fence, the little bird was gone.  The parents were still hanging around the tree.  And again as I approached the fence, they got pretty agitated.  I couldn’t see the baby bird any more.  It wasn’t in the tree or on the ground as far as I could see. 

Even after I came inside, I could hear the parents calling to each other in the trees.  Calling to their little lost one, I suppose.  I hope they were not calling in vain but the chances for a little bird against that cat are slim.

how one person with some organizational abilities can transform my basement and garage from a mass of junk into a reasonable semblance of neatness.  I do not have these skills.  I get bogged down in the stuff and get no where.  I have no idea of the stuff that has been sent to the dump.  Mostly I was not allowed to know! 

I will have a manageable home by fall.  What a gift from my daughter.  I may have to see that she gets a ticket home every year to clean up the place.  I could always do it under the guise of needing a visit from the grandson.  Maybe I would get away with that for a few years.