BS: An enchanted morning

Subject: BS: An enchanted morning
From: Will Fly
Date: 05 Jul 12 - 10:57 AM

Sammy (nearly 3) came over to us for the day. As usual, magic and mystery was everywhere. We counted the six plastic dolphins sitting in their six plastic rubber rings in a large, green, water-filled bucket in the back garden. We kept counting them over and over again, but I still managed to count them to seven, in spite of cries of "No, Grandad!" from Sammy and Grandma. Then Sammy and I decided that taking the dolphins out of the bucket and dropping them from a height into the water would be very effective - which it was. All this time, by the way, the garden was infested with witches and dragons. Eventually, Sammy led me down to the garden shed, where a naughty crocodile was laying in wait, so that I could give it good boot into the air. We both felt better for having done that, and could afford to ignore the naughty (according to Sam) sparrow in the tree.

Naturally, we had to get close to spiders' webs and tease the spiders out to the centre of the web with a blade of grass. This was agreed to be a complete success and good exercise before lunch. Sam had a whole pig for his lunch (egg, beans and toast) and I also had a huge pig (tuna sandwich), and both pigs were entirely consumed. I had to break off briefly in the middle to boot the crocodile who had snuck back into the garden, but he never re-appeared after that.

We inspected more webs after lunch and decided, after some discussion, that dried fox poo in a clump of grass was dirty and not worthy of approval. Sammy looked for bugs on the patio, but it was a barren morning for the hunt. A story is essential before the drive home to my son's house, and we had the usual tales of the snippy-snappy goblin, the dancing dragons, the skeleton whose head keeps falling off and rolling into a pond, the naughty moon (always hiding behind trees) and T-rex (a comparative newcomer). This time, everyone was having tea, the dragons fell fast asleep with their heads on the table - snoring, of course - and T-rex had to go and get some spiders from the garden to put on the dragons noses and wake them up.

The 30-minute drive to Sammy's house was full of incident, with witches' cars (black), teddy bears' cars (blue) and dragon cars and vans (white) to be remarked on at every turn of the road. But we arrived safely and waved Sammy goodbye as he went off with Mum to his elder brother's school and a run in the park.

This wizardry doesn't wear off straightaway - I swore profusely at a teddy bear car on the way home, for example - and the magic lingers a little. Let's hope I have a few more of such mornings before Time takes Sammy into another, plainer world - and me into some other unknown and far more mysterious one!

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: gnu
Date: 05 Jul 12 - 11:08 AM

DEEElightful! Thanks for sharing.

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Jul 12 - 11:37 AM

Lucky Sammy to have such a playmate.
Thank you for sharing.
M

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: Bert
Date: 05 Jul 12 - 11:46 AM

Wonderful!!! You need to be writing childrens' stories.

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 05 Jul 12 - 07:09 PM

What a fun age! My granddaughter is a little older. For a long time now she and I have been growling--at monsters, lions, etc. Now she tells me the creature is really very small, and she holds it in her hand. She tells me we don't need to be afraid, and she starts to take care of it.

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Jul 12 - 07:29 PM

Sparking that imagination lasts forever. Our Morgan is 8.5 yrs and still delights in such magical conjurings. I predict you will have many more such days,


I agree with, Bert....publish, man!;-)

kat

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: Leadfingers
Date: 05 Jul 12 - 07:52 PM

CanI have a Double of what ever you are drinking Mike ?

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 05 Jul 12 - 11:34 PM

I don't think the magical thinking is merely a matter of age. Will has an imaginative grandchild with a lively mind. With luck and love, he will stay that way, although the creativity will take maturer forms.

The DH and I still do things like that. We have been thinking of 'radio skits.' For example:

1. PR for earth-toned fireworks for uptight suburban neighborhoods

2. an interview with the trumpet players for Frank Sinatra, identical twins born one day apart. Whenever the older one plays a B, the younger, always behind, plays a B flat.

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 06 Jul 12 - 02:19 AM

Sorry, I had to correct a word.......you can delete the other one.


On a soft, and breathless morning..
Beneath the painted sky,
You held onto your longing..
And I was fooled by mine.
Oh moments, they were so fine...

But words concealed
What is revealed...
This side....this side of you..
I know...this side of you
Now watch the rage pass on,
Across your stormy skies,
Can you hear the voice inside you?
It is I.

From the traffic to the barren stillness
The heart deceives the head,
Just take a look at what was left you..
It was your heart that was fed,
I understood what you said..

But words concealed
What is revealed...
This side....this side of you..
I know...this side of you
Now watch the rage pass on,
Across the stormy sky,
Can you hear the voice inside you?
It is I.

I saw you in the moonlight,
I saw you in a fog of wonder
How does the heart take delight?
When empty words just leave you
Choking inside?

...........................

I don't know why exactly, but maybe this was as good as thread as any to put this on....(you should hear the guitars for it..it took us 31/2 months to play it in sync, and as lush as it sounds.)
it's an original (copyrighted) piece...and I sure could use a good vocalist, out there!)

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: fat B****rd
Date: 06 Jul 12 - 03:23 PM

Lovely stuff, Will.
Isn't it a pity life takes a serious turn known as 'growing up'
Thank you
Charlie.

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Jul 12 - 05:34 PM

Feel free to have another good morning!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: Janie
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 08:06 AM

Oh, the lovely memories your sharing has conjured, Will.

Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: MartinRyan
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 08:23 AM

Having just become a grandfather for the first time last Sunday - you have me looking forward to it even more than was the case already!

Regards

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: alanabit
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 09:02 AM

When she was little, my daughter Merle and I used to walk hand in hand through Gremberg Woods several times a week. Gremberg Woods is an enclave of a few hectares of woodland on the edge of Köln. It nestles in between industrial estates, inter-city train lines, motorways, main roads and dull suburbia. There are frequently low flying aircraft over it on their way to land at Köln-Bonn Airport, which is about seven kilometres away. In short, it is not a romantic place.
Merle would always go if I agreed to make up a Teddy Bear story. These bears were based on the characters of Merle's cuddly toys and they gradually all took on distinctive accents and eccentricities. The world we lived in was only known to us - and occasionally her Mum. It is a warm, fuzzy place that lives on in our memories. These things are the real treasures of life and they are worth every minute you put into them Will. Good on you!

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 10:03 AM

Well done, Will. I am reminded of my tales of Dracula as a Teenager, pnce told to a little girl who has now grown up, and of the many creatures, pirates, Indian tribesmen, cougars, and ghosts that lay in wait as we drove the night-haunted roads of Evergreen Colorado. Thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 10:51 AM

The greatest loss in our lives is innocence. For all that life has not given to our son Tristan, it has allowed a bit of that wonderful innocence to remain.................Well done Will.....made Ol' Spaw tear up you did.........


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 11:54 AM

what lovely memories for Sammy/Sam to carry thru life - I have no memories of my grandfathers - one died when I was a few months old, the other a few years later.

keep building those memories.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: Will Fly
Date: 08 Jul 12 - 05:12 AM

I'm glad my little tale struck a chord. I've always thought the grandparents' role in the life of their grandchildren is to be a slightly subversive haven away from the everyday world - where we can gently contradict the parents' routines and offer a different slant on everything. When I'm telling stories or doing things with the kids, I always follow where they lead, and then go on where I can from there. That's why the tale told in a book can never be the same as the tale told sitting with me. There's a sharing of the story - which is never the same two times running - in which teller and listener explore together what might happen. From that comes the magic.

And, Spaw - you can sit on my lap any time - that goes for the Mudcat wimminz too...

Subject: RE: BS: An enchanted morning
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Jul 12 - 09:49 AM

Subversive Grandparents Unite! (That's exactly the way I see it, too.)