00:31 - 28.08.07
G'Day
I was scheduled to look after my youngest grandson today. At 6:30 in the am my first concern was the weather. It had rained for two solid days already, so I wanted to know whether that was going to continue. Determines choice of footwear and outerwear too, of course. The local morning show seemed to indicate that the showers had tapered off or stopped completely. Runners seemed the best choice given the muddy conditions in some of the areas where I walk. The temperature was the same as last week when I babysat, so I wasn't fussed about my clothes - skort, denim shirt and sweater. Turned out I made an error in judgement there. Despite what the local weather people were saying it was stil raining. Sporadically, yes; depending on which community I was travelling through, but there was a breeze that wasn't mentioned and the rain - where it was still falling - was that penetrating, cold-shower type of precipitation. Made for a chilled to the bone feeling by the time I arrived at number four son's home - 50 city blocks away.
As I crossed from my community to the next one to the east, I popped into the convenience store in the strip mall that is the entryway into that community. Gas station, post office and medical clinic anchor the site. It was a bit busy, but all I wanted was a little bit of cream for my oatmeal. "Sticks to yer ribs" my Scots Grandmother always used to say when she visited on cold winter mornings. Och aye, lassie. Actually I think some Scots eat it any time of the day, but that's another story, isn't it? While I was in the store I noticed a young man dressed like a California surfer dude sitting at the coffee bar reading a newspaper. He scanned my get up with the same critical eye I used to scan his. I think we both might have been wondering "what were they thinking" when it came to suitability for the rain. He did have a bright yellow slicker to wear while on his bicycle. I guessed, from all the clues, that he made his living as a courier. By the time I found what I wanted and had paid for it, he was on his cell phone. Sounded like he was begging for the other person to come help him. As I walked outside the reason became obvious. His bike was sitting by the air pump for tires. A big hand-lettered notice on cardboard indicated that the pump was out of order. The flat tire on the bike remained unattended.
I headed off to the freeway so I could cross over to the next community south. Slipped into it through the walkway just the other side of the bike path. I was relieved that the buildings cut the wind to a minimum,but then the rain started again. The thin, misty moisture that soaks right into one's clothing and skin. Crossed the tot lot in the cul de sac. It reeked of dogs' business. Bleagh. Down along the boulevard just watching the early morning street scape as I travelled ever south. A woman in her purple/rose robe and slippers taking the garbage to the curb. Another woman power walking in an aqua tracksuit looking as cold as I felt. Two city workers, each with their own vehicles, visiting up a storm, parked just south of a major intersection. A third city vehicle pulled up and stopped in that intersection. The two workers standing on the curb walked over to talk with that driver - the idling vehicles and humans on the road blocking traffic in three directions, while the group nattered on oblivious to the waiting taxpayers trying to get around them at that intersection. Uh huh. As I walked across to the next community the sight of several heavy machines parked on the verge of the major traffic artery heading east. Two churches of different and conflicting denominations sitting quiet side-by-side. Two large dump trucks parked side-by-side in the more southerly church parking lot, with magpies and crows playing hide and seek round and about the boxes of those two trucks. Up past a soccer field covered with gulls fishing for bugs in the grass. Next up in the schoolyard a jack rabbit stopped to watch me pass his territory, ears a-twitch.
Finally reached my son's home hoping that a hot cup of tea would soon be available. My daughter-in-law is having a very hard time leaving her baby to go to work. I understand that completely. I was told to return to work at the hospital six weeks after my first son was born. There was no protection for maternity leave at that time and I was told it was return or be fired. Since I was putting my ex through college at the time and it was mid-term, I really didn't have any options. My Mom looked after my oldest son, but it was still a real wrench to have to leave him every day. That pattern would continue for the next son to be born as well and it never got easier. That said, it was a much easier morning than the one last week. At least my grandson wasn't sick or teething today. Made for a much happier child. Once my daughter-in-law tore herself away, I made tea and oatmeal which my grandson made short work of. Well you know - babies first. He gobbled the porridge down, then went off to dig around in his toy trunk. I sat savouring what was left of the oatmeal, slowly warming up as we sang along with the children's shows on various channels.
When my grandson went down for his nap in the morning I checked my e-mail, then laid down for a short nap too. It was interrupted by a knocking on the door just before lunch. I wasn't certain that I wanted to open the door, but then I heard keys rattling. Grabbed my daughter-in-law's cell phone and decided to take some control by being the one with their hand on the door handle. It was their landlord. He lives upstairs, you see. He was obviously surprised to find anyone in the unit. My grandson had been sleeping for about an hour and I don't make any noise while he naps. He kept asking where the baby was and if I was now living there too. He muttered something about a water leak and said he wanted to check the hot water heater. He didn't stay long, thankfully. I called my daughter-in-law, guessing she would be on her lunch break by then. She confirmed what I had suspected. She said they had caught the landlord on more than a few occasions sneaking into their basement suite when he thought they were not home. That is illegal and so is the suite, but if they complained to the landlord and tenant board they would be out a place to live. Catch-22 and catch me if you can. I didn't feel threatened physically by that man, but I was really irritated by his dishonesty. In a rental situation, 24 hours notice has to be given by a landlord before entering a suite other than if there is an emergent situation. Naptime isn't an urgent situation, is it? Only if there isn't one.
As it was, that visit woke my grandson up from a very nice nap and he wasn't happy about it. Fed him lunch and changed his diaper. He remembered that last week he got to have a bath after his diaper change and was quite annoyed when that didn't occur this week. I would have been happy to accommodate him, except that his mom had said she really treasured that time of day with her son. I didn't want her to think that I would try to take that away from her or intervene in anyway, so I just distracted him with various ball games. We were soon practicing different types of victory dances to go with our "scores". There was a clown show that stopped him in his tracks not long after. He was just riveted for the entire episode. His mom is afraid of clowns, so that can be a grandmother/grandchild bonding activity, can't it? Mid-afternoon he needed another nap and was fussing for his mom. I felt really badly for both of them, but that is the reality in our society. Turned on the country and western music channel, although I am not really fond of that music myself. I know he associates that music with cuddle time with his mom. It made putting him down to sleep much easier as he took comfort in the familiar sounds. Left it on while I cleaned up and checked my e-mail again - the duration of his nap.
When he woke again it was time for more snacks. Tried to get him to eat some egg yolk, but he wasn't having any of it. Veggie crackers and fruit, if you please. He had found the book I had brought to read to him last week in his travels between toy trunk and his treasure trove. He brought it to me, opening it up and pointing to the pages while talking away with obvious pleasure. He continued between watching snippets of children's programs, playing with his toys and listening to me read more of that book. Every so often he would come up to me as I sat reading, pointing at the words on the page and obviously curious about how they got from the page into my mouth. He would point to a line then point to my mouth - back and forth. It seemed as though he was trying to decipher the details of the mechanics as to how the transfer took place. Interesting how small ones' minds work. We had finished about a chapter and a half - all text with no pictures - when his dad walked in the door. A happy day altogether.
Arrived home to find my youngest happily ensconced in his room. It was his one day off this week you see. He said his hour driving lesson had gone well. He has never been behind the wheel of a car, so it was quite an experience for him. His brother has a nice red sports car of some description, so I thought it was very kind of him to trust it in the hands of a younger brother with no experience at all. I guess that is what family is for - taking a chance on you, that is. Or giving you one. Talked with number five son after hearing number six son's details. He had called to let me know that he got the job he had interviewed for throughout most of August. Remember he had the multi-part inquisition. He starts mid-September and was obviously very pleased with life indeed. His girlfriend's birthday is in a few days, so it sounded as though the two of them were trying to decide how to celebrate both events. What puzzles me about my sons is that they all seem to prefer women older than themselves. It used to be the opposite when I was their age. As we were signing off the doorbell rang. My youngest had ordered pizza unbeknownst to me. Another comfort food at the end of a cold drizzly, but happy day. Good news for my sons is a good day for me. Uh huh. Time for bed now though. Good night dear diary.
�
�
