Not only managed to make it through another weekend safe and sound, but also managed to keep from melting into a gooey paste!
Well, that went pretty well--one of the better weekends, I'd say. No violent mayhem, no acrimony, and there was the addition of an INFLATABLE WADING POOL! So, all in all, pretty much okay.
Friday, went and got my new suits chalked up so they'll fit right. Or rightish. I still think there's a bit too much cloth in the pant legs--it feels sorta like I'm wearing a set of spinnakers. At least it was pleasant--I made Reba and the kids sit outside in the mall in the overstuffed leather sofas. The kids enjoyed it, although I think I would prefer a seating appliance much less conducive to holding and cultivating everyone's butt germs. But that's just me.
The manager guy carefully eyed the suits and made the necessary adjustments--no break at the top of the shoe, no cuff, 3/4 of an inch of shirt at the wrist. Everything together took about ten minutes. OH! And he like my shoes! I got them back Friday, and they were nice and shiny (for a change) and he was quite impressed with the sheen they possessed. I tell you, it makes all of that uncomfortable male physical closeness much more tolerable. "They'll be ready this next Friday, Mr. Oglesby." Good enough for me.
Off then with the crew for some supper in the food court, then Reba took the older two to shop for some more school clothes, while I kept the littler two with me for fun and games. First fun, Cat had to ride the merry-go-round again. I let Jonathan stay at the table this time, though. He'd hated it the last time, having to stand there and ride like some little kid. I hated it because I paid a dollar for him to ride, and he wouldn't. But I didn't want to just have him wandering around. At least this time, I knew where he should be, and gave him strict instructions to stay put. Which he did.
Cat clambered up onto a brown horse that she promptly named Chocolate (yes, I was amazed as you that it wasn't KeeKee or KoKo or Katie or anything else with a hard-K sound at the beginning) and she had a wonderful time as the music played and the horse bobbed along. We waved at Jonathan each time we went past, which embarrassed him to no end. And made Catherine just that much more gleeful. I'm not sure what in the human brain makes merry-go-rounds such a pleasure for kids--the odd dizziness, the music, the rolling motion, the animals, the lights--but by-golly she enjoys all of it with wonderful, two-fisted, full-blown abandonment. Full of giggles and sparkly eyes.
That done, it was time to hop off and collect Brother and go see what there was to see. They wanted to go to the toy store again, so, off we went. Spent the rest of our allotted hour in there. They were like two kids in a toy store. Which meant it was a bit difficult to keep up with them both--once you're outnumbered, you have to play zone defense instead of man-to-man, and it can be tough. That's why I have so much gray hair.
Along close to nine, Reba called and said the stores were closing, so we went and joined them, and for once they had managed to go to a store and not buy anything. Leading to much rude sullenness on the part of one 15 year old. On back to the house, and then to bed. But not before--"Daddy, are you going to blow up the pool tomorrow?"
A couple of years ago, Reba got a BIG inflatable pool for the kids to play in, and I have done all in my power to keep from getting it out in the intervening time. They leak, they take a tremendous amount of water to fill, and there's not a really level place in our yard--they always moosh over to one side, which isn't really very fun, especially when they moosh so far that all the water comes gushing over the side.
But, it has gotten to the point where it is increasingly difficult to tell them no, and it would be fun to have a place with some nice cool water they could splash in, and so what if it killed the grass--I don't like having to cut it anyway.
"Well, we'll see--I have to finish typing Mama's paper, and we're going to have laundry to do in the morning. We'll see."
"Ooooo-kaaaaay." They're used to "we'll see" meaning "no," or a "yes, but with interminable delay," after all.
SO, off to bed with them all, and then up again on Saturday!
Posted by Terry Oglesby at July 25, 2005 08:48 AM