Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Back to the Present.

Sorry that I forgot to get back to you all about the weekend. I don't know where the time has gone, but I have also been trying to catch up with all my Blogging friends. There's just never enough time in the day.

Anyway, Grandson was here from Friday afternoon til Sunday morning, and we had a great time. He woke at 6.40am on Saturday, but I managed to get some extra time snoozing by giving him his game to play with. And a biscuit and some milk. It was a grey day, so we opted to go to the "Saturday Morning Pictures" at the local Odeon. We saw "Underdog", a funny film about a dog who acquires super-doggy powers, defeats the baddies and saves the world. Hmmm. Then we wandered to the Beach Cafe for a coffee (me) and a chat with all the girls (Grandson is a huge favourite there), after which we walked along to the Paddling Pool, stopping for a bit of Volleyball on the way. At the Paddling Pool he stripped off completely, raced into the water, which was freezing, and wouldn't come out for an hour. We managed to borrow a blanket to dry him with and arrived back home just in time for another Barbecue Party downstairs. That was fun too - I ate and drank far too much again, while Grandson played with the other children there (football, frisbee, tennis, throwing things generally, squirting waterpistols and crashing into the undergrowth). I finally managed to drag him back upstairs at 10pm! (I know, I'm a bad Grandmother too) and we just fell into bed. When I turned the light out, he said "It's so dark I can't see my hands, Nana." I laughed and gave him a hug. "Neither can I" I said, and then we both promptly fell asleep.

Daughter and the Boyfriend came to collect him on Sunday morning, so I then went off to a local Car Boot Sale, but didn't find much of interest. It was very windy too, and there's something about that wind that sets my teeth on edge. I came back and gave in to sleep for the afternoon (after all I had been awake since 6am again), and then went out to my BBFs for another Barbeque and a glass of Rose. We did a lot of catching up, and I filled them in on the details of my trip to France. It seems such a long time ago, and the fact that I've sort-of collapsed since then has made it seem even more distant. I'm learning to live in the present moment, take things as they come and please myself. And it seems to be working. I enjoyed my time with Grandson so much more because I wasn't worrying or thinking what else I should or could be doing. After all, the present moment is all we can be sure of. I'm reminded of Laurie Lee, writing in "Cider with Rosie". On his very first day at school, the teacher told him to "Sit over there for the present." Bless him, he sat there all day waiting for her to give him a present! Oh the poignancy of those childhood memories.

11 comments:

Can Bass 1 said...

Oh, I must put that on my profile as my favourite book (Cider with Rosie, that is). Such piquancy of writing! Do you know his poetry?

Expat mum said...

Cider with Rosie was ruined for me. It was the novel we read in the first year at senior school (age 11-12) and the nun who taught us English had such a drony voice that's all I can remember - the utter boredom.
BTW that photo of you looks like something from a magazine! Very exotic!

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Hello there Can Bass 1, and welcome to my world. I've read all his books, but not the poetry. I must track it down. Thanks. M :-)

Hi Expatmum, what a shame, because when I read it I adored it, and still do. He writes so lyrically.
Thanks for your comment on the photo; the bloke who took it rather fancied himself as a fashion photographer, so I had to model! M :-)

Tim Atkinson said...

One of the best is 'Christmas Landscape'...
Tonight the wind roars with teeth of glass/the jackdaw shivers/in caged branches of iron/the stars have talons... Tonight has no moon/no food for the pilgrim/the fruit tree is bare/the rose bush a thorn/and the ground is bitter with stones...Tonight there is no moon/but a new star opens/like a silver trumpet over the dead/Tonight in a nest of ruins/the blessed babe is laid.
Don't kno why he isn't better known as a poet, really. Rather good, isn't it?

Donna said...

"waited all day for a present"...LOLOL...POOR THING!!!! So glad you had such an enjoyable time with your Granbaby!! Aren't they Wonderful??...Happy night friend!!hughugs

Stinking Billy said...

Margot, you summarised retirement beautifully with "I'm learning to live in the present moment, take things as they come and please myself. And it seems to be working."

So now that you know, just relax, darling. Easy does it.

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Dear Dotterel (if I may be so familiar), thank you so much for visiting and for the poem - it's wonderful. I particularly like "the ground is bitter with stones" - wonderful imagery. M :-)

Hi Donna, yes, isn't it bitter-sweet and funny too? The book is full of similar memorable moments. Lovely. Hugs. M xx

Dear Billy, thank you for that - I hadn't made the connection as yet, but now that I have... M :-)

Milla said...

hi there, I knew Laurie Lee a tiny bit, and am good friends with his daughter who is just delightful, a real naughty throaty laugh. Anyway, just felt obliged to share that. And more anyway, you sound like a fantastic grandmother. Can my boys borrow you? They only have one and don't see her often.

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Hi Milla, how lovely that you have that connection, and a real friend too! Yes, I'm available for your boys - though if you're in Stroud (or nearby) and I'm in Hove, we're not that close. Do bring them for a visit. M xx
PS I sympathise because my children didn't have Grandparents at all, and we had to find an honorary one to fill in! M :-)

family affairs said...

You are so not the bad grandmother - I would kill to have one like you...Lx

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Thanks so much Lulu, I'd love to be part of your family - and I guess we Bloggers are, somehow, part of each other's families. Virtually, anyway. M :-)