Sea Fever

An ocean in a bathtub.
I scoured the tub for Eth's bath, chosen instead of shower, and the sink for his hair wash
preceding the bath. He was full of puppy - hair, face, body. He likes to get into what I call the gated community (baby gates surrounding the 2 puppies) and play with them. He laughs with glee as he plays and watches their responses, however predictable. The bath time which loses traces of puppy recently has lost the usual toys because: It is Time for pirate ships to sail in the ocean! Amazingly, some of the tiny cardboard ships do float and imaginations take sail.

- the real ocean from the front deck.

Sea-Fever
"I must down to the seas again,
to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship
and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick
and the wind's song
and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face,
and a grey dawn breaking.


I must down to the seas again,
for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call
that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day
with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray
and the blown spume,
and the sea-gulls crying."

(John Masefield 1878-1967 English Poet Laureate, 1930-1967)

This ocean beach village-by-the-Sea has a marvelous library which architecture befits the beach environment and contains a corner for children to have all to themselves.

While Eth selected books & a video, I found a couple for myself to potentially suggest on MamaGoose.com.

"Children of the Wild West" by Russell Freedman and "Children of the Great Depression" also by R. Freedman. What might be less interesting as straight history is made fascinating from the viewpoint of children and their stories. The books are full of excellent photos. Mr. Freedman is the recipient of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his body of work; more than 50 books for young people.

Eth, from the shower, screamed lightly & high and Grams to the rescue. A dragonfly. Killed it. Bock to the computer. Another little high-pitched scream. "I'll save you" said Grams "What is it this time?" "A spider!" pointing to a wad of hair taken from the drain and then laughing uproariously. Saved again. He spotted a variety of things including a ghost which I denied the existance of. This drama went on several times.

I sat at the piano and played Beethoven music. Music for coming out of the shower, adding made-up words, then next music for being out of the shower with appropriate made-up words....when Eth suddenly surprised me with a push to my back. This time I was the one who screamed! "It's the ghost from the bathroom!" The Moonlight Sonata then was rendered in a style to depict a ghost on Pirate Ship.

The Wiz Kids Pirate ships games are big here at the beach. "Pirates of the Frozen North" became the start of obsessive collecting of well-detailed ships from all countries to make & sail & strategize.

When looking for books we did not forget the inviting used & new book store, in a snug corner along the street, a lovely store which offers what the owners calls "an idiosyncratic collection." I purchase an extra copy of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Gift From the Sea" in large print for the beach house guests and her book Bring Me A Unicorn" - her diaries & letters 1922-1928 for myself. Perhaps I will be encouraged or inspired.

Long ago the others went up to bed.
Good night two sleeping puppies. Good night kitty.

Sept 11, 2009

Eth built a "firepit" of stones & bricks in the front yard. When he lapsed in minding his mommy she took away his Friday night movie Toy Story 2 and he lay down on the ground by the pit in total disappointment. Some folks coming up from the beach passed by and said "Oh a little boy lying down by the fire" (took the kind of imagination Eth had as no fire was there & they recognized it as a place for fire). Eth answered them while remaining prone, "No I'm fainting". Fainting in disappointment. Well his attitude changed and he helped Grams water the plants and his mom surprised him with reinstatement of movie night.

Eth fell down today, not from the front tree he loves to climb, but simply in running. The rocks banged up his knee with a couple of deep abrasions which will take longer to heal because of the bending of the knee. The first aid kit is well used. He ran the wagon with it anyway but when not playing walks with it stiff.

-What things thankful for today?
-THANKFUL that CAR totally made the beach garage a lean clean room! -And for sunshine and warm weather continuing. And the loudest crashing of waves all day, like cracking thunder. -And C & AGO working outside on the shed together. -And while I work on websites, Eth running with and riding his wagon outside and running with the puppies in the garage. And fresh Blueberries and pears.

January 1, 2009

January one 2009. Keenly aware.

“promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep.” (Robert Frost)

two children to observe and be present with.
One barely 6 years & counting. He stays overnight and at evening stories & prayers I explain a physical concept from the medical field.
He says "Grandma, you don't know the world."

Next morning his daddy comes to get them. He is in the entryway that contains his original painting. When he was four I showed him how to paint on canvas, laid out colors, and he painted a gorgeous impressionistic 16 x 20 painting hanging there in the living room entry..

It was in another room on my floor artists' easel until a friend asked "Who painted that? I like it!" With that comment came the discovery that my perception was accurate and not just grandmotherly. Colors of green and blue augmented with bits of splashes of white. We could sell prints of them. Here his daddy stands and greets him hello. The first thing he says to daddy:
"I got crumbs on the couch."

I let him eat on the couch watching a good video hoping he puts food in his mouth and swallows. I don't mind the crumbs because he eats only crumbs. A bite is a crumb.

I merely brush them off. The whole eating process becomes a sort of sacrifice. He survives on milk & Ovaltine and is in the lowest weight percentile for his age. Does he have an eating disorder. He saw his mother almost die from insulin releasing, and that was tied into food when the intake of juices did no good and paramedics and 4 emergency vehicles came to the rescue with him observing the whole thing which ended up in a hospital room.

Now, besides the Tinker Toys and the Lincoln Logs, the world is composed of Legos. He learned about Legos from his cousin.

He led everyone in singing "We wish you a merry Christmas" and "Deck the Halls", noticing if persons forgot some of the words as he remembers every word of hundreds of songs.

Two, number one's cousin. what is he up to this day that ushers in the year?

11 yrs old. In he comes on New Years Day, bearing his load. What is his load?

Boxes of Lego Creations to show Grandma all the ins and outs, the collapsing stairs & wall, the shooting cannon, etc. Incredible creations from this intelligent mind, this gifted class student, who wants to work for the Lego company when he grows up. G had shared with him long ago, and he remembered, about a man who went to law school, all the while continuing his Lego designing, i.e. "play", took a job with which he was bored, then went to work for the Lego company, and then on into his own lucrative business creating Lego replicatebuildings and such. Must have impressed him. He also came prepared to give Christmas gifts on this Christmas eve makeup time due to snow & ice. Although we ignored the snow/ice, met for dinner & opened a few gifts Christmas Day, He had saved his special gifts which were most impressive of thought:

a) A baseball cap saying "Hawaii" for his uncle was met with great oohs & awws & "best gift" as his uncle was raised in Hawaii. He stood watching the drama responses, like the child in "A Christmas Story", with mouth a bit open that his gift should cause such a stir. b) A Christmas ornament with a 737 airplane on it for his G who had worked on the 737. c) A painting he had made for G's art class given to who else but G. etc.

His dinner plate at first go contained Swedish meat balls and jello covered with whipped cream of which he let loose the pressure with swoops & smile.