On Mondays after school
the ten year old does thirty minutes
maths – or more – with Aunty Jo
while the twelve year old and
little brother go out elsewhere
then thirty minutes handcraft.
With dyslexia in both her parents’
families passed on to her
Aunty Jo gives her one on one
time after school on Mondays.
“Extra school !” says the ten year old.
Maths is quickly sorted, completed
then various hand crafts chosen by
the ten year old to strengthen her
unco-ordinated finger skills.
Aunty Jo gave the ten year old
an origami book for her eighth
birthday. It was too hard for her
Mum and Nana told Aunty Jo.
“Teach her origami ! She’s so keen !”
Monday sessions after maths vary.
Sewing kits, origami, crochet, origami,
knitting, origami, cartoons, origami.
Origami keeps returning. Aunty Jo
gets stuck as much as her pupil.
After many origami library books
the ten year old now searches
origami on the internet.
Aunty Jo started this. She gave her
that first book, showed her key
phrases to search origami instructions.
They will be battling origami
for a while yet.
Parent And Child
Unsteady mother moved around
on a walking frame. Also in
her beloved little hatchback
painted in long silver and yellow
streaks across its body, with
BUZZ in bright red capitals
along each side.
Until she had a heavy fall,
landing hard on one side,
cracking ribs and pelvis on
the other side. time in hospital.
…… Frustration !!
Two weeks boredom in her
retirement village flat, after
moving in two weeks late.
Keeping still – it hurt to move,
Pain and sleep medication.
…… Very Fed Up !!!
Daughter refused to bring BUZZ
car to village from her home !!
Driving not allowed while
on all that medication.
Big sorting out between
mother and daughter !!!
Mother exhausted rest of the day.
Taxis to and from shopping plaza,
walking frame in the boot.
Cousins
Two cousins with their Mum
Auntie Lisa came to stay with
Nana for a week. Also their
lively little puppy because their
Dad was cranky with his
expanding business, with new staff.
Too busy for a very sociable puppy.
Nana loves her children, grandchildren,
but erratic heart problems have drained
her energy to deal with them.
Especially when their tiny puppy
went steeple chasing round the
living room from arm to arm
of chairs and sofa.
For the girl cousin’s birthday they
rugged up puppy in Nana’s garage
with a large bone in case of
boredom or starvation. It works.
They spent the evening with their
cousins, with varying takeaways –
Macdonalds, gluten free, diary free.
Followed by a shrieking session
on the trampoline for digestion.
“Five kids with five balls on the
trampoline,” called Auntie Jo.
No injuries. No problem. Later
they came in for cake and presents.
The birthday girl loved her craft
present from her cousins, was
ecstatic with the money from
her senior relations. It will be
spent on riding lessons.
Genetic Mutation
German shepherd dogs
successful at police work
are bred together to produce
pups who will hopefully
prove to be highly suitable
for police work.
Pups leaving their mothers
live with police officers
for initial puppy training
to learn obedience
and basic commands.
They move on to advanced
training for their work.
Those fifty percent of pups
less suitable move to caring homes.
One pup more than unsuitable by
police dog standards failed
completely. He often rolled on to
his back, waving feet in the air
to have his tummy rubbed, never
discriminating in whom he chose.
His police job was quite unique.
He became “meet and greet”
dog at Queensland’s central
police head quarters.
Shopping In Lockdown
Lockdown again !
Mum designated Dad as the
family’s single shopper at the
mega supermarket. He won’t be
able to work for a few weeks.
She makes up the shopping list,
confidant that he knows full
well what their children need for
their irascible stomachs with
multiple strange food intolerances.
On his first time shopping he
found everything correctly.
Except for the black and white
cat’s food, for his mercurial
changeable whims and fancies.
His current favourite cat food
was not on the shelves.
There was no knowing what
he would accept this time.
Dad bought three different tins.
The black and white cat
deigned to eat two of them.
Not the third which had to
be given away to friends.
The ten year old says he was
a strange looking kitten but
is growing into his patches.
He is nine years old this month
…… still very determined.
Washing
I miss the carport at my little
flat of the previous nine years.
I sold it all and bought a little
flat at this retirement village
for its financial situation which
leaves money for medical treatment.
I left washing in the carport
as long as I wished, its wind
tunnel draughts dried the washing.
Now on wet days I put washing on
drying frames under my front
entry’s eaves with wonderful
breezes but restricted space.
No clothes drying machines
with hot air for me.
I want fresh air flowing round
my washing as it dries.
Few other residents around me
hang washing out to dry. They
use clothes drying machines.
Strange …… Each to their own taste.
Windows
In my new home
windows encase one end of my
living room, wide ranch slider
at their centre, light pouring in.
Along one side wall
more windows, light pouring in,
making a light filled cheerful
living room, better than I have
had before. Floor length drapes
pull to dim the light when it
too brilliant, in summer.
Opened up, my ranch slider
leads out to more space,
my front entry ramp, to greetings
from people going past.
I have long enjoyed the light
airy openness of so many
modern buildings built over
the last two decades.
Trip To The Supermarket
In my teaching days I
organised occasional class
trips to the supermarket with
allotted tasks for children,
parent helpers, teachers, to ensure
the children observed everything
done in the store, behind the store.
With adults steering groups of
children, none of them were lost.
Great class work was produced
to show good understanding of
supermarket functionings.
Our retirement village minibus
took several very elderly residents
on each trip to the supermarket,
and me during Covid19 lockdown.
The driver dropped us off at
the designated drop off point,
showed us where to meet her after
our shopping, went to collect
the next shopping group.
Arriving first at the meeting point,
I saw some of our shoppers come
out, head back to the drop off point,
steered them along to the meeting
place, with a comfortable seat, but
missing some who returned to the
crowded drop off point.
There the returning driver found them,
then located us far away at the
designated meeting point.
The supermarket staff had not allowed
for this elderly clientele when
designating these gathering points.
School trips were easier.
Covid19 Fitness
As Covid19 alert levels stepped
down the gym allowed us in for
widely spaced exercise machines.
After five weeks away they allowed
fitness groups with restricted
numbers, wide spacing.
Facebook told us to book by
phone or online, wear masks into
the building, not for activities.
Our large room now haspoetry fitness post lockdown.
twenty two huge red crosses
socially distanced over the floor.
Fine while we warmed up on
the spot, lifted weighted bars
for fifteen minutes …. Repeat
mantra …. this is good for me.
Then much movement to music at
an energetic pace on or around
our large red crosses – somehow
we kept a degree of social
distancing: stepping, hopping, skipping
at great speed, using every muscle.
Next day on my walk I felt
tenderised all over, after several
weeks lockdown break.
Our classes used to be larger
so I booked for next week.
I should be recovered by then.
An Award (2)
When little brother was born
his sisters aged six and a half,
and five, were already at school.
He really wanted to catch up
with them, do as well as they do.
By eighteen months he was
repeating back to us what ever
we said, to learn new words.
Kindergarten had its moments,
days when he just wanted to
cling to Mum. He came to accept
kindergarten into his life, moving
through it with his usual energy.
School at five saw him cling to
Mum again but he became accustomed
to school too, put his fizzing energy
into all the activities there.
After his first five months of
school Covid19 locked us down
for several weeks, then he went
back to school. clinging to Mum.
Gradually he re-immersed himself
into the classroom, energetic again.
Last week the principal came with
the certificates of achievement,
bringing one for little brother …
…… for bravery.
Little brother will try anything
even outside his comfort zone.
He will give anything a go.
lifecameos 