Today is the youngest Rugrat’s birthday; he turns all of 10 years old or, as his siblings put it, he’s now a double digit. Tonight they stopped in on the way to their dad’s place to pick up Tao’s birthday box of goodies, and his brother, who celebrated his first teen-day last Sunday, asked me “Do you remember me turning 10, Mémère? We were staying here and I yelled down to you that I was a double digit now! You whispered back – ok, but it’s 5 AM and you’ll be a double digit all day, so keep it down, will ya? Everybody’s sleeping!”
Hahaha! I hadn’t remembered that part until he said it. What I did remember was his coming to join me and us sipping hot chocolate while waiting for the others to crawl out of bed. Both my sons and their families were living with me at the time, and it was rare that I could spend one on one time with any of them. It was an occasion to be relished, and it seems as much for him as for me.
In my last post I told you about the sharing of one cupcake which was to be paid back when Tao received his box? His brother reminded him of it on entering the kitchen. Because we were keeping our ‘physical’ distances, Tao managed to dig into his gift without us noticing really. He found his lemon cupcakes and turned them upside down, kind of spoiling the effect with the meringue now stuck onto the lid.
“Oops!” he said, looking at his bro. He held a messy cupcake out to Bali, and it was regarded with a scornful shake of head and a “Yeh, right!” Tao’s grin as he turned away told me he was quite aware that it wouldn’t be accepted, but the offer had been made and as far as he was concerned his debt was paid, refusal or not. I coughed to camouflage my giggle.
They spent maybe 20 turbulent minutes with me while their dad was switching the battery on the lawn tractor. When they left it was a ‘wow’ moment. Three young lads sure stir up the air, and the memories of how it was when they were living here fulltime induced a melancholic longing to have those days back.
I didn’t get to hug them, but tomorrow morning I’ll finish my clear garbage bag body suit and I intend to squeeze the devil out of them at the birthday BBQ! I have 3 months to make up for, and probably another 3 coming up, so you can be sure I’ll make the most of it.
Just the thought of it makes me SMILE. And yes, you know your share of SMILES is winging its way to you. Probably will arrive fast enough too with the way those winds blowing right now!
LUV FROM THE BUSH IN QUEBEC
Tales from the Bush in Quebec 