Life of ease

Look at Honey. She likes to keep me company, while I am in here blogging & sewing. There is little sewing being done these days, but she still follows me.

I made her this cushion, & both dogs share it.
Yesterday, Honey had a bath, & a partial hair cut. I say partial, because she gets very stressed, & will only let me clip about half of what I need to.

She is very reluctant to face the camera. I suspect she doesn't care for the flash. I did my best to get a picture of them both facing the camera, but these were the results.

Leo obliged, while Honey looked down the stairs.

Then Honey looked up, & Leo turned away.

We have SG here this afternoon. He is out of the balcony entertaining Gom. I am not sure what game they are playing at present, but he seems to be chattering a constant stream of instructions.

He came barrelling in before, rushed off into the toilet, then came out having trouble with his pants. He asked me to do them up for him, & told me,

"You can do the zip up for me, Nanna, but dont zip up my doodle!" I assured him I wouldn't & off he went, all happy, to play with Gom again.

We had a day out at a shopping Mall yesterday. Gom went off on secret missions, & I got to sit & wait for him. I watched the puppies being admired. I swear the biggest fans were the elderly. Of course the pups were mostly the small fluffy cute variety, & of course, very appealing.

I was interested to see a spike haired 'tough guy' with dark glasses, stop & grin foolishly at the little Foxie dogs.

Another young man came along, with those hideous earlobe holes. I swear the holes were at least an inch in diameter, & they just hung like empty looped pink worms at the sides of his head, & wobbled when he moved. I found them very off putting, & wonder how anyone could ever bear to look at them. He also had a very thick black nose ring, which pierced his septum, & appeared to have spikes on it, which hung almost to his upper teeth! Various other studs & rings hung from other parts of his face, & altogether I am sure he would set off a metal detector at an airport.

I seemed to notice a very high number of heavily tattooed men too. One young man must have only recently had a whole arm done, as he walked about holding it about a foot away from the rest of his body. Perhaps he was just showing it off.

I was surprised by the number of old people shuffling along, intent on missions of Xmas buying I suppose. Some of them appeared to move so slowly, I could only admire their determination & stamina, for bothering to go out & shop. I was having a bad knee day, & was feeling a little savage, & uncharitable about shopping in general.

Standing in a Supermarket queue, watching a very large woman, with a pretty daughter around 10, & extremely trying young son, who was awhine over everything he saw. Nagging for every item he touched. An old lady in front of them, turned & glared fiercely at them all, & the daughter blushed, & as the old dear's eyes glared up & down the mammoth mother's form, she blushed, & then the young boy suddenly went quiet.

The daughter cringed behind her mother's huge frame, so to break the ice, I asked if she had the day off school. She looked embarrassed, & her mother said she was sick, & they had come to get panadol.

Next thing the little old fierce glarer, burst into smiles & she began to talk too! I am not sure who was most surprised!

****

I have noted the media keep referring to Kevin's -the incoming Prime Minister- wife as a "Multi Millionaire" and use such terms as 'astute & successful business woman'. I cannot recall the media referring to Jeanette as a 'stay at home pauper'. Or whatever it was, she was/is. Surely the financial status of the wife of the Prime Minister is their business?

In my younger days, I was guaranteed to make a baby cry, if I smiled at it. They just didn't seem to like me much. Of course there were exceptions, & some friends once wanted me to go away with them on holiday, to be Nanny for their 5 children. Their youngest 2 daughters just seemed to adore me, & one of them would cling to me like a limpet every time we visited. As I was still young & single, I didn't particularly fancy being a Nanny to 2 boisterous older boys, who though nice, were nonetheless vigorous boys, & 3 little girls of varying temperament. So I politely declined their offer.

Now, some thing about me must have changed, as I find that babies invariably respond with big smiles when I smile at them now, & even gurgle, & laugh. This pleases me a lot, & I told my poor daughter yesterday, that all I want for Xmas is another Grandchild. She wont be having any more children, I know, & unless our second son gets a move on I doubt he will.

I just seem to be awfully clucky at present, & would love another baby in the family.

Of course they inevitably turn into teenagers. I am not keen on teenagers. About the only teenagers I have ever liked were my own! Even our granddaughter had her unattractive moments in teenage hood. Sort of like a Werewolverine, or wolfess, or whatever they are. In the blink of an eye, that sweet girl turned into some vile stranger. O yes, we loved her in spite of it all. But we were so glad she grew out of it!!

I know I was a vile teenager. I was very lucky, my daughter was a nice one for the most part. Hormones played havoc now & then, but on the whole compared to me, she was a saint!

Janis Ian, Sugar Mountain.