Rehearsal

With two weeks to the end of
the school year the five and
six year olds walked along the
main road in their class lines
to the church hall to practise
for the school concert.

At the hall they ate their morning
snacks, went inside, took off their
jackets, sat down to watch each
other rehearse. When finished
they put on their jackets, walked
back to school in class lines.

With a mighty deluge the skies
opened half way back to school.

Back at school where they were
expected very soon there was a
rush to the car park. Principal
administrator, teacher aides
parent helpers, drove down the
road to collect the five and
six year olds out of the rain
drive then back to school.

Next day one parent complained
that none of the cars had seat
belts in the back seats. What to do ?
Keep young children safe or dry ?

Brand new changes were starting
in schools twenty five years ago.

Arbourists

Peaceful cows grazed in their
sunny  paddock after yesterday’s
stormy gales. Over the fence
school children ran around their
playing field enjoying wide
open spaces and sunshine.

With thunderous engine a large
truck arrived at the groundsman’s
request, with its cherry picker
platform to remove high boughs
dangling from narrow bark and
wooden strips after yestereday’s
gale force winds.  They raised their
mobile platform with two men
on it, revving chainsaws. They
dropped boughs to the ground.

Children came running to this
fascinating sight to gawp and stare,
chatter and point as groundsmen
and teachers steered them away
from heavy boughs and chainsaws.

The cows too had rushed to
the fence to gawp and stare
at the workmen but were
left to stand at the fence.

Food Watch

The black and white cat though
quite burly, well nourished,
started dinner watch when the
girls sat down to afternoon tea.
Cat dinner at people dinner time
started after he arrived with the
long departed tabby hunter who led
the assault on dining children
followed by her kitten friend.
Feeding cats at family dinner time
suited Mum so it was continued.

The black and white cat remained
optimistic often appearing as the
girls sat down for afternoon tea
after school. From the chairs round
the dining table he could see
through the kitchen to his empty
bowls on the laundry floor.
In winter he preferred chairs
warmed up by humans as the girls
sat turn by turn with Aunty Jo
with their homework. He quickly
jumped on to vacated chairs to be
squeezed out when a human
occupied the chair again.

But dinner would always finally
arrive for this opportunist optimist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daytime Sleep

Mum says two year olds need
a daytime sleep daily. Little
brother objects to this. So
much is going on outside his
room he wants to be there for it
all. How can they leave him out ?

The gate catch rattles, a car
drives in – Dad ? – Please !
He wants to see Dad. No.
That’s not Dad’s voice.
An unknown voice talks to
Mum. The car drives away.
Mum is busy in the kitchen.

Little brother calls to her,
talks from behind his closed
door. She leaves him there,
hoping he will give up, sleep.

Grandpa is more persuadable
but he keeps to his instructions.
Put little brother in his cot,
close the door. Little brother
talks loudly through the closed
door, calls excitedly when
Mum at last comes home.

When he keeps talking from
behind his closed door Mum
usually  comes and gets him
from his cot thirty minutes later.

Along the Driveway

Along the driveway little brother
rapturously explores its wonderful
world step by step with Aunty Jo
as they walk along to the road
to fetch the giant recycling bin.

He stops to pick a camellia
flower, stares at it, twirls it
in his fingers, gives it to Aunty Jo.
Pointed ivy leaves, crawling along
the ground, tall torn canna lily
leaves flapping in the wind, tall
fluffy grassy seed heads, violets
tall above their thickly clustered
leaves which he points at in
delighted crowing appreciation.
All draw his joyful attention.
Strangely shaped tiny stones of
the scattered gravel on the concrete
fascinate him, he gives them to her.

After checking the letter box
he goes on to the roadside with
Aunty Jo to bring in that huge
bin standing so tall on its wheels.

It’s A Girl !

Our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had a baby girl four hours ago, 4.45 pm local time, 5.45 am UK time; 12.45 USA EDT.  Yay !!  She and her partner messaged a photo on Instagram 1 1/2 hours later.  Congratulations to all of them.

A New Van

Dad’s tradesman’s van was getting
on in years not helped by strong
winds on open roads between
nearby local towns needing hi
specialised services. Heavy tools
and equipment in back held
down the van’s rear end when
buffeted by gales but the front
end bounced around shaking
the engine on its mountings.

He grew uneasy as the hundred
year gales increased in frequency
so went online to find another.
Having chosen a suitable model
he placed bids on internet auctions
till he acquired one for a suitable
price. Once checked and paid for
it was duly delivered home to
the joy of excited children.

Dad is still planning where to
place machinery, shelves, and tools,
but the children have enjoyed
slow rides in its spacious back
area down the long drive to the
road and back o the house.

They will miss the new van once
it is fitted out for its new work.

Glitch

I may have glitches with my computer for today, I will know later on. If I do not manage to post at my more usual time in about twelve hours the glitches wil have extended them selves.  Right now I am in town using a library computer. This involves not so frequent buses as I have no car. I will make my next post when I can.

 

Wartime Divorce

After the big Depression Dad
finally got a job saved money
married the girl of his dreams.
She played the piano at recitals
accompanied singers including Dad.

She expected to continued to play
in public he expected her to stay
home produce children that was
how he thought couples lived, for
discussions of expectations
did not always occur back them.

Two years after the wedding at
the outbreak of war he went
to sea. she went home to Mum
stayed there but spent her share
of his naval serviceman’s pay.

Wartime Pacific tours of duty
extended drawn out divorce
proceedings as she spent his pay.
As his ship with the fleet monitored
Japan’s coast after surrender his
divorce came through. He remarried

…. and started married life anew
with no savings from previous years.

A Puzzle

As the world settled down after
World War II our family attended
church on Sundays as did other
families except Dad stayed home
like many other Dads who had
been away to war. He said he had
too much church in his childhood.

At our school down the road
children asked why we did not
go to the nearby Anglican church
or the nearer Presbyterian church
instead of a Presbyterian church
still further away where Dad had
to drive us there and back.

Mum grew up Anglican, said the
wife went to her husband’s church.
But why the one so far away ?

On my twenty first birthday I
learned Dad had divorced his
first wife during world War II.

My conventional correct mother
could not take communion in her
childhood Anglican church.
The strict nearest Presbyterian
church frowned on divorce.
At our Presbyterian church Dad’s
uncle was an elder, the minister
Dad’s naval chaplain in the war.

So our church was not chosen
for beliefs and teachings but
for its acceptance of divorcees.