Five Children, a Dog and Some Rocks

By Belinda

I got home first after church, ahead of the other twelve, who arrived like homing pigeons soon after: Brenda and Kevin from cottage country; Pete and Sue, four grandchildren and one of their cousins; and Paul, with Uncle John and cousin Stephen, freshly arrived from England just yesterday.

I could hardly wait to use the new kitchen trolley thing that I bought from Solutions, "the organized living store," this week.

It has a stainless steel square top, with bamboo legs below, a drawer and a rack underneath, and a pull out wire basket, and it's on wheels.

There are so many large dinners at our house. I knew when I saw it a month ago at the store opening, how useful it would be.

It came in a box, and I didn't have time until yesterday to assemble it. I got out my tool box and after prying the pieces and screws from the packaging and shrink wrapping, I realized that I would need Paul's pair of hands and muscle power to help.

Together we did a fine job and were still talking at the end; even if we did end up with a wire basket at the bottom that pulls out in the opposite direction to the drawer at the top. There was no way I wanted to undo the million or so screws we had so firmly screwed in. I can live with it this way--and it is "uniquely ours."

It was every bit as amazing as I anticipated. I loaded it up with the dishes of food from the stove and pushed it all to the dining room table at once; the casseroles went back on top after going around the table and then afterwards I loaded it up with all dirty the dishes. It saved many steps and kept everything so organized.

I endured some teasing about my joy in this thing and blamed it all on my mum, who always got excited about new gadgets in her kitchen; even a nice new spout for her tap!

After lunch a grandson begged, "Please can we go to the park Omie." I can no more say no to a grandchild than I can to Molson, and so in spite of a sky that looked like rain, I said yes.

"We're going to the park," I shouted, and four more children jumped off the couch. Off we went with Molson, and three umbrellas in case of rain, which happily weren't  needed.

We were almost home when one child picked up a stone in our driveway, to a chorus of, "Mommy won't let you bring home any more rocks," from the others.

"Hey, I have some amazing rocks," I said

"You do?" they said, and inside, I emptied them into a tray and showed them off to this very appreciative little audience. They turned each one over in wonder and wanted to know which one was my favourite, then they chose theirs.

 

Our afternoon ended with Sue and I watching  Hachi; A Dog’s Tale with the children, while Paul, Pete,Uncle John and Stephen, talked in the next room. Sue and I sobbed through the last half hour, while the kids laughed at us and handed us Kleenex. My littlest granddaughter thew her arms around me twice,  saying, "I'll make you feel better, Omie."

It is such a good movie, but be prepared that if you have a heart any bigger than a pea you will be a blubbering mess.

As I prepared to wave off Pete and Sue and crew as they left at the end of the day, our youngest grandson called out from the front step, "Omie, help me pack these rocks in my pocket."

And I did... :)