It’s like living in a Sci Fi movie, isn’t it?  One where people and things disappear.  Or like that book  not too long ago that talked about the second coming, where all the people who were truly going to heaven just disappeared one day, leaving the rest left behind.  (Left Behind)

It’s the empty office at work.  The empty chair.  The clean desk – no papers, no phone ringing, the blank stare of the computer.  Just gone.

The house down the block.  There’s no “For Sale” sign on the front, just weeds, lots of weeds in a yard that was once well kept.  Is that a sign on the garage window?  Maybe I could just walk down the driveway and take a look.  But before I get to the sign, it’s easy to tell the former occupants are gone.

However, weeds aren’t necessarily an  indicator of people being gone.  In Southern California, it’s water that’s gone.  No watering the lawn except on certain days, don’t clean your driveway with the hose, don’t take long showers.  Is someone watching to see how long I shower?  Scary.

How about restaurants gone?  I still like to eat out, and they still show their “Come In and Eat” signs, but their doors won’t open and a dark, dead space looms on the other side of the door where people once ate and chattered.

Furniture stores?  Car dealerships?  Road repairs.  School supplies.  Long lines at the soup kitchens.  Wondering if our social structure can feed so many, not to think of housing.

Just gone.  Every day or so I notice that something more is gone.  Where did it go?  Nowhere.  It’s just gone.

Here at home, I suspect my hubbie has something to do with it.  Today when I was getting the mail, I took a handful of junk mail intending to throw it into a garbage can waiting for pickup.  Wait a minute!  That’s my sunshine blocker for the car, and the almost empty bottle of Windex I keep out for the cars and keep filling with cheaper stuff.  On his way out to the street, he somehow was infected by throwing stuff away, and seems to have thrown away much of what I had stored in the garage.  Is he trying to tell me something?  Or is it just gone.  Gone, gone, gone.

Marilynne

I woke up this morning to something so incredibly beautiful I just had to show everyone.  We had a very heavy mist last night and it must have misted all night long.  This is what I saw when I went out to get the morning paper.

I hope you enjoyed them too.

Marilynne

Bunny is sad because I'm gone.

It’s time to bring Bunny Day to this web site.  A Bunny Day is a day when I want to post, but really don’t have time to do it.  So, the bunnies take over.  Ironically, today it took as long to get the bunny pictures as it would have to post.  I usually have a collection of pictures to select from.  It amuses me to see where the bunnies are and what they’re up to.

Happy Bunny Day to you.

Marilynne

Entertaining Children Inexpensively

Dad introduces me to nature

Have I really been rattling along for three posts – soon to be four posts – about children?  Do I really remember so much?  I guess I do because it keeps tumbling into my brain.

OK.  Today we’re talking about entertaining children.  I suspect most of you know how to do the cheap things.

Crafts: You need paper, scissors, tape, colored paper or colored ads the kids can cut up.  Watercolors are good.   Markers are good if you can control the paint, but crayons are cheaper.  Don’t be a Kate and expect everything to be perfect.  Cutting up pieces of colored paper and gluing or taping them onto another page is just fun.  Not a masterpiece, just fun to try.  Older kids can try to make pictures.  Younger kids can just have fun doing it.

Tip: You can make paste out of flour and water, but beware – when it dries you’ll think it’s super glue.  Be sure the work surface is thickly covered with newspaper.

Tip: Our kids learned a school trick for cleanup.  After all the keepers were taken off the work space, one of the kids would call “HOT DOG!”  and everyone began rolling the newspapers into the center.  Unless the kids were accomplished at this, an adult would need to carry it to the trash.

Parks: Picnics can be as simple as PB&J sandwiches and juice.  (PB&J is peanut butter and jelly.)  It’s not about the food for kids.  It’s about running around in a new place.  Screaming some.  Running a lot.  Just doing silly stuff.  A grassy hill is good for smaller kids.  Once they figure out how to roll, they’ll wear themselves out doing it.  Kids should wear play clothing.  Mom’s should bring sun screen, band aids, and a cool head.  You’ll need shade.  Trees are good.

Parks and Cameras. If you can afford it, buy a couple of cheap disposable cameras.  Suggest some poses and show them how to work the camera.  Then turn them loose with them.  I have some adorable pictures of my grandchildren in the swimming pool with disposable underwater cameras.  This activity costs a bit more, but keeps them busy a long time.

Water Play: Put your kids in bathing suits and give them buckets to fill with water.  Rules include not overwatering small children, not watering the inside of the house.  Make them play on the lawn so it gets watered at the same time.  Hoses are OK if the kids are old enough to use them responsibly.  High pressure water can hurt.

Water Play Plus Watercolor: This one includes children’s watercolors (nonstaining).  Put the kids in swim suits, then let them paint themselves or each other with the watercolors.  No paints in mouth or eyes.  Lots of dry towels to follow.  When they’re tired of painting, take pictures, then bring out the hoses and buckets and let them wash it off.  Wrap in dry towels.  They’re probably ready for lunch and a nap.

Dress Up: If  you don’t have a lot of old clothing the kids can play in, go to a thrift store.  Get hats, shoes, gloves, glittery things.  This is good rainy day activity.

Play: Older kids will enjoy giving a play.  All that’s required is a large space to give the performance and an appreciative audience when they’re done.  Cookies and juice are appreciated.

Lemonade Stands: Am I showing my age or is it still fun?  Set out a card table and have plenty of drinks ready to sell.  You need two pitchers, lots of juice, disposable cups, and a box for the money.  My kids and their friends usually drank most of it themselves, but they loved selling it and getting a few pennies for it.

Toy Sales: This is a good way to recycle toys within the neighborhood.  Be sure to tell the kids you must approve of the toys being sold and have a right to comment about the price.  This is a good mid-summer activity when the kids begin to get bored.  Let them choose the toys for sale.  Be sure they understand that the toys will belong to someone else once they’re sold.  Be sure you keep this under control or some good stuff will go too cheaply.

So, let the kids run the sale, but be right there.  (Find an activity like sweeping the sidewalk that gives you a clear view of what’s going on.  This is a fun thing that could get carried away.)  Once your kids have sold their toys, the neighborhood will probably have other toy stores as the kids pass the toys between themselves.

Please feel free to add to this list.  You guys are closer to the subject than I am.

Marilynne