Sunday, August 4, 2013

The Happy Club

Just an afternoon at Emily’s & Molly’s house.  In town for work and staying the night with them,  I happily picked the girls up from school.  At home only to discover we have the wrong house key, an impromptu plan is born.

As they know, Grandma travels with snacks in the car.  Lots of snacks.  So we scrounge up some paper napkins, goldfish, sunflower seeds, rice cakes and bottled water and have ourselves a nice little Tea Party right there on the sidewalk with the ants and roly pollies – pinky up and everything. 

Pinky Up Tea Party is followed by a walk to the park.  Grandma also travels with a stroller so we put Molly in that.  She likes to be pushed fast.  Sister pushed and did a bit of careening around the corner. I wasn’t sure the umbrella stroller could go off-sidewalk but being a Jeep it held its own.

Molly loves dandelions so she selects one along the way and we pick it for her.  Emily says whoever gets to pick it gets to make the wishes.  I hold on to it so Molly can wish-blow the fluff into air when we get to the park. 

Swings are Molly’s first stop – anything with the capability to “go faster”.  She likes to swing really high, and she always says “go faster”, even if I’m already going faster than I want to.  Emily is more like me, she likes to swing lower but long and steady, and she’s got the nice long legs to kick out and giver her extra swinging power.

Emily leaves the swings to go make a club under the playscape. When I come up to join her, she introduces herself – “Hi, my name is Emily and this is a very happy Club.”  She created a general store where wood chips (conveniently used for playground cover) could be used to purchase pretend books.  I buy two and Molly buys one.

Mom and Dad call us on the cell phone, trying not to sound worried but wondering where we are.  We just needed an outing, I tell them, and assure them we’ll be back soon for supper.  A little more swinging, some sliding and playing chase and it’s time to head back.  Secured in her stroller, Molly immediately cries, “go faster” and Emily is only too happy to push her way faster than any Grandma probably should allow.  Besides, it’s good exercise for Grandma legs.


We make it home with no mishaps, arriving tired but with happy smiles and another happy memory.  Emily was right, it was a very happy Club.

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