Rockets and haircuts

I recently spent a lovely few weeks with my daughter and her family in Brisbane.  It had been three years since we'd last been together and I couldn't wait to see them all again and spend time with my grandchildren. Skype is wonderful but it's just not the same as actually being there. I have some very sweet new memories of our visit. Being there for the soccer match when Jake (6) scored his very first goal for his team was priceless.

What is it about a new colouring in book and fresh box of crayons that is so exciting?

Knowing that Jake had loved a visit to the planetarium, I told him about a Kindle book I'd enjoyed that chronicled the Apollo 11 space mission. And, we were off reading together. Although it is an adult book, he was fascinated, often reading along with me. The two of us had long conversations about rockets, space, the race to the moon and the meaning of words he didn't understand. It was amusing to have him picking me out too when I skipped bits that I thought he'd find boring! - bits about the background and politics of the time. We eventually got as far as the successful launch of the spaceship. The rest of the story is waiting for next time.

While Jake and I read, Lila (4) would listen, playing contentedly alongside of us with her mermaid doll but clearly not as deeply interested in the men going to the moon. Our chats were more about her craft work that she had carefully collected in a file, or the knots I combed out of the back of her hair. Knots she told me that the pillow made while she slept.

Like many young children, Lila is not at all keen on having her hair cut, but when I asked her for about the third time if I could cut her fringe, she agreed. I whipped out a comb and my tiny sharp embroidery scissors and before she could change her mind it was done. Anyone who knows me will be very surprised that I used my scissors for anything other than embroidery! I think the long fringe in her eyes was bothering me far more than it was Lila and I felt very privileged to be allowed to cut it.

Did I do any stitching while I was away? No, but if it counts at all, the intention was there.

The holiday flew by too quickly and it was soon time to leave for Cape Town. The day we were due to depart, things didn't go quite as smoothly as we expected and I'll post more about that next time.

Till then, happy stitching!