{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Via SouleMama.
What a lovely photo of an engrossed little chap. Just to let you know, I have baked the apple and banana loaf tonight - it has nearly finished cooking and looks and smells gorgeous. Can't wait to taste some! Thank you for the recipe. Best wishes Ellie
Reminds me of this beautiful poem: Parenthood After Theodore Roethke
I have known the inexorable sadness of children's shoes, squat in their boxes, scuffed after five minutes' wearing, the incalculable tristesse of Thomas the Tank Engine slippers, DayGlo blue nylon with immutable plastic badges, and the cost of all this which is sleeplessness, vomit and Dettox spray, rage of shoelace tying, bottom wiping, yoghurt scraping, Ribena mopping, as you try, one hand glued to your hair, your mouth burning with sores, to speak politely on the telephone to the woman who is buying your house, the doctor who says don't bend, the friend who is just back from Prague your mother who begins, 'Well, in my day... And I have seen dust collect under their beds, there is nothing I can do to prevent it, visions of gin, gallons of it, before breakfast, incomprehensible gobbledegook of Tommee Tippee instructions, Tixylix, dawn-light of Calpol, poignancy of vests in their packets, blockage of buggies in swing doors and heartbreak of stories by the fire, Granpa, Peepo!, Peace at Last, the firelight wavering and breathing slowing to a pulse that overcomes you with drowsiness, the furies of your life ebbing as the story, here, now, unfurls, grows, is fixed, not a word omitted or changed, by stories are we known and do tell ourselves, daddy, I'm tired now please, carry me, you forgot vitamins, to bed.
Lottie, thank you so much for sharing this poem with me. It is beautiful and moving and so right. I have not come across this poet before. It really touched a nerve with me (we read Peepo only a few days ago!) and the bit about the doctor who says "don't bend" - you have to laugh so you don't cry.
In his own little world. The helicopter was very seriously waved about in the air before carefully coming down to land on the helipad...serious stuff, being three!
Oh my, so cute! It looks like Angus is also a Thomas the Train fan...our little ones would get along so well
ReplyDeleteI am sure they would! He loves Thomas, but is currently into anything from the Cars film - Lightening McQueen is his absolute favourite.
DeletePeppa Pig and Thomas are a big hit in our home too :-)
ReplyDeletePeppa Pig has taken over the world! Wish I'd thought of the Peppa Pig idea...
DeleteWhat a lovely photo of an engrossed little chap.
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know, I have baked the apple and banana loaf tonight - it has nearly finished cooking and looks and smells gorgeous.
Can't wait to taste some! Thank you for the recipe.
Best wishes
Ellie
Ellie, you're welcome, although I can't take any credit for writing it! I do hope you enjoyed it. Gillian x
DeletePeppa, Thomas and Dora..I see your English children are quite similar to our Australian ones... ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they are! It's sweet to think of the same little children's books popping up on bookcases in all corners of the globe.
DeleteI love this.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of this beautiful poem:
Parenthood
After Theodore Roethke
I have known the inexorable sadness of children's shoes,
squat in their boxes, scuffed after five minutes' wearing,
the incalculable tristesse of Thomas the Tank Engine slippers,
DayGlo blue nylon with immutable plastic badges,
and the cost of all this which is sleeplessness, vomit and Dettox spray,
rage of shoelace tying,
bottom wiping, yoghurt scraping, Ribena mopping,
as you try, one hand glued to your hair, your mouth burning
with sores, to speak politely on the telephone
to the woman who is buying your house,
the doctor who says don't bend, the friend who is just back from Prague
your mother who begins, 'Well, in my day...
And I have seen dust collect under their beds, there is nothing
I can do to prevent it, visions of gin, gallons of it, before breakfast,
incomprehensible gobbledegook of Tommee Tippee instructions,
Tixylix, dawn-light of Calpol, poignancy of vests in their packets,
blockage of buggies in swing doors
and heartbreak of stories by the fire,
Granpa, Peepo!, Peace at Last, the firelight wavering
and breathing slowing to a pulse
that overcomes you with drowsiness,
the furies of your life ebbing as the story, here, now, unfurls,
grows, is fixed, not a word omitted or changed,
by stories are we known and do tell ourselves, daddy,
I'm tired now please, carry me, you forgot vitamins, to bed.
Anthony Wilson
Lottie, thank you so much for sharing this poem with me. It is beautiful and moving and so right. I have not come across this poet before. It really touched a nerve with me (we read Peepo only a few days ago!) and the bit about the doctor who says "don't bend" - you have to laugh so you don't cry.
DeleteReally, thank you for sharing this poem. x
Ahhh, bless him, totally captivated with his toys and books.
ReplyDeleteIn his own little world. The helicopter was very seriously waved about in the air before carefully coming down to land on the helipad...serious stuff, being three!
Deletepop over to my blog to pick up your Sunshine Award!
ReplyDeletexxx
Ooh, thank you, I will do!
Deletesimply adorable.
ReplyDeleteThank you :-) He has his moments though.
Delete