A memorable day!
... For the wake-up to lovely sunshine! Just one day of blue skies (the clouds are slated to return tomorrow), but oh, are we thankful for it!
(just before sunrise)
... Memorable, too, for the wake-up to no hot water. And no heat. And no gas in the stove. How could this be?! I have a million things to do! It's not just any day, it's Snowdrop's birthday. She is six and there should be friends and a party but of course, there is none of that. There is home and there is the farmhouse and right now the farmhouse is very cold..
I rouse Ed.
The gas is somehow stuck. Not flowing into the house. We call Madison Gas and Electric
They take a long while to come and that's a good thing, because before they do, Ed locates the problem: an iced-over pressure regulator on the gas line. Phew! A close call. He de-ices it and we're back in business!
A very rushed breakfast...
... and then the kids arrive. You'll see a lot of Snowdrop here today. A party of photos of the girl who deserves a party! (And her little brother who just wants to be with her every minute of the day.)
(admiring mermaid banner)
(this one: )
(school: ten minute phonics lesson)
(letting me take her 6-year old portrait)
School, play, read, play - your typical mash-up of activities on this unusual day.
The birthday girl is in great spirits and that's such a good thing! Of course, she is often in great spirits. Snowdrop has a wide emotional range, but her default setting surely is exuberance!
Watching her grow up is indeed grand. Each and every child on this planet has a unique gift. Or two, or more. Whatever the little girl's gifts may be in adulthood, right now, without a doubt, I'd say she is a master story teller. As it's her special day, I can share something from her encyclopedic storehouse of stories. It's from yesterday actually. She was discussing things mathematical with her other grandmother and in being told she can make up a story math problem, you know, with the usual subtractions and additions, Snowdrop enthusiastically offers one of her own creation: Here it is:
LUCY AND JACK’S SNOW DAY
Lucy and Jack are waking up. Lucy opens her window and yawns and then she says "Look at that snow! It's a snow day, Jack." she says. Jack wakes up. "What, Lucy?" he says. "Jack, it's a snow day!" said Lucy. "Lucy, don't get too excited," said Jack. "First we have to get ready." "Yeah and wake up Mom and Dad."
she said. "Okay," said Jack. "We'll wake up Mom and Dad first." "Well, what are you waiting for?
Let's wake up Mom and Dad." she said.
"Shhh!" said Lucy.
"Let's jump on their bed." said Jack.
First Mom woke up. "Aah,kids... why are you jumping on my bed?It's only 7:30 in the morning."
"Mom," said Lucy, "look out your window. It's a snow day."
Then Dad woke up. He said "No peanut butter pancakes."
"Dad... Mom can cook but you know we can't cook."
"Sorry,kids. I was dreaming I was at a mansion where they brought me everything I wanted and next I had wanted peanut butter pancakes."
"Kids, let's go have breakfast." said Mom.
"Can I have peanut butter pancakes?" Dad said right away.
And then Jack said, "And I'll have peanut butter pancakes too." And then Lucy said, "I'll have peanut butter pancakes too!" "Wait, kids and Dad," said Mom. "I think I'll have peanut butter pancakes too." "What are we waiting for?" said Lucy."Let's go downstairs and have our pancakes."
After they ate their peanut butter pancakes, Lucy said, "Jack, race you to the door!" "Hold on, young lady. First we have to get ready for the day and then you can say 'Jack, race you to the door.'"
"Okay," said Lucy. "Let's go take a bath." Lucy and Jack took their bath and got dressed. Lucy said, "Let's go outside and play." "And have a snowball fight," said Jack. "Well, let's get ready and go outside." said Lucy.
When they got in their clothes and went outside, Lucy said, "Let's have 14 snowballs. I'll have 3. How many will you have, Jack?"
"Hmm," said Jack,"how many will I have? Well, how about I have 11?" "Yeah, you should have 11," said Lucy. "Let's go have our snowball fight."
In the end Lucy won because she didn’t use a single snowball until Jack ran all out.
Some day someone will have to tell her that her teacher will expect a two line problem. For now, I just have to smile and say -- this is sooo Snowdrop!
With such radiant sunshine outside, I push for the outdoors. Not terribly long: Sparrow's patience with snow is still pretty thin. (Snowdrop, on the other hand, could play out there for a long long time.)
Gaga what's Snowdrop doing? Snow angels? I think she's just enjoying being in the snow!
(Sparrow with snowman)
(Snowdrop is not a snowman builder. She prefers her magic meadowland pretend play.)
In the late afternoon, I take the kids back to their house and I speed up the preparations for a farmhouse celebration. The cake needs to be frosted...
Too, I fix the girl's favorite dinner (crunchy chicken, pasta and corn), blow up some balloons and bring down the presents. Snowdrop had meekly asked -- gaga, will you be giving me a present? Yes, little one. I will.
[And, just before the young family comes back to the farmette, Ed and I have time for a quick run on a ski trail! That's how close we are to the county park!]
(frozen lake, ice fisher person...)
Just after sunset, the young family comes and the birthday celebrations continue!
First on the agenda: connect with the Chicago young family.
The balloons, the gifts -- it's all rather spirited! Snowdrop takes a moment to recharge.
(dinner)
(cake)
And then, one last photo. I will see the kids one more time, tomorrow, but there wont be anyone to take this pic: of the four of us on the farmhouse white couch, where we have had so many rambunctious play moments, interspersed with the occasional viewing of their beloved Olivia the Pig film clips.
Time for them to head home.
The farmhouse is warm, the water is warm, the stars are out, the heart feels very full.
