Labor Day, a holiday devoted to honoring all of the hard working Janes and Joes of this nation by giving them a Holiday from their regular work-a-days. Also a day to mark the end of a long, hot summer as the hints of Fall start to appear in cooler nights and days. A time to take a last vacation to a warm, sandy spot on a pool of blue water somewhere.
Or.....
Accept the offer to keep the newly turned three year old twin grandsons while the mother and father figures go to the beach for the week. Hmmmmmm....
I know, I know. A grandmother should accept with grace the position she holds at this point of her life and embrace all opportunities to dote on the little ones. And I do. Though a picture perfect Granmama I do not claim to be. I have to admit that my energy level saps much more quickly than it did 30 years ago. Watching the twins is like watching an instant replay of every instant. They say the same things, think the same thoughts and of course do the same do-s. They fall together, cry together, scream together and happily go to sleep together.
In short, they wear me out. I succomb to stress and frustration just as easily as the best of you. So now, into that mix add my MS and her friend, a big dog and a little dog, and now my 1st grader granddaughter. It's a full house and a house full of noise, laughter and of course a lot of love.The dogs are terrorized, the neighbors have probably debated calling DFACS by now and I had one good nerve left and by cracky.... they got on it this afternoon.
They wanted to wash the car. My immediate impulse was NO, but the word that came out of my mouth was OKAY. What can it hurt I mused. They get wet, have a little fun and I get a clean car out of the deal. So they donned their bathing suits and drug the water hose around to the car. I supplied them with wash cloths, dish soap and a bucket and went back inside.
At first there were the expected squeals of joy and laughter. I took my Harry Potter book out onto the porch to watch the merriment - just in time for twin #1 to slip in the garage and start screaming. My MS, in her bikini with far too many curves to suit me, jumped up from her station at the rear right tire and took off running to her brother's rescue.... only to slip on the same slick spot and hit the conrete hard. So, to recap: Twin #1 is screaming in pain... twin #2 who repeats every word and shadows every move it screaming in commiseration. My MS is sprawled (in the bikini) on the garage floor insisting that she has mortal wounds. Granddaughter #2 is sucking her thumb and the Best friend once dated George Washington. (where did that come from you might ask? - exaggeration is her middle name)
Drawing from parenthood 101, I pretended not to be overly alarmed. Though, I must admit having visions of ER's all night long dancing in my head. I said, "everybody up and go get into the shower". And believe it or not, they did it.
Now I sit here, blocking all external sounds out and typing this account of just a one hour period of this MiMi's Labor Day. I have labored, I have practiced meditation to get through and I have enjoyed several bottle of a nice Cab-Shiraz blend :-)
It's 5:40 PM. One hour and twenty minutes til bedtime!! And they go home tomorrow.
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