Return to Childhood-ish

Last Friday I got to spend most of the day up the "hill" (it's more like climbing a small mountain, for someone raised in former prairie country) with a family of eight beautiful children. Mom is pregnant with number nine, so I went to help her out watching the kids while she got some rest, as well as catch up a bit with her.

Anywho, I got to spend time with them, not only getting some adult woman time to chat a bit, but then, when she was napping, I went off with the kids, playing battles with wooden swords, fixing "soup" and bandages for wounded soldiers, and just running flat out through the bush led by a nine-year-old who had "rescued" me from the team I didn't even know had taken me as a captive.

Myself, I'm still somewhat hesitant to run, or even slowly walk, through the bush by myself. These kids though, they've grown up with it, and just know where to go, what to avoid. Here I am, scared stiff of running into snakes. Not an illegitimate fear, mind you, but in all honesty, the chance of getting bit is very slim. Even when running flat out. Especially if it's a place frequently tramped down by small booted (and bare) feet.

So off I went, to enjoy playing pretend again with all the kids.

Beatles found on some peppermint gum trees on their property that the kids showed me. They come in just about every color imaginable (and I love the grubby little hand!).

Apparently, as she was searching for me she saw a snake head. But "it turned out just to be old Bluey." The lizard was used as a decoy as she "rescued" me.