walking

In the middle of intense nephew time presently.

It's hard not to be exhausted... physically and emotionally.

We go on lots of walks. He needs to be in motion working out the energy.

Walking...running, playing, jumping, climbing -- anything that seems even possibly climb-able: benches, trees, tables, bookshelves. Power Ranger punches, kicks and sound effects.

He discovered "hockey" -- we call it pool or billiards, but he insists, "hockey."

We had watched other kids playing only for a while each day when he finally got his chance to try. He immediately mimicked their hands and tried to make it happen, never mind he is only four and they are in their teens. When he hit the ball and it moved, he beamed.


"What does snow look like?"

"What does the sign say?"


"Why are the ants here?"

"Where is the mountain lion?"

"Why are those plants caged?"

"Why won't the deer let us pet it?"

Follow up question: "Is that why they don't like hunters?"



Better have answers you can live with because he is listening, considering, contemplating, cataloguing. It will all be back in one form or another.

Then there are the negotiations. "I am going to be a good listener, now."

"I am going to play with this stick here; I'm not collecting."

He's reading now... not necessarily words, but definitely symbols. No parking. No smoking, "Remember smoking is bad for you." Today he told me that if I smoked I would turn into a red and green indian. My mother thought he said alien, but he corrected her, no, not an alien, an indian, a red and green indian, actually (his favorite word).


Lots and lots of questions, lots and lots of walking... and sheer exhaustion. Oh, and goats and flowers and birthday cake and presents and cucumbers and cherries. All in all, a good weekend.