summer evening

A sunny day, a sunny evening, can be such a blessing. I was going to bring the kids to the park this evening, but it took the cheesecakes longer than anticipated to bake (and it took me longer than anticipated to get off the computer and in to the kitchen, so we left it pretty late, and I was worrying about dinner, and exchanging the wrong eggs I got in Tesco, and traffic on the way home. So when Olivia suggested going to the beach, where we've been about twice this rainy summer, it was perfect.

I didn't bring swimming things, unfortunately. I popped the trousies off Bodhi and he made a speedy beeline for the water. When he tried to sit down in it, I took his nappy off, and then he crawled straight for the waves and got his tshirt wet, so that was that. He was so happy! Loved it - his first time in the sea proper, as he was so chesty all this year.

Olivia went in in her pants and made a friend, as she does. A 7 year old girl and her four year old brother, who was an angelic, curly haired kid, with big blue eyes and dark hair. He kept coming up and delightedly, excitedly telling the woman with him how lovely it all was, how much fun. I felt the same. I chatted to their minder, who was laughing at Bodhi's waterbaby antics.

She told me she had looked after them since he was born - premature, and their mother died giving birth to him. So tragic. He's alright, but the little girl still gets sad and misses her mother.
The woman minding them was sweet - she said she'd been there since he was a baby. I wondered how she could ever leave, and instantly found myself having Jack and Sarah type fantasies about her marrying the rich, heartbroken father. My brain always struggles to try and make it alright, I suppose. I want the pain to not be true.

I felt motivated to set up a playdate, make friends, but then I hesitated - was it some sort of trite pity for the motherless babes, or the minder who was raising them that made me want to do it? But on the way home Olivia asked if we could go see them again, and as their minder told me their address when I asked where they lived, I think I might send a card seeing if they'd care to meet.

That poor family.

Still, I was meant to be talking about my blissful seaside evening. They lent us a towel, I had a jumper for my shivering babe, we got an icecream - I had to go get the car, and parked it in front of the ice cream shack. Bodhi sucked his thumb while Olivia and I got our respective icecreams (malteser/lemon sorbet) and a mini vanilla for Bodhi. When I came to his window carrying it, his finger shot out and pointed at it and he made an almost cartoon surprised face. Punctuation mark eyebrows and mouth, so cute!

I was reminded of being on the beach in Frances and getting glaces from the sellers on the beach with their little carts. Chocolat and citron for me every time.

I hope we get a few more weeks of an Indian summer. We deserve it! And Bodhi's only one once...