Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Water baby, fiction at short notice and reassurance.

1. I am fully expecting Alec to hate swimming. The cold water, the new experience, the undressing and the echoing acoustics will all drive him into a misery and a rage. However -- it turns out that he is more resilient to cold and racket than I thought; and also, he loves being towed about the pool on his back and on his front. He thrashed his arms and legs around in a way that looked a lot like swimming. He felt pretty bouyant, but I didn't dare let go of him. I'm going to try and hold him in a more neutral way next time to see if he floats by himself. And the look on his face when we sung a nursery rhyme that he recognised -- pure bliss.

2. Two older women in a charity shop: "Look at this! D'yer think your William would like a golf club cleaner with an electric brush?"
Without missing a beat, "No. He told me this morning he didn't want one."

3. Overheard at the bottom of our road -- a middle-aged man, rather shyly, says to a middle-aged woman: "I feel reassured to hear that from someone like you."

Shower, sparrow and night before bin day.

1. The rain comes down in rushing spate, drowning downpipes and running in fans over the asphalt. Next time I look up, the sun is out, water...