Flashback 1982 or thereabouts

 I just spent three days in the mountains with my older son, his wife and my grandson.

I was there to let them take the odd walk, have time off (or time out) from the little one and in general enjoy not having – or being able – to do my normal activities, tasks, work!

 

There were many bonuses, meals put on the table in front of me without my having to lift a finger, sun every single day (those of you who also live around Lake Leman will understand me very well. I can deal with confinement, I can deal with no social life to speak of, but having to deal with constant gray days – starting to be very wearing!).

 

The main bonus was of course being able to interact with my grandson daily. Sometimes he would come down for an hour or two, sometimes I would go up. When the parents went for a hike one morning I decided that we too should take a walk. Gathered up the recycling and walked the some 500 meters to discard that then go to the small village store. Getting to the recycling bin was fine, but then he wanted to be carried (he is only 20 months) and he is too heavy for me. I caved for about 10 meters then put him back down again. He decided that that was just not on and had a mini temper tantrum.

 

Flashback to when his father was about 4 or 5. We were visiting my parents as was the rest of the family and my brother decided one Saturday afternoon that we should take a walk. Great for the whole family, except my grandson’s father (my son), who had always refused to walk anywhere. My brother assured me that he would, I replied, it’s on your head and sure enough we hadn’t gone a quarter of a mile, but what he had to carry his nephew.

 

Funny that said son has turned out to be a real hiker!

 

Alps in the Valais in Switzerland

 

 

 

“The cats are out…”

 

“But not tended to” was the notice I found on the chalk board this morning.

 

That had me really thinking – so often those poor cats are no longer “tended to”.

When my younger son and I brought them home over 6 years ago they spent the first winter in, were loved, cuddled and catered to by the then-three-sometimes-four people living in the house.

 

Over the years some have moved out, others have moved in and for one glorious period when “my” student was here they got lots of attention. In fact they never had it so good as during confinement since Covid as she willingly let them sit on her lap all day, every day.

Imagine she got her first job, went to the office for like a week then has had to work from home ever since.

 

When I broke my shoulder several years back I had to take to shutting them in the cellar for nights. Now before animal lovers get up in arms, they were in a two-room space, three if you count the laundry room where their food and toilet is; the office has a space heater underneath the wooden desk that they will happily lay on all day and night (even if it doesn’t suit me), they each have a cosy, pillow-lined basket and should they need to stretch they can race in and out of the office, the filing room, the corridor, up and down the steps and into the laundry room as well.  It was simply that they refused to understand that my broken and pinned shoulder could no longer serve as their personal cushion!

 

Since then they are let out in the morning, food supplies, water and the kitty litter changed and if it’s me a treat is given.

 

We have a chalk slate in the entry as younger son still living here and there is the odd need for a message and especially for either of us to write “in” or “out” so that the other knows who’s around.

 

I liked today’s message: I tended to the poor babies!

 

 

They've even been known to share the same basket!