I now have three children
Jun. 24th, 2004 10:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
la_rainetteI love Papy. He's fun to be with, intelligent, great with the kids. But he's also pretty much like a demanding, impatient 8-year-old.
When he arrived, he announced straight away that he would need postcards, and stamps, and envelopes, because he had promised he would send postcards to the schools he still ocasionally works with (as a volunteer, since he is retired), and they will close for the summer very soon. Oh, and also a disposable camera.
So we bought the camera, at Loblaws; the stamps, at the Post Office; the envelopes, at Staples, because "they were too expensive at the Post Office"; and the postcards, at the local dollar store.
Yesterday morning, as I was getting ready to walk out the door with both girls (time for Froglet to go to school):
Papy: Oh, before you go, could you give me the envelopes, please?
la rainette: But I gave them to you yesterday.
Papy: no, you didn't. You gave me two plastic bags: the camera, and the postcards, no envelopes.
Insert appropriate number of friendly "Did nots" and "Did toos" between two people who like each other very much but are also unbelievably obstinate.
I finally left, telling him I would be back with croissants, and asking him to double-check in the meanwhile.
Of course, in the hasty departure, I forgot my wallet, so I came back without croissants and jumped inside to grab my wallet and be gone again. But by the time I returned to the car (and I had been quick), Papy had opened the boot and was rummaging inside.
la rainette: What are you doing?
Papy: I must have left them in the car.
la rainette: What?
Papy: My envelopes.
la rainette: OK, let me go get the croissants. Then we'll have breakfast, and we'll go buy more envelopes, how does that sound?
Papy (Still rummagin and obviously buying time to check out the boot thoroughly): Oh, but maybe I left them at the store, because I know you didn't give them to me, you gave me the cards and the disposable camera, and... Oh. They're not in the car.
la rainette: I'll get the croissants, you just stay here PLEASE.
So we had croissants. And went to buy more envelopes.
And half an hour later, as we had returned home, Papy came up the stairs with a sheepish grin. And two boxes of envelopes in his hands.
Papy: I found them! In the plastic bag you gave me! I was so sure you'd given me the camera, I never even checked.
I refrained from frowning, or scolding. I did not say "I told you so". I did no such self-righteous thing.
It turned out I should have. Ten minutes later, Papy ambled over. "Tell me", he said. "where did you put the disposable camera?"
Shit.
Papy coudn't find it. I said we'd buy a new one tomorrow.
______________________________________________________
When Husband came back in the evening, I told him the whole story (and we shared a good, silent laugh).
Husband: Hang on. I think I've seen the camera.
He came back with his best dimpled smile, his eyes sparkling in amusement.
la rainette: What?
Husband: It's on the table. Next to the envelopes.
And so it was. Papy had been so busy looking for the plastic bag containing the camera that he never saw the camera, that was no longer in said plastic bag.
I need a baby-sitter for Papy. I will pay well, I swear! Also, in our household there seem to be only 2 working sets of eyes: Husband's, and Tadpole's (but Tadpole, who will find any tiny piece of jigsaw puzzle, or loose screw, or ant - "EW!" -, can't be arsed to look for a disposable camera or envelopes). The rest of us regularly misplaces things (me included). AND EVERYONE COUNTS ON ME TO FIND THEM AGAIN! That makes things difficult, to say the least.
Papy is out on his own today, in the vast city of Toronto, with a map, a sheet of very British vocabulary, and a few banknotes. I keep expecting a phone call from the Police. *sighs*
When he arrived, he announced straight away that he would need postcards, and stamps, and envelopes, because he had promised he would send postcards to the schools he still ocasionally works with (as a volunteer, since he is retired), and they will close for the summer very soon. Oh, and also a disposable camera.
So we bought the camera, at Loblaws; the stamps, at the Post Office; the envelopes, at Staples, because "they were too expensive at the Post Office"; and the postcards, at the local dollar store.
Yesterday morning, as I was getting ready to walk out the door with both girls (time for Froglet to go to school):
Papy: Oh, before you go, could you give me the envelopes, please?
la rainette: But I gave them to you yesterday.
Papy: no, you didn't. You gave me two plastic bags: the camera, and the postcards, no envelopes.
Insert appropriate number of friendly "Did nots" and "Did toos" between two people who like each other very much but are also unbelievably obstinate.
I finally left, telling him I would be back with croissants, and asking him to double-check in the meanwhile.
Of course, in the hasty departure, I forgot my wallet, so I came back without croissants and jumped inside to grab my wallet and be gone again. But by the time I returned to the car (and I had been quick), Papy had opened the boot and was rummaging inside.
la rainette: What are you doing?
Papy: I must have left them in the car.
la rainette: What?
Papy: My envelopes.
la rainette: OK, let me go get the croissants. Then we'll have breakfast, and we'll go buy more envelopes, how does that sound?
Papy (Still rummagin and obviously buying time to check out the boot thoroughly): Oh, but maybe I left them at the store, because I know you didn't give them to me, you gave me the cards and the disposable camera, and... Oh. They're not in the car.
la rainette: I'll get the croissants, you just stay here PLEASE.
So we had croissants. And went to buy more envelopes.
And half an hour later, as we had returned home, Papy came up the stairs with a sheepish grin. And two boxes of envelopes in his hands.
Papy: I found them! In the plastic bag you gave me! I was so sure you'd given me the camera, I never even checked.
I refrained from frowning, or scolding. I did not say "I told you so". I did no such self-righteous thing.
It turned out I should have. Ten minutes later, Papy ambled over. "Tell me", he said. "where did you put the disposable camera?"
Shit.
Papy coudn't find it. I said we'd buy a new one tomorrow.
______________________________________________________
When Husband came back in the evening, I told him the whole story (and we shared a good, silent laugh).
Husband: Hang on. I think I've seen the camera.
He came back with his best dimpled smile, his eyes sparkling in amusement.
la rainette: What?
Husband: It's on the table. Next to the envelopes.
And so it was. Papy had been so busy looking for the plastic bag containing the camera that he never saw the camera, that was no longer in said plastic bag.
I need a baby-sitter for Papy. I will pay well, I swear! Also, in our household there seem to be only 2 working sets of eyes: Husband's, and Tadpole's (but Tadpole, who will find any tiny piece of jigsaw puzzle, or loose screw, or ant - "EW!" -, can't be arsed to look for a disposable camera or envelopes). The rest of us regularly misplaces things (me included). AND EVERYONE COUNTS ON ME TO FIND THEM AGAIN! That makes things difficult, to say the least.
Papy is out on his own today, in the vast city of Toronto, with a map, a sheet of very British vocabulary, and a few banknotes. I keep expecting a phone call from the Police. *sighs*
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Date: 2004-06-25 04:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-26 01:37 am (UTC)