Clear The Decks!

[poliphilo]

We're expecting a visit from two very small boys. There was a time when the furnishings in this house were arranged on the understanding that football and wrestling are both parlour games- but that was ten, fifteen years ago- and I look round now and think, "Oh, my God, so many things to break!"

But at least the breakables are none of them very valuable- so what the hell!

On the other hand, small boys are themselves breakable and there may well be things- many things- at reachable height that could do a lot of damage if ingested or jabbed into eyes or other soft tissue.

Certain rooms will need to be locked I think. For instance the back bedroom with the Goddess shrine in it- and the sword leaning against the chimney piece.

Which reminds me of the day- it was during my pirate phase-  that I got hold of my grandfather's military dress sword. I remember it was very heavy (it must have been as long as I was) and that, in consequence, my swishing and swashing lacked elegance.  I also remember the fluttering, dove-like cries of my mother and grandmother.

So, anyway, there's suddenly a new, rather urgent reason to press ahead with the spring-clean.

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

At our age one forgets what childproofing was like. The little ones can get into the most unlikely places.
:)
How old are your young visitors?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm not entirely sure how old they are. We only met them briefly. At a guess I'd say two and four.

[internet-sampo.livejournal.com]

Small boys are a problem. Small girls, however, we break out Barbara's old Barbie dolls.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Lego works very well with slightly older kids, but I think these two are at the age where the pieces would mainly go in the mouth.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

The boys' playroom in Pennsylvania is a sea of Legos, and it was amusing to me to watch the baby--Michael, now three--walk across the playroom floor in his bare feet while looking for an odd Lego he needed, while curling his toes and sort of hopping with the pain, which barely registered.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

I hope you have a happy visit with the little ones. They CAN get into the darndest things! Are they your grandchildren?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No, we don't have any grandchildren. These boys belong to (another) young woman we met at church.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Ah, two boys.

I had three at Thanksgiving, and it was amazing to me how they could turn even crayons into weapons!

I asked only that they hold onto the railing as they went up and down the stairs, and Michael, three, would come nimbly down, holding onto nothing.

They threw cotton batting all around the rooms and used it to decorate the tops of all the furniture--I'm still finding tufts of it--found some last week on the mantel, on one of the weatherhouses.

(It was delightful to read about "the fluttering, dove-like cries of my mother and grandmother." Wonderful.)