A good day’s play

Master 6 and Ms 3 were here for the day yesterday. A winter wind was biting so the indoor treasures needed to be unpacked and put to good use.

The original Smurfs are often arranged on these interlocking shapes. Our small collection of dinosaurs was part of the game too.

Charlotte was dressed ready for the weather

while Mary was discovered to have strong legs which meant she could stand leaning against the horse near “Church”.

A secret spy base was erected behind some furniture, with blankets to keep the base dark and therefore more secret. You may notice a gun resting on the chair, just in case the “baddies” come.

Ralph, the dog, needed the attention of the Doctor so once checked and treated he was tucked in under Great Gran’s colourful, knitted rug.

Lego was used creatively;

Koosh balls were discovered then tossed about in the hallway when energy levels reached big muscle activity time.

Then it was time to go home, leaving Mary tucked into her warm clothes and cosy bed

and a well-armed Lego man guarding us all.

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Generations and constancy

I wonder if you have a familiar spot that you stop at whenever you are traveling to a certain destination.

We do. For almost 40 years we have traveled frequently to and from Hawkes Bay to visit family.

I am not sure how we learnt about the Deer Park in Dannevirke but it is the spot that we stop at regularly on the trip between Wellington and Hawkes Bay. It is correctly named the Dannevirke Holiday Park which incorporates wildlife areas, including the Deer Park.

Deer Park Dannevirke, New Zealand

Over the time we and other family members have stopped at this scenic spot to have a picnic lunch, a cup of tea and to stretch cramped legs, very little, if anything about this location has changed. And nothing needs to be changed.

There are the deer enclosures, lovely shady trees, shelter from the prevailing winds, a lake, a large bird aviary full of noisy and colourful birds to enjoy and flocks of hungry ducks and guinea fowl to feed…..or fend off the food you are eating!

The park is off the main highway, so offers a safe and restful place to refresh, stretch and take time away from long distance driving and travel.

On our holiday last week we stopped for lunch at the Deer Park on our trip up to Hawkes Bay and on the return journey. While we were there I thought about how my parents had stopped on similar journeys with their grandchildren and how those grandchildren are adults now and remember this spot fondly.

Gran and grandson at the Deer Park, January 1985

I also laughed about our status as grandparents now and although our grandson was not with us I could just picture him running after the ducks, feeding them bits of his lunch, wondering about and enjoying the birds in the aviary, exploring the bridge over the lake and watching and learning about deer, just as his Dad, Aunty and Uncle all did in earlier years.

So for me last week there was a sense of time and people passing, new roles undertaken contrasted with timelessness and constancy.

I’d be interested in knowing about your familiar spot that is a part of the broader weave of your family.

Anyone for cricket?

A courier package at the door this morning heralds my blog post for the day. Inside the bag was a small wooden cricket bat…..

While this bat would not feature on Antiques Roadshow it is in many ways a family heirloom.

My Dad loved cricket. He spent most of his life either playing, coaching, administering or fervently watching both family members and favourite teams. As well as being a very able cricketer he was also skilled in carpentry and bat maintenance and repairs.

He very cleverly cut down an old adult sized bat and fashioned this tiny tot’s version. My four brothers may all have used this bat as small boys but I do know that my oldest son was delighted to find he could play cricket just like his Daddy, his Grandfather and uncles when he was given this bat by his beloved Pappa (Grandfather).

All three of my children used it and all went on to play cricket at times in their lives. When my brother had his children the bat went to live at their home and was used by four more small children within the family circle.

The bat has come back to me so I can give it to my grandson to use and enjoy. It will bring back memories for his Dad and for everyone in my immediate family.

It feels as if another turn in a spiral has been made.

Two and a quarter years

If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life. And if that child is to keep alive an inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. – Rachel Carson

When I read this quote I immediately thought of my young grandson who is only two and a quarter years old and so full of wonder about every little thing in the world. He is so fortunate that he has parents and his extended family who share a commitment to ensure he will continue to be awed, surprised, excited and curious about the world. His interest and delight is contagious and uplifting.