One more week before school starts again.

Actually, one and a half, but who’s counting?

Raven’s going crazy with no one here to play with.

I’m going crazy, as well, torn between playing with her and washing the dishes.

Jeff’s crazy, by default, so nothing new there.

Good thing Ate Lorna’s granddaughter visits her every now and then. She and Raven gets along fine. They match each other’s energies in ways that older bones with dull imaginations never could. They draw. They do gymnastics. Sometimes they pretend to be vampire students knocking on the door that separates ours and Ate Lorna’s place.

On this day, Jeff wanted to take the girls to Bounce Inc, this indoor trampoline playground in Keysborough. As soon as I drove in the driveway after having lunch with a friend, they were in the front yard waiting for me so we could go already.

These before and after pics in the car are proof of the rise and fall of their energy.

While Jeff and the kids were busy playing, I was there on the sideline looking after their shoes and stuff, playing headquarters as per usual but with Ate Lorna this time.

“Papa, why doesn’t Mama go on the trampoline with us?” Raven asked Jeff at dinner later that night.

“Because Mama can’t do jumps and cartwheels, babe,” Jeff answered in a teasing way.

This tickled Raven’s sense of humor. One of their pastimes is poking fun at my utter lack of gymnastics skills. All lighthearted, of course.

“Na na na boo boo!” Raven chanted merrily, “What can Mama do, Papa?”

“You know what I can do, though?” I interjected, trailing off to get their full attention.

“What, Mama?” Raven asked. Curiosity killed the Baby Cat.

“Well, I can pay for your tickets to the trampoline place,” I answered.

Boom!

Over and out.

*Raven at 6 years old