Friday, March 31, 2006

You Will Be Graded on This

Well folks you post things on the internet and shit gets done. A mere two hours after my post yesterday a workable keyboard showed up on my door step. I think my Mom was afraid that I was actually making Abby roll pennies from her piggy bank to replace my keyboard so she brought me her old one. It's identical to the one that Abby dumped her juice on and it saved her $14.00. Which was great because Abby needed that money to replace my sunglasses that she broke. Of course it was just an "accident"

Most days the girls and I go on a walk after lunch. Our route is pretty much the same every day with some mild variations. For example yesterday we walked it the opposite way we usually do. On the last leg of our walk we took a detour along back street which runs behind our house. Back street isn't it's official name, just what us locals call this dirt road that looks like it belongs in cottage country. It forms one side of a triangle that circles our house and it's a nice little addition to our walk if Abby is interested enough. It was so gorgeous out yesterday that most of our neighbours were out doing yard work. Our neighbour behind us was out with her little girl so Abby and I stopped for a chat. The Mom and I exchanged some neighbourhood gossip while the girls played. After a few minutes the Mom suggested that Abby stay and play with her daughter. Are you sure? I asked her. Of course, if she wants to come home I'll walk her home, but she'll be fine here don't worry. So I asked Abby if she would like to stay and play and of course she did, so I really had no other choice but to head home.

This was a first for me. I've never left Abby anywhere to play with other kids who weren't family. I admit I was a little nervous about it. Not leaving her at my neighbours, they're a very nice family. We've always gotten along well with them. I just worried about how she would behave. What my neighbour would think of how she behaved, how well she played with her daughter. I felt like my parenting skills were going to be judged and I wondered if I would pass. What kind of Mom does it make me if I tell you I spied on them? Just a little bit. Their house is actually behind my next door neighbour's house and this being the country we don't have fences. So from my kitchen window I could see part of their back and side yard through the trees and various sheds and garages between here and there. From the snatches of them that I could see as they ran from the front to the back yard everything seemed to be going okay. After a little while I managed to relax a bit and I got some housework done while Maya napped. Abby was gone for over 2 hours before the Mom walked her back home across the lawn. She apologized for Abby being so dirty and told me that she had played very nicely. Phew, I guess that means I passed.

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