The vines and the mushies

This story takes place about ten years ago – at a time when I thought of myself as vibrant and still youthful – looking through the eyes of a three and a half year old, dashed those thoughts right out of my brain one early morning 

My sister Allana and I were visiting my daughter and her family and had partied pretty good the evening before – I crawled out of bed – needing desperately to wake my foggy brain - took myself outside to the back deck for my morning cup of tea and my vice the morning cigarette – even though it was a chilly morning I was still in my nighty and housecoat – soon after taking my first sip of tea Aric (the blond baby) came out to join me – I had my legs crossed and he soon noticed a cluster of small spider veins on the inside of my right knee – he said “Grandma what are those vines” – “What vines?” I say – “the ones on your leg” Aric replies – I realize that the vines he is talking about is the spider vein array on my knee – after all he is not yet four and to him veins are vines – I try to explain to this little tyke how I came to have this display that has caught his attention – his only concern is “does it hurt Grandma?” – I reassure him that it does not hurt – by this time I am a little self conscious of my newly names “vines”

Satisfied that the “vines” do not hurt – he then asks me “what are those mushies?” “Mushies, what mushies Aric?" I say – “those ones under your chin” he replys – takes me a few minutes to understand what he is talking about – his focus has changed from my knee to the small folds of skin that have started to develop on my neck directly under my chin - they have now become the object of his fascination – okay, the morning had not being going well due to the hangover I was dealing with - it had just gotten way worse with the honest observations of this little man! Having had enough “honest critique” from this much too inquisitive child I try to encourage him to go into the house - it is sunny but cold and he is sitting in his patio chair chattering from the cold – no such luck – he says “I’m okay” – the blue that was setting in around his lips belied this utterance - okay I am not winning around this imp on this morning so I go into the house and find a quilt to wrap him in.

Not long after he is comfy and warming my sister Allana comes out on the deck to join us – he turns his attention to her – I am thrilled, the grilling I had been getting had the same effect on me as a balloon has when the rubber casing is pierced with a pin – deflated, oh yes!

At his tender age, Aric had a multitude of question running around in his mind and he tried valiantly to ask them all this day – Sis Allana had expressed great glee as I told her how my morning had been going before she had joined us – very soon it was to be my turn to get a good laugh at her expense - one of our Mother's favourite sayings "what goes around, comes around" was about to happen.

Sitting on Deb’s deck there was a wonderful view of the surrounding hillside that was heavily dotted with trees – the landscape of trees were as varied as the shades of green they were cloaked with – Aric had been telling Allana a story of how his Dad had taken him up the hill and they had found a

special log

– he waves vaguely toward the north – “up there” he says as he points to the far away hills – Allana nods her head – Aric says “can you see it?” Allana without having turned her head towards the hills as they talked says “Yes” Aric sits there for a moment his brow creasing, deep in thought – his face lights up and he says “what did it look like?” Allana sputtered – turned a light shade of red – got up off her chair and headed with great haste off the deck, back inside the house – never having answered his question of “what did it look like?”

Now doubled over with laughter - this part of the morning ended as a voice from inside the house announced that “breakfast was ready” still smiling I left the deck to join other for pancakes and eggs.

BCG