I thought it was time to lighten things up a little as I know many people including myself, are becoming emotionally drained by the McCann issue.The sheer bloody frustration and anger felt at the UK media's deliberate campaign to protect a couple who deliberately elected to put Madeleine in a position of potential harm from a number of sources, (including accidents and waking in the night feeling terribly alone) can take it's toll. So here are two little anecdotes about children that I hope you will find amusing. I warn you though "theoretically" they may not be funny - but I think you will see what I mean!
This afternoon I was walking along the footpath outside my apartment. I live right on the corner and one side is bordered by a beautifully quiet, tree lined street with old single story houses. Half-way down the street, a young couple are busy renovating. This afternoon, mum was outside painting a fence, while her little boy aged about five, was riding close by on a little tractor.
He was obviously training to be an adult Aussie driver, as he was veering all over the ruddy place. All this btw, is within about 10 yards of mum who unlike some others, actually did have a direct line of sight to her child. I was walking behind and as I tried to pass, he unintentionally kept blocking my way. Finally I was able to "over-take" and all was going well until the path started sloping a little. He gathered speed and accidentally clipped the back of my heels causing me to trip. As I lay there I started chuckling as I heard a little voice cry out -
"Oh bugger"
***
I like to walk to a lovely bay - often featured in the photoblog. Around the bay are apartments and residents can step from their gardens into the reserve surrounding the bay. I like these apartments as they are "affordable" and not the sort of luxury apartments normally associated with such idyllic surroundings.
I often pass a young mum and her little girl, who again must be about five years old. We pass the time of day, "Hello, nice day isn't it. Bay looks nice today, plenty of ducks around" the sort of sophisticated chat-up line for which I am noted and more than likely has kept me single!
Her little girl is normally dressed in pink and has a little scooter. Once she is on that scooter she is hell-on-wheels. Don't get me wrong, she is not reckless, but extremely confident. She is protected from head to toe with knee pads, elbow pads and a crash helmet.
One day she ran over a fallen branch and came tumbling off her little scooter. She is not the sort to cry, more the sort to pick herself up, dust herself down and start again. She started to rise but to her left came a little boy riding towards her on his bicycle.
Yes, you guessed it. She lay back on the ground again. Obviously mum had been reading her stories about knights in shining armour!
She watched the boy approach - then watched as he rode by without even noticing her. Still on the ground, she watched him ride in to the distance. Resting her head in one hand, and with a look of resignation, she oh so casually - gave him the finger!
I have never published this photo as I don't actually like it! But I added it to show where the episode with the little girl hapened.
