It’s Monday.  There is this festival coming up really soon.  Gotta work.

But the sun shines and the breeze causes those fluttering leaves that tend to distract me and a little red-headed girl needs a drink.  Then a snack.  Then another drink.  And then a craft to do.  And then Is it time for lunch yet ?? (which gets repeated a lot of times throughout the day).  Then some cuddle time.  Then coloring time.  Then Can I watch some Netflix, Nonna?  Then finally lunch actually arrives.

The anticipation of Tuppy-the-Puppy joining us today from the kennel where she’s been visiting starts to make life seem super exciting.  Nonna works at the table.  So Gemma brings her work to the table.  Paper, crayons, glue sticks and scissors dot my professional landscape.  When the workload gets too heavy the little girl brings me her hairbrush.  Nonna takes a break to brush spun-gold into soft waves and bebe almost falls asleep as I brush.  She has inherited this love of hair-playing from me.  Is there some one I can pay to brush my hair when I need a break??

We bought Gemma the “je t’aime” shirt as a greeting to her mommy and daddy while they were in Paris.  All week, we have been singing “Freres Jacques” and “Alouette.”

The kids get home from school. The puppy bounds in and a scene from The Brady Bunch ensues as Sandy tries to catch up with this tiny dog running the house in circles to the squeals of three exuberant children.    The doors slide open and closed about 487 times and there is candy, lots of candy.

I keep plugging away at the task list.  Kind of.

Now it is time to do fractions and 3rd grade spelling lists.  *Binary  *Monologue  *Triads.   I did not use these words in 3rd grade.  Yowzers.  More math problems, Reading.  Racing to the swing-set.  When is dinner?  When is dinner?  When is dinner?  Because each of three needs to know.

Task list loses.  Life is a little upside down.  As bedtime approaches and the pj-donning, teeth brushing and potty-going begins, I feel a pang of separation anxiety.  Because in a few days they will go home.  I can jump back into work.  And the silence (and order and accomplishment) will be deafening and I shall miss the chaos of delight it has all been.