Sweet Sixteen

I suspect that God is crying with happiness.

He is celebrating my daughters sweet sixteenth in his own special way.

He knows that our ‘proper’ partying will be done on Saturday.

And aware of my gardening skills, he’s decided to give the garden a good soaking, to ensure that, on the big day, the grass is a luscious green. To convince the bush that I carefully planted with my friend a few short weeks ago, and forgot to water once or twice since, forgives me for my sins and just slurps up the sogginess.

I’m sure he’ll stop those tears by Saturday. Just. In. Time… To let the ground dry out a little, before the pavilion digs in. Right ahead of the guests arriving for cake and barbecued sausages.

I’m positive his joyful, proud, emotional tears will turn into a beam of sunshiny jubilation.

Happy Birthday Joni. You are my sunshine. 8)

The Perfect Princess Party – Recipe for Success

Twelve happy faces
All lined up in two rows,
At the head of table
A pretty pink and perfect throne.

VIP treatment
Photos galore
Standing on red carpet
Or by the pink curtained door.

Crowned and robed,
All the little guests
Fun and laughter
Are their only quests.

Cake stand
Full of muffins,
Purple fizzy lemonade,
Crown shaped sandwiches
All on the table laid.

Making pretty necklaces,
Passing parcels round,
Swirling, twirling ball gowns
To the swan lake sound.
Narrating sleeping beauty,
Then lying on the floor,
All is still and calm
Peace has returned once more.

Finally,
Birthday cake
Princess form
Best as can be done!
(Still in the making
Would you believe
My three-year old
Came to me
And said,
– “Looks a little shit mum!”

So:

I took my theatrical knife
And drove it through my heart
Staggered a little
And glanced at her –
The desired effect
Achieved.

Apology.

And my three-year old
Survived –
And became four).

Ms Requirement

Ms Requirement needs today
A big fat lunch
A sofa lay.
Ms Requirement will her homework do
Once she has kicked off her remaining shoe,
Where it will land
Nobody knows
It doesn’t matter
She needs no clothes,
She plans to flop in a nice cold bath
Out of the heat
Do you fancy that?

Ms Requirement is home from school
Forgot her house keys
As is the rule.
But Mama is here
And will come open the door
Ms Requirement needs know no more.

Ms Requirement is kind and good
But says sometimes more than one possibly should.

Ms Requirement has disappeared
Off with a book
Her poor mother fears,
Alone again to make the lunch
Which Ms Requirement will happily crunch.

Ms Requirement, when she’s off to bed
Should really sleep
But will chat instead!
Then in the morning when school is on
May well sleep in
And need a lift from Mum.

Ms Requirement could forget her head
She’d loose it in someone else’s shed.
All she’d say is
“Oops, what have I done?
I’ll have to call my dear old Mum!”

Partied out

We’re all partied out.
Pooped.
Drained.
The walls know what we’ve been through.
Again.

The neighbours have heard the noise.
The local store has had a run on Lego toys.

A child wakes in the morning
States her tummy aches
‘I ate too much yesterday, Mummy”
But soon heaps breakfast cereal onto her plate.

A Hawaiian Party
Trampoline to spring
Volcano Birthday cake
Pass the coconut around the ring.

And a little boy
Who bounced far too hard
Landed on his recently operated nose,
A guest of ours is marred.

Screams echoed through the garden
Everybody froze.
Only for a moment
On the party goes.

Children in the garden.
Kiddies in the lounge.
Girls hula hooping
Boys trying to burn us down.

Singing Happy Birthday to the sparkler on the cake
Parents of those 19 dears will soon be on their way.
On the horizon, children’s bedtime and a bottle of wine:
Hip Hip Hooray!

Looking at the debris:
Wrappers on the floor,
Kebab sticks harpooned in the once green lawn.
Olives uneaten,
Remnants of cake.
Once empty fruit punch bowl
Now a yellow-brown lake.

Children finally off to bed.
The tidying begun,
We look towards our bottle of wine
Perhaps this time we have won.

Take a seat upon the sofa
Cuddle for a moment or two.
Think of that relaxing stuff, just meant for me and you…
Eyes close for a second
Hold on I’ll be right there
But then I am just sleeping
And dribbling in your hair…