Loose Leaf Notes

I missed all the Dogtown dancing with friends, the Small Town Summer dancing to Music Road Co, the last weekdays of the Country Club pool being open and the in-the-loop news following last week.

I had a paying job, one of just a few that I’m well-suited for, providing childcare for an active two-year-old boy (soon to be three) while Joe was facilitating a retreat at the Floyd EcoVillage for a family foundation.

My energy was tested over four days, but the time spent also validated my core being as a lover of and advocate for children. My first real job was as a daycare assistant and teacher before becoming a mother of two sons, and then the grandmother of two grandsons. For nine years, we provided foster care for an adult with disabilities. More recently, I all but lost my job writing for the local paper when a new corporate owner cut the budget. I haven’t been interested in or had the energy for any other kind of job since.

His eleven-year-old sister enjoyed my art supplies…

my shell collection and sand tray.

Yes, the experience wore me out, but there was also joy. It brought me joy to know that I still delight in child’s play. I was reminded that I feel more at home with most children than I do with most adults and that I’d rather play hide-and-seek and give airplane rides than go to a meeting.

It was rewarding to see the toys my grandsons no longer play with, and ones they were never that interested in being happily used.

Now I’m recovering. I’m feeling blessed by such warm connections and shocked at how much we got done: boat floating, creek wading, super hero playing, toy car driving, sandbox digging, play dough squishing, stroller walking, rocking chair singing, goofy laughing, tag chasing, park swinging and more.  Now I wish I could get paid for playing Wordle!