The perfect antedote

I have decided my best option is to join 'em. I speak of the damn life-snatching moments that keep stealing my time away from me.

So. Armed with a beach towel, some jugs (er.... the pouring kind) and the LGBB's tea set, we set up camp in the little swimming pool again today. I sweltered my skin off and she tra-la'ed around the pool for almost two hours. My only job was to sit and watch her - she made it so (she is at that stage where I must give FULL attention or else bear the incessant consequences) - and it was easy to let work, the computer, the phone, everything but the hot breezy afternoon get put aside.

Now, to the antedote part. You will need some props to replicate this.

Take:

1 toddler
1 dog
1 shallow body of water
1 tea cup
1 collander

Combine all ingredients and soak for at least one hour. Watch hilarity unfold. Enjoy!

Our particular brand of fun came firstly when the over-zealous "cuppa TEEEEEEEE?" maker among us kept imploring with the dog to come and have said cup of tea. Jazz was more interested in panting right in my face (as if I needed any more proof that today was ridiculous weather for March). So the requests from Lolly, with her tea cup perched daintily between prune-wrinkled fingers and her arm stretched out so far it nearly popped from the socket, became ever more frantic in pitch - "Cup....tea? *octave change* CUPPA TEEEEE? JASS! JASSEEEEE!" Poor poppet. Eventually I had to put her out of her servery misery and take the cup and pretend to give it to Jazz. And wasn't that therapeutic in itself: I flung the cup up so the water flew into the air - ever seen a dog try to catch mid-air water? Let's just say... sucks to be Jazz.

Then the collander was noticed. And the LGBB, bless her confused little heart, spent the better part of the next 20 minutes trying to fill it. So tricky. She even tried swapping hands with the jug she was "filling" it with, I guess just in case the right hand was dodgy at it. I like her problem solving.