It was while I was standing in the huddle of bodies that was the face painting queue, that I began to reminisce fondly to myself. How many times had I stood in a face painting queue? How many hours had passed deciding which of my offspring wanted which face? A tiger, Spiderman or a butterfly? How many bath times had been spent scrubbing the stuff off a screaming child when the paint was supposed to be washable? How many........
Tall girl caught my eye. She may have seen a tear. For I was not waiting in the queue this time with a tired and irritable 'Sub Unit'. No, this time I was waiting for Tall Girl to finish her shift. She had painted dozens of toddlers faces, and made them all very happy. She had done a good job. Where had all the years gone? I was proud.
20 comments:
I guess one sign of my advanced age is that I've never had my face painted. It just wasn't the thing when I was growing up. I've probably missed a vital formative experience and irretrievably damaged my psyche.
I hope Tall Girl had discovered some face paint that really was washable....
I met a very old friend today who revealed that her son - who I'd last seen when he was 6 - was now 17. I was speechless. Where have all the years gone indeed!
I always find myself wandering round aimlessly at those things. And yes, it's great when the kids themselves have to do the work isn't it? The Queenager last year, spent about three hours monitoring the bouncy castle and making sure there weren't too many bouncers in there. She was exhausted when she finished.
I understand exactly how you feel.
oh where do they go indeed!
I did face painting at the school fete, a few years back, apparently I was "good" at it, I think to be honest, I was the only one who actually volunteered!!
I was thinking about it the other day, as our primary school fete was being advertised........and I realised it was before youngest son was born, a year before.
Which means it was 22 years ago!!!!
Time flies too quick.
I am back btw, it has been a busy time here what with one thing and another, but I am back and blogging once more.
I will try to catch up with your other posts tomorrow, hope things are well though. You have been in my thoughts, especially as we passed through your neck of the woods recently on the way to Mother In Laws.......don't even go there!
lotsaluv, Letty xxxxxxxxx
I understand how you feel.
The years slip by & our little ones soon grow up.
School fairs. I try to avoid them too!
Lordy, sub, this whole weekend has been full of school fairs round here. You can slog away at those things and never get a word of thanks.
I think its great your Tall Girl helps - my daughter won't go near 'em.
Missed you xxxx
Sigh. It goes so fast. Though it can seem sooooo very slow at the time ....you must very be proud of your face-painter!
You have a wonderful daughter.
I go to mine for fashin and all sorts of other advice.
A good daughter is a great asset in this world!
Word verification has gone quite batty lately
arsanips
parsnips?
something a bit rude?!!
Indeed where do the years go...
It was my little boy's 6th birthday the weekend before last. He had his face painted as a pirate - eye-patch, beard, the lot. So I have pictures of him looking weirdly grown-up. Another child, who I think is not et three had his face painted as a 'chocolate button' - and very gorgeous he looked too.
I love the Jackson Pollock you've installed (and the way you look after your guests!). I thought of copying it on to mine (via Dulwich Divorcee), then chose the Matisse instead, but have credited you as the one that found it (!)
I don't think they painted faces in my day? Remember the swing boats, aunt sally and white elephant stall! x
yup, on a nostalgia jag myself. School fair beckons, like you have done 7 years of helping and am busy wearing sunglasses, desperate not to get roped in again. Too many hours spent flogging bits of tat - I always get teh rubbish stall.
Still, it didn't rain... (did it?)
It's our las Primary School Fair this weekend - I am on the bookstall, husband is in the beer tent & the years sixers are running thier own stall offering lurid soft drinks - I am glad it's my last though!
Oh yes, where does the time go? I spent 25 years going to school fairs, Christmas concerts, open houses and the like. And for even more years, I spent every summer going to first the boys' baseball games, then to the girls' softball games at least 4 nights a week. The other night I was watching my younger granddaughter play T-ball and suddenly thought of all those summer evenings not so long ago...I really miss them. As much as we want them to grow up, it would be nice if they could stay young for awhile longer.
That was so nice and the end was unexpected.
oh bless her.
You’ve just reminded me of years and years of summer fetes and the dreaded school xmas play. Was I the only one who felt that uncomfortable sitting on a chair designed for a 6 year old for 2 hours?
Ah bless, soon she'll be organising it!
I have the reverse, next week is the Church Fair and I've lost count of how many times I've had to queue to buy and then eat one of my MIL's cream teas - and I don't even like cream!
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