a walk home

I am out! The air, it smells...of possibility. The air, wind on my cheek. I see a path, I see a house, a hill, a car a truck. So many sounds, a bird! Squak squak! Joy! space and distance! I can run! I spot a stone, some brown ice,  a discarded spoon! Something to dig with! the road, so enticing, and yet forbidden, I step out, but hear that familiar voice..."Marcel! not on the road!" and I venture back. Oh the adventure. Every house is a possible new friend. I walk up every path, I want to see around the corners. A dog barks, and I, bark back! I am lost in a blade of grass, and some stones that I can finally utilize to their greatest purpose - to be dug, and I am the digger. I transport stones from the gravel pit, to the road, to a ditch, to the garbage can, to my mom's open and welcoming hands. but then...she wants to go???

I really, really want to enjoy this time. I look forward to it all day. the special time between day home, my work and home. When I can watch my boy, in all his joy of the world. I really want to enjoy it, but the sun is always just about the set, and then the wind picks up. And every driveway he stops to visit, and I think how long this walk is going to be. My ears ring and I realize Im pretty hungry. I think we'd better start moving in a  linear direction, and thats where the fun begins. The negotiations, the bribery, the promises. Sometimes, the chasing, the holding, the picking up a squirming crying child and then, when he resists to the end, realizing there's a crying babe on the ground, who just wants to go back to digging, till his fingers go numb then fall off in the cold. How can I be so cruel????  

Oh, and Mr.Oliver was good to us tonight again. we made the orange carrots, baked potatoes and fried bison meat with chillies. To die for, and the 2 yr old, actually ate his share too!