Opa's little girl...Izzy's kitchen goes south...

It was our first full day of vacation and Isobel was dying to get into the pool. I think she likes the ocean well enough...from a distance. The pool holds a certain comfort and security. And of course edges you can jump off of...

Isobel: "Daddy, will you watch me at the pool?"
Daddy: "In a minute, Pick. I'm not quite hot enough yet."
Isobel: "Mummy, can you watch me at the pool?"
Mrs. Narrator: "Not quite yet, honey. Maybe Oma or Opa can watch you."
Isobel: "Opah, are you ready to go in the pool?"
Opa: "OK Izzy, I'll go to the pool with you"
Isobel: "OK Opa, I'm just going to jump right in."
Opa: "OK, just let me get in first."
Isobel: "Ready?"
Opa: "Ready."
Isobel:(running like a bat out of hell toward the pool) "CAMERON BALL!"


Ah yes true believers, we have finally made it to the Mexico house. I thought about calling it our second favourite place in the world next to home but home is small and a little cramped and from what I understand since we left, a lot cold and damp. The Mexico house IS our favourite place in the world.
There is sun and sand and surf here. There are delights for both the young and old palettes. Hair braids and cigars, ice cream and jewelry. People carrying boxes of candy on their heads and Tequila. More Tequila than one person has a right to see or drink or see being drunk for that matter... But the kids don't care about any of that foolishness...not much anyway. No, The Boy seems entirely disinterested in anything other than his Ipod and Isobel...well, she is another story altogether.
There are a couple of things that I figured I could always count on in this world. Mexico will always be the place where we have traditionally had the most fun as a family, Mexico will always be the place where I can eat and drink like a fool and not feel bad about it because I get my ass out of bed before anyone gets up and go to the gym. (Yes, me at the gym every day. Are you OK? Do you need to sit down for a bit?) And lastly, that I would always be the guy. The one that Izzy knows she can go to when she wants something. Be it someone to watch her go down the pelican slide til the cows come home or a cuddle buddy at nap time or even a receptacle to catch vomit, I was that guy... But I have been replaced by Mrs. Narrator's father. I have been replaced by Opa.
It used to be "Daddy watch me!" and now it is only "Opa look at me, look at me!" Not that long ago, it was "Mummy, Where is Daddy?" and now she only wonders where Opa is, where Opa has gone and what is Opa doing? What is a father to do? Even The Boy has gotten into it. Today he asked Opa to go swimming and play with him. Yesterday he said he wanted to kick me in the balls.
I used to complain that I couldn't get anything done or enjoy my whole vacation because I had to nap with Isobel or lay with her while she went to sleep. As we speak, she is asleep upstairs with Opa, while he watches the hockey game. I like hockey games to you know...I guess you should be careful what you complain about.
Opa does the magic egg trick at breakfast every morning and though she has seen the trick a million times, it still makes her laugh...
I ask Izzy if she wants to come to the mall with me, so she can go on the playgroud. She says"only if Opa is going." I ask her if she wants to go for a walk to see the tigers. She says "only if Opa is going." I ask her if she wants to go up the street to get some ice cream and then go swimming when we get back. She says "only if Opa is going to take me and then watch me swim." I wish I could be like Opa.
Tomorrow I will tell Izzy the truth that Daddy and Mummy paid for this vacation and that Opa and Oma are a couple of deadbeats who "are only playing with you like that because they owe Mummy and Daddy so much cash." We'll all smile and wave when we drive Oma and Opa back to the nursing home... Who wants to go swimming with Dad?
All kidding aside, when I was growing up two of the most important and influential relationships I had were with my grandmothers. They both in their way, taught me what I needed to get to where I am now. For good or ill. The fact remains that my children treasure their grandparents(who pay their own way and then some thank-you very much). Mrs. Narrator's parents and my mother and I am thankful everyday that we have them and their wisdom... plus Opa is a much stronger swimmer than I am anyway...


So here we are at the Mexico house. There is the ocean but Isobel is not interested in swimming in it. There is the pool and Isobel will swim in it though it is not her new favourite thing to do. There is a mall next door that has a playground which towers high above the floor(for real, this thing is like 18 feet off the ground) but Isobel doesn't want to do this anymore. There are stores that sell trinkets and baubles and every imaginable Mexico type souvenir she could want. But Isobel isn't interested in any of that.
There is ice cream here that costs more to make than they sell it for. But Isobel couldn't be bothered. There are men and women who trudge back and forth along the beach every day, hoping to catch the eye of one of the children of the tourists, so the children will decide that they 'just have to have that dolphin carved from drift would and polished up with shoe polish and lemon pledge.' but not Isobel.
"What's this Daddy?" she asked.
"What's what" I replied.
"What's this crazy thing for?"
I put the lid back on and gave it a push. Her eyes lit up as she watched it go round and round, completely amazed by this modern marvel which, clearly no one had truly, properly appreciated until just this very moment. She put her hand on the top of it and I gave her a look that let her know it was alright or her to work the gadget. She let out a little gasp as it again went round and round to her amazement.
I am overjoyed that Mrs. Narrator, The Boy and I flew almost 2800 hundred miles and spent a foolish amount of money so that Isobel could get to discover the joys of a salad spinner...