slapping john

John has been sick.  He is the youngest grandson, a 4 year old trying to mix in with the world of his 9 year old cousins.  They don't always have patience with him, and being the youngest, he gets shoved aside sometimes when they are tired of him.

John had a flush on his face yesterday, cheeks so red that his mom took him to the doctor.  The red cheeks were caused by Fifth disease, also known as Slap disease, for the obvious reasons.

Gramps walked into the living room later that day and saw the three oldest sitting quietly on the couch, watching television.  He threw his hands on his hips and said in the booming voice he uses when he means no nonsense:

"John has Slap disease.  I want to know... who's been slapping John?!"

He said all three of their mouths dropped open in shock, like baby birds in a nest, as they loudly started protesting their innocence.

He was doubled over in laughter, telling me about it.

Sometimes, Gramps can be as evil as Grammy is.

...life is good. ~cath
find me @jonesbabie on Twitter

john and the sunset

I got home before dark yesterday, and unusual thing for me at this time of year when the sky darkens so early.  As I turned into the road leading home, I saw a beautiful fiery sun and clouds that were ablaze with the reflection from it.

I raced into the yard, jumped out of my car, and ran toward the house.  Stevie Wonder was standing on the porch watching me and asking what was wrong.  I told him breathlessly nothing and I would explain in a minute.

I knew every second counted and the sun would be gone quickly.  I grabbed Big Girl and ran back outside, and then out of the yard and back up the road, trying to find a higher spot to shoot from.  I turned back around when I reached the optimum spot and realized I was just seconds too late.  I took several shots, but the sun was behind the horizon by then.

Then I heard a small voice.  Not the voice in my head, a child's voice.  Faint, from a distance, saying the same thing over and over.

"Hey Grammy!  Hey Grammy!  Hey Grammy!"

I looked toward the end of my house and could just see him coming.  John.  The youngest grand.  On his electric four wheeler.  Riding toward me.

He got to the edge of our yard and climbed off his four wheeler and ran to me.  He hugged me and I kissed his face that was covered in the dirt he had played in all day, and then he noticed I was taking photos.  He started counting the trees I was shooting, then noticed the leaves in the road.  And the fun was on...

I started shooting as rapidly as I could, trying to grab seconds so I could adjust the settings on the camera, but John didn't slow down.  Finally I gave up and just did the best I could.  We played in leaves for a while, until I felt a mosquito land between my eyes and bite me.  I decided it was time to head home then.

John was not happy.  His Play-Doh face turned upside down and he turned on the drama.  I had to call for reinforcements.  Gramps.  Because Gramps and John have a special bond.  That guy thing.  Gramps had to threaten to pow pow his diaper (John's words for a butt spanking) before John finally gave in and went home.

Sometimes you just don't want the day to end.

...life is good. ~cath
find me @jonesbabie on Twitter

john and the butterfly

I was at home today.  Unusual for me during the week except I had been to the clinic yesterday with the crud.  The doctor kindly decided I needed to be back on my feet fast.  (Wait, I'd already been on my feet all week!)  So he had the nurse give me a shot and I got three prescriptions.  There were two problems with this.  The first problem was the shot contained a steroid.  Steroids and I don't deal well with each other.  The second problem was that I didn't find out there was a steroid in it until it was going in my hip.

The end result was I had no sleep last night.  Felt worse today, and called in.  Then slept and did paperwork at home all day.  A crummy way to spend the day.  John was up, and Steve was keeping an eye on him.  His mom is sick and she had gone to see the doctor today.  (Not sure if this whole originated with me or John, who had a runny nose last weekend and had been dispensing fish kisses to everyone.)

John came up and beat on the door.  He'd been outside helping his Gramps fix the lawnmower, and was covered in dust.  I looked out the door and saw butterflies all over my flowers.  John saw them too, with a two year old's amazement.  Sick or not sick, I saw a photo op, and grabbed Big Girl and started shooting.

This is what I got, almost unretouched.  Just some minor light changes, a vignette edge added, and some extraneous details cropped out of some of the photos.  I think these are the best raw photos I have probably ever taken.

Maybe I ought to only take photos when I am sick.

...life is good. ~cath
find me @jonesbabie on Twitter