Another Afternoon At The Movies

This is my summer of movies for children, a reminder of the days of long ago, when I went with my own children. The choice for my grandaughter and grandson on Wednesday was between "Transformers" and "Ratatouille". I was pulling for the rat movie and - Yay! - that's what they picked.

My one rule this time was for no blankets at the movie, because we came to such grief over blankets the last time we went. In the sweltering heat that we are experiencing now, my GS carried his heaviest padded jacket, which was fine. He never put on the jacket.

Compared to our last outing at the movies, this one was relatively uneventful, except for one fight in the back seat, which began when GS messed up GD's hair and mutual slapping followed. I responded, of course, with aplomb, using my innate gift for practicing good child psychology, shouting to the back, "If I have to stop the car, I will never take you to the movies again!" Calm ensued. It seems that empty threats work, so long as you don't use the same empty threat over and over. Constant creativity is the rule in the nurturing of children.

My GD's friend came with us, so I asked her to ride in the middle seat on the way home as a buffer between sister and brother.

They enjoyed the movie, as I did. The movie makers are realizing either that children are smarter than they once believed, or that the adults who accompany the children need the occasional sop thrown in for their appeasement at having to spend an outrageous amount of money to take the youngsters to a movie. At least, Wednesday was $5.00 day, and as my reward for spending so much money with them, I was given two free bags of popcorn - no small gift.

My GS is taking a remedial handwriting class this summer, and when my son has the children, I take him to the class. Yesterday, I tried to call their house to remind the baby sitter to have him ready and dressed decently for the class when I went to get him. No one answered the phone, so I left a message, without much hope that anyone would listen to the message before I got there.

I left early, allowing myself time to get him presentable for the class. What I had not prepared for was finding him with a face painted entirely blue, bright blue. They were playing with my GD's make-up and decided to give him a blue face. And, of course, he was not otherwise presentable. I prayed, "O God, please let this make-up come off easily." God loves me, and he is always with me, right? Therefore, I pray about every crisis, large or small.

My GD was trying something on his face to get the blue off, which was not working well, so I grabbed an old washcloth and wet it, and - Voila! - the blue came off. He changed clothes, and we were off to the class. What is it that Shakespeare said? "All's Well That Ends Well."