Egg

Of all the things that tears my heart apart, disappointing children is at the top. I have never willingly done so, but there have unfortunately been many times in my life. Part of the problem is that kids don’t understand “maybe”. They have “YES” down pat and sometimes “NO” will register with them, but not for a long time. Too many “maybes” have become “YES” in a little mind and turned out to be “NO”. I would like to apologize to my kids for all of the “NOs”, “maybes” and even the “YESs” that were less than stellar.

Perhaps that is why grand parents spoil the grand kids. Well, aside from the fact that they are far cuter, smarter and more fun to be around than their parents ever were. We as grandparents have said too many “nos” and too many “maybes” as well.

Last week, Aunt Maegan was out for a visit and we had the pleasure of Hurricane and Tornado for four or five days in a row. Maegan did the heavy lifting, but Louise and I were back up entertainment. Over the period of time that the boys were here, Tornado wanted to do a pysanky egg like the ones that I had done in the past few weeks. He selected the design, helped to draw it on the egg and did some of the waxing. For a nearly six year old, he has pretty good concentration and was focused on the project. He particularly liked dropping the egg in the different coloured dyes and in the fullness of time bringing them out again.

We spent a few hours in the workshop over several days and the egg looked pretty good with the wax still on it. I was taking the wax off bit by bit and was almost done when a slight crack that we had been working around made the egg too weak and my thumb went through the side of the egg. We both wanted to cry and Tornado did. I didn’t know what to say to him and just gave him a hug. He went upstairs to get away from me for a while. I couldn’t blame him; I destroyed all of his hard work.

Maegan has gone back to Toronto and Tornado has gone back to his normal life. I have spent the last few days working on a replacement egg. The first one broke like the one Tornado and I worked on. The second eggshell broke when I was doing something I knew I shouldn’t do. I have just now finished egg number four and so far all is well. I do have to take the wax off and with any luck it will not break. I will then put a coat of varnish on it and maybe find or build a small display case to protect it from big, clumsy fingers and small, sticky fingers.

It is Tornado’s birthday in a week or so and I would like to surprise him with this egg as a replacement for the one he worked so hard on. Maybe this can turn into a “YES”.