We Won't be Gone Lomg

I whispered these words to the husband as I followed Carrie out to the car. We were on our way to the Kart Ranch. As indicated by the name, this is a place that has a go kart track and on a warm day it is busy with young riders playing dodge em as they careen around the paved track. Careen might be too strong a word for the pace of these little cars.

 

Today wasn't a warm day so we bypassed the track and headed into the play room. Five dollars buys Carrie a pretty yellow plastic bracelet which the attendant attaches to her right wrist. This enables her admittance into the jungle of plastic balls, slides and climbs. She immediately found a few friends to follow while I sat on a hard plastic chair on the perimeter of all this fun. Hours passed. I had no idea this would be a long adventure.

 

I sat beside a woman that was watching her charges, all five of them. Three hours later Carrie and I headed for the little food center for some nachos and cokes. We chatted while we enjoyed our little snack and she counted the coins purchased with her five dollar allowance. These coins would be used to play the machines scattered throughout the building. Another hour passes and the coin purse is depleted, the cokes consumed and we are headed home.

 

The sky had darkened by the time we opened the door and plunged into the by now even cooler temperatures. Money spend, and a fun time had by Carrie; she requests to be taken home. I've been used.

 

She spent the night last night and toward bedtime she suddenly requested to be taken home crying "I miss my MAMAAAA!"  It didn't work this time. I had to tell her it was late. It was cold. " I'm in my pajamas and we are not getting into the car to go home."

 

We have been here before. When it's time to go to bed she suddenly misses her MAMA. I tucked her in and let her sob. It wasn't long before she was sound asleep. By morning she was no longer in a hurry to go home. We went to the Kart Ranch instead.

 

Though I miss having her around, I can be lazy tonight and do what I want. She'll be back tomorrow unless of course she finds a better offer for entertainment. I'm just her alternate and understandably so. Being seven years old, hanging with your Nanny in no way compares to hanging with other seven year olds!

 

I'm taking myself in search of some warm pajamas and a warm bed. See ya tomorrow Carrie?