Life On Venus

    Back when I had small children I decided that having small children is like living on the planet Venus, where gravity is 32 times greater than on Earth.  Trying to go anywhere or get anything done takes 32 times longer than normal.  Not to mention how exhausting the whole thing is.
    And how wonderful. 
    Since Tom and I arrived in Los Angeles (he from Columbus, me from Portland) last Monday to take over the day care for the  week of our granddaughters Makaila, 3 years old, and Sienna, 14 months, we've been plunged back into the  joy and dog-tiredness of life on Venus.
   

    We spend our days reading, making up games, fixing one meal and snack after another, cleaning up one mess after another, changing diapers, drying tears, giving baths, negotiating, negotiating, negotiating, making  play houses out of a sheet draped over a chair or out of books set in a big square on the floor, singing, dancing, playing an endless game of "catch" that involves rolling a little wheeled toy cat back and forth across the wood floor, trying to get people down for naps, trying between all the meals and snacks and naps and clean-ups to get out to the park or the grocery store or anywhere at all.
    And so all is well as long as one doesn't worry too much about things like cleaning, laundry, dishes, straightening up, getting dinner on the table on time or getting anything done or getting anywhere on time.
    After all,  life on Venus only lasts such a short time.   And is so sweet.