Summer Days, Drifting Away

A long time ago, when Boy was only 3 ish and Toolibelle was only months, I was in "the village", and needing respite from the Locals.  

I joined a website which put mums in touch with other mums with children of ages.  

I met one lady and we arranged to meet here with our Boys, both 3, and our babies.  Her baby was about a year older than my baby.   The park was different then - those big rope based climbing frames, three of them.  Boy was straight on to the biggest one, and once he had climbed to the top, and I had climbed half way up to convince him to come back down, her Boy had stood and watched and kicked his heels saying he wanted home. 

We arranged to meet again the following week at her house - her Boy preferred playing at  home games, rather than outside. 

I remember we sat in the kitchen having tea, and I questioned her about the dresses, placed strategically around the house.  One hanging on the wall behind the front door, one handing beside a lamp in the living room, and one hanging on the cupboard door in the kitchen. 

"My husband has bought me a new wardrobe, in a size 10, to remind me that I'm a fat cow and I need to lose weight". 

Then her son appeared in the living room with white tape in his hand.   "I've measured the floss mum, and the toothpaste".   And she looked resigned, and said "again". 

Boy came downstairs and said, "he emptied out the toothpaste all over".   
I made our excuses and left her to tidy the dental floss which was decorating the staircase, and lift the toothpaste off the floor from the bathroom to the bedroom. 

I didn't meet up with her again, but every time I look at this swingpark, I wonder about her, and wonder if she ever made it in to the size 10 dresses, and if that was ever enough.