Phoning home

The Boy Wonder seemed pretty much back to his usual self today, which was a) lovely to see, and b) a relief. As well as playing multiple rounds of hide 'n' seek around the house we spent a couple of hours in the playground at the park, where B made good use of the equipment. In the past month his physical confidence and strength have both increased quite noticeably, and last week's awful bug doesn't appear to have set him back in this regard.

I'm not sure what made him suddenly notice this speaking device - he's never taken any interest in it before while I've been with him - but he was very intrigued by it today. "Whatizzit?" he asked me. "Well," I said, "It's a kind of primitive telephone." He looked at me as though I was suddenly speaking a foreign language - which I suppose I was, given that I doubt anyone around him ever uses either of those words. Luckily, because R and I were both with him we were able to demonstrate, one of us calling into and listening at this speaker, while the other used its companion, which is maybe ten metres away. The Boy ran from one to the other, shouting "Hello!" to the distant grandparent, and listening intently for the response. I probably don't need to say that we tired of this well before he did.

Right at the end of a happy afternoon the Boy suddenly crashed, descending in an instant into inconsolable grief over I still don't know what, and refusing for several minutes to be comforted. When he finally agreed to a conversation, R suggested to him that perhaps he still wasn't completely well, and told him that the virus had made me very sad too. B then lunged at me, and for a split second I thought I was about to be head-butted - but it turned out that I was getting a cursory hug, and a brisk kiss on the cheek. After which he cheered up as promptly as he'd cheered down, and went back to chatting breezily about conkers and such, as though there'd never been a problem. Half way home though, R looked down at the lolling blonde head in the pushchair in front of him and said "Is he asleep?" And he was - out like a light, with a half-eaten strawberry YoYo clutched in one fist. The failure to finish a YoYo was an even stronger indicator than the unexpected nap that perhaps he's not fully back on song as yet.

And now (drum roll...) we come to the final set of Tiny Tuesday results for September. Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who has entered the challenge during my month at the helm, and given me such a wide range of interesting images to view and consider. Next month your host will be Pinkhairedlady, so keep an eye on her journal for the optional themes she intends to set. Next week's tag will be TT436.

This week, in no particular order, my hearts go to:

Miranda1008 for an unusual underside view of a Cabbage White butterfly.
Technophobe for some fresh and luscious-looking sweetcorn.
pixelpixie for a simple but effective macro of a calligraphy pen and some lettering.
AnnieBelle for an extremely dapper jumping spider.
jensphotos for a very lovely shieldbug. I now have severe Ocirrhoe unimaculata envy.

And I'd like to give Honourable Mentions - again, in no particular order - to:

JohnRH for a dramatically lit chestnut.
Nicoiseannie for a raft of Fairy Inkcaps.
BlackTulip for the tiniest spider of the week.
Inverculain for a peeping conker.
JohnW for a... what? I don't know, but I like the image!
ninniex for some feasting aphids.

I hope you'll take a look at these entries, and show them some love. They'd all repay being viewed full-screen, if you have the time.