Open Your Eyes to See

Wednesday, August 30, 1995 10:30 p.m.
Laura-11, Jasmine-10, Margret-8, Trina-5, Lark-nearly 3

Laura, Jasmine, and Margret are asleep--but only for a half hour.

Margret lost a tooth and tells me I'm the tooth fairy--that Jasmine told her.

It is hot. Jasmine and Margret took off their nightgowns and sleeping bag coverlet and are wearing only their panties and are covered with a sheet.

Trina is wearing "Barney" slippers. She bit her tongue while having a "midnight" snack. She has a washcloth in her mouth and is "still" for the first time in hours. Earlier she removed the couch cushions and jumping.

Steve is just finishing his work at Marco's and should be on his way home.

As I was tidying up the kitchen I recalled the near-blood-drawing feud the girls had earlier over some scraps of used aluminum foil. Margret was smoothing out one crumpled piece to turn it into a scroll. Jasmine tore two circle to make eyes. Laura helped Margret. All seems to have ended peacefully. They are creating art for the PTA Reflections Contest. I am impressed with their ideas. Margret was going to write the theme "Open Your Eyes to See" in Etruscan letters on her scroll. Jasmine drew a face labeled with the theme and used foil eyes.

As I go about my kitchen cleaning I put the following words to the tune of "This is the dawning of the age of aquarius" only I change the words to "the age of the garbage dump". You see, the girls had pulled several items from the garbage--some outdoor treasures Trina had gathered that are beginning to rot, and some papers. Sigh. I have a hard enough time disposing of items that most people readily identify as garbage--grocery bags, boxes, jars, milk bottle lids, book covers... My girls educate me on recycling when I finally steel myself to de-junking. They don't know my generation gave birth to "recycling". But I've grown somewhat cynical about it.

Trina is asleep now and Lark is calling me. Steve should be home in a few minutes.