Thursday 17 April 2008

A Trip to the Museum? Or was it Play School?



This is a photo of another small corner of my garden and has nothing to do with this post!


I had promised to take 5 yr old Amber to the museum the other Saturday while the other members of the family had to be somewhere else.
It was the first warm, sunny day after weeks of rain and cold, so we decided to take a picnic. At the very last minute Grandad decided to come too.

We caught the bus to the city centre and the cheerful, kind driver smiled at Amber and let her go free and of course, we pensioners used our bus passes.
Grandad suggested that we go to look at squirrels in the nearby park. Amber said, "But we're going to the museum!"
"It's on the way, Grandad explained and we had to climb a very steep hill and when we got there we were very out of breath and there wasn't a squirrel in sight!
"I want to go to the museum!" wailed Amber.
We turned back down the hill and Grandad was disappointed to be leaving the park so soon. "It's a shame we have to be inside on such a nice day," He remarked, a bit acidly.

We arrived at the Museum and went inside and Amber raced round the different sections while we quickly followed, our eyes trying to adjust to the rapidly changing scenes. Just as we got interested in one thing, something else caught Amber's eye and she wanted to move on.
We came to a children's play area with books and dressing up clothes and children's toys. I read stories and helped Amber to change into an Indian sari and pretty fairy outfits. She stayed there a long time and I noticed Grandad looking at his watch rather a lot.

When we got hungry we left the museum and sat on a bench outside to eat our picnic and started to open our food and drink containers. Before long a pigeon with a bad foot came to join us and ate some crumbs and it wasn't long before more birds arrived, several with damaged feet and they had difficulty walking. We started to speculate what had happened to their feet. Had someone who hated pigeons managed to stamp on their feet? Or did they get their toes torn off in some kind of netting? We felt sorry for the disabled birds and tried to give more crumbs to them. Eventually lunch was finished & we tidied our rubbish and went back into the museum.

Grandad was looking forward to browsing round this time to look at the things he was interested in. Amber led us back to the play area and when she had tired of that, stumbled on an art corner. "I want to draw a picture," she said. So we sat down and we coloured pictures. She signed her name and even left a comment on a little card. "I like butterflies, love Amber x"
We spent so long colouring, dressing up and having stories that it was time to go! Amber had a Birthday party to go to at 4 o'clock and I'd promised to get her home in good time.
Reluctantly Grandad left the museum and I suggested that he came back during the week while I was at work. "You can stop and look at everything you like," I enthused.

We had to pay for Amber on the way back. Isn't it funny how one driver can be really pleasant and kind, yet another more grumpy and not so generous?
We arrived home in plenty of time to get Amber dressed for the party and I made a pot of tea."Do you know?" I said, "I had such a lovely time at the museum!" Amber nodded enthusiastically. Grandad gave me a funny look as he'd not really seen anything! He never did go back during the week, though.

18 comments:

Cath said...

Grandads, like bus drovers, can sometimes be grumpy! Glad you and Amber had a good day.

Cath said...

I mean drivers. Not drovers. Although I am sure they drove and drive. ;0)

Laura Jane Williams said...

Grandad should have gone back... it is nice that he sounds like the kind of fella that really gets to grips with things. I am much more a 'skim over the surface' kind of a gal!

x

Suburbia said...

Men are like that sometimes aren't they?! They won't go alone but if you go to they expect to have it all their own way! A bit like children really.

the mother of this lot said...

Please don't write posts about Harry being grumpy. You know it upsets me.

Suzy said...

I'm still wondering about the pigeons with the bad feet.

Maggie May said...

Crazy Cath ......... the drovers/drivers in this city are mostly very good. Just occasionally we have a really unpleasant one & I don't know why they are doing it!

Girl with a mask ....... he generally doesn't go in too deep, either!

Surburbia ........yes, you've got it!

Jackie ........ as I've said before, he is only grumpy in a LOVABLE way!

Suzy ....... yes, we wondered if they sat on something too hot. Maybe there is another reason, but they weren't going to tell us!

Mean Mom said...

Pass me another tissue! I'm still sobbing about the pigeons!

Aaah! Little girls. I never had any. My boys could race through any museum in 5 seconds flat, although they were actively discourage from doing so, of course!

Men really seem to be from a different planet, sometimes, don't they. When we go out, my husband often behaves as if he is doing his duty and has somewhere else he needs to be. Where? In the pub, or what? I don't think I've got the courage to ask. Perhaps I wouldn't like the answer.

Sandi McBride said...

I hope I have the energy to walk uphill to get to the park when I'm as old as my own dad! Did you ever find out what was wrong with the pigeons feet or were they pulling your leg to get the crumbs?
Thanks for visiting me, and leaving the nice comment!
Sandi

Maggie May said...

Mean mom ...... Every one is so upset about the pigeons. I wish I knew why so many have damaged feet.

Sandi ...... The hill was very steep to the park! The pigeons had deformed & missing toes & sometimes were walking on a stump which made them hobble. They managed to run towards the food but much slower than the healthy ones. Nice of you to call......

aims said...

I absolutely love forgetmenots!

We don't have them here that I know of and how I miss them. Their delicate little flowers and their name make me all sad and happy at the same time.

Thank you for posting a pic of those...now I need to read about your trip to the museum - although the flowers have taken me down memory lane all on their own.

Irene said...

Granddads are of the peculiar types of people, they are hard to move out of the house and once they are out, they are hard to get home again. I see I missed a couple of post and must go and catch up.

xox

MarmiteToasty said...

Maybe the pidgeon police got hold of them...... for pidgeon pie, but they escaped....

I bet grandad was not really grumpy inside, I bet he was loving every minute of it....

x

Maggie May said...

Aims .. I love forgetmenots too. I suppose there are lots of things that wouldn't survive your winter.

Irene ... what are you playing at changing your name? They are funny old creatures but where would we be without them?

Marmitetoasty ...... Oh its good to see you back! Must dash over to your place!
Well they must have put the pigeon feet in the pie then!

Grit said...

Playschool sounds fun, and is a good way to enjoy a museum!

Milla said...

Oh Poor Grandad! I think grandads are made for looking at their watches, or for watching golf. And grotty driver, indeed. But perhaps the other one got sacked for his indulgence, the modern way methinks. Lucky Amber, it sounds fun.

RiverPoet said...

There's a little something for you over at my blog! Pop on over!

D

Debra in France said...

What a lovely day out. When we used to go to see my nan on sundays, my dad would take me to the British Museum in the afternoon. I have loved museum ever since.