Something About Nothing

Remember the weekend before last? When we thought Spring had sprung? Only it hadn't...
Daughter and Middle Son had choir practice on that Sunday evening. We all biked along the road to where the practice was. Evening had that Spring Busyness in the air... the odd bird yelling its little head off in the trees above our heads. Still light at 5pm.
We said goodbye to the singers, and headed off back down the road. Me, Husband and Youngest.
Kicked a football round in the field. Came back home and piled up lots of leaves and Stuff to make a bonfire.
Husband then walked back along the road to get children from choir.
Youngest and I locked up the chickens, got some more bits for the bonfire, and then went and waited for Daddy and the others to bicycle home.
Getting a bit dark by now. We sat behind our picket fence, waiting.
Look! A bat! I whispered to Youngest.
Ooooh. he said.
LOOK, MUMMY, A BAT! he yelled.
Sshhhhhh. I said.
Saw some ducks. Some geese. All flying overhead in the red sky.
Looked over at Youngest. Dear little face watching the road.
Where are they? he would ask, from time to time.
Coming, I would say.
And they did.
In the now murky light we could see figures on the road ahead. First came Middle Son. Zooming past.
Pssssst, we said.
He came, grinning, over to us and flopped down. Understanding totally what we were doing.
Along came Daughter. Whizzed past.
Psssst, we said.
She came. Why are you hiding?
We're waiting for Daddy. said Youngest.
We all sat there, bottoms becoming damp from the grass.
The odd car would come past, head lights shining right through the fence. Really quite dark by now, although sky was still pink.
We sat and giggled and whispered. Toby, our cat, came and sat on my knee. Purred very loudly. We watched the bats, listened to the sounds of evening.
Shhhh. Daddy's coming!
Felt that familiar thrill of fight or flight of childhood. Hiding and waiting. Daddy's footsteps getting nearer and nearer.
Overwhelming giggles all round.
Youngest suddenly shouted out,
B-O-G-I-E-S!
We all yelled with laughter. Daddy totally unperturbed by noise or bogies.
Picked ourselves up and wiped ourselves down.
Walked together round the house to the bonfire.
Lit it.
Watched it and the faces of all the children, lit up in the bright flames.
Watched my husband helping Daughter to use the rake.
Watched Middle Son show Youngest how to scrumple up the paper first and then throw on bonfire.
Watched the rabbit watching the fire through the wire of the chicken fence.

Bloody lucky really.
I love my family.