The toddler and I were awaiting other mothers with wee ones on the former back nine of the Mt Airy frisbee golf course. This was the meeting point for the weekly incarnation of Free Forest School. Which I lead, because no one else wants to. The air was brisk but we dined on pantry forage sans gloves. If my wee one is toughing it out without gloves I will allow her example to be the one I reinforce upon her. She's two and half. Before we set out for our hike she admonished me for wearing gloves. I reluctantly threw them in the car. I was pretty excited to wear these gloves too as they were a spring clearance item at REI. It goes without saying that I haven't had a chance to wear them
But I get ahead of myself
It was chilly, maybe upper thirties, I thought a few folks might show up. If not, the kid and I can just go off and wander. An intrepid spirit in his sixties approached from trail yonder with dog in tow and made way for us. He displayed such enthusiasm for us about to embark the trail in these conditions. Since selecting this location (on the former back nine of the disc golf course) for Free Forest School, I half expect folk to assume I'm talking my daughter disc golfing. That actually sounds like a great idea. I digress. The man asked me which trail I was going to take. I told him that I'd just follow her. He thought that was a good idea and told me about the conditions of either path. It wasn't as frozen as he hoped, which indicated muddy, but you can always just turn around. Well, obviously I couldn't let this man see me put my baby in the car before I saw him again. It was imperative I not let this man and his dog down. Which was sorta an issue because it became apparent after about fifteen minutes that no other mothers were going to show with their charges and I was a bit anxious that I left a burner on on the stove. I was thinking about this the entire time. I occasionally am OCD about it. That and locking doors. My assertion has borne fruit in the past. Which makes it even worse. Not the stove though. Knock on wood
So no mothers came. I asked the kid what she wanted to do. Go hiking, home? Do you really want to go home? She wanted to hike up a barren disc golf hill, not these other trails lush with forever green trees which pique any landscape. We came across that old man and his dog as we made our way back to the car. He smiled and most likely went home assured that all was right with the world
Almost forgot my house could be burning. The cats. Turned out, nothing of the sort
