79. Builders

I pushed open the front door only to see my second daughter lying down on her back, her feet and legs up to reach the floor behind her head, her arms stretched out each side of her body and her forefinger and thumb curled up in an O shape. She was making long low humming sounds, repeatedly. The word yoga sprung to mind. I walked right past her. She did not open her eyes, nor moved an inch. I thought  maybe there is something in that yoga business after all. She looked so deeply relaxed; I would have to be careful as she might next enter the levitational stage. 

I put my bag down. I wanted to sit down. That was all. As I came into the lounge I saw my son also deeply engrossed in an activity. Lying on the floor too, but on his front, it looked as if he could be doing homework (which would be highly surprising) yet he was wearing swimming trunks and goggles and he was soaking wet! I was innerly debating whether to worry about the state of the exercise book (and the rug) or to compliment him on doing his homework. Yet as the word 'homework' usually sent him into a wild frenzy I decided to keep quiet. As I walked past him there was no reaction there either. My kids were behaving strangely but this strange behaviour was of the quiet type so I let it go. I continued and made my way to the kitchen. Here all looked more or less normal. 

I sat down. It had been a long day. I checked the time. Late enough to bypass the kettle and chose a more appropriate drink. I got some icy white wine, and went to sit down outside by the pool. I would close my eyes then open them to see only the felt-tip-pen blue of the water and life would be perfect. I nearly dropped my glass. My husband was there, sitting down with a cold beer!

'Have you been sacked?' was my first, silly, remark.

'It's the weekend. I am home early. And this is how you greet me! The answer is no. Cheers!'

He waited until I had sampled my wine, enquired about wether it was good and said:

'I have some news about the house in France. I am not sure if they are good news, bad news or just weird news.'

I thought I needed to close my eyes again. Try the trick of staring at the blue of the pool water.

'They have sent some pictures. You don't want to see them. They have knocked down the wall in our bedroom, and they have knocked down the stairs ... and they want us to phone them to ask if they can knock a hole through the bathroom floor ...'

Blue water. Perfect life. Zero problem. Cool drink. Life is perfect.

Then I lost it.

'WHAT? Are they stupid or what? We did not hire a demolishing company! And do you think they can have it all back up for when we get back for our holidays? I doubt it!'

I picked up the phone. I was furious. I didn't care about the blue water anymore. My son arrived, soaking Maths exercice book in hand that he dumped on the table. He then jumped into the water splashing even more which got me perfectly irate for the builders. I got up and start pacing up and down, waiting for this builders/demolishers to pick up. My husband was sipping his drink, watching his son fool around in the water ... I could not read his expression.

Eventually Mr Demolisher picked up.

'Hi! Hello! How are you?' And he broke into a big hearty laugh!