Life in the Commune

While we were in London, Auntie K, Uncle D and their adorable almost 3 year old little girl, Zabba, moved into our house. It was a great deal for us, because someone we knew was keeping an eye on our stuff and we could come back summers to our own home and kind of step back into our routine each summer with very little effort. Truthfully, it made our experience in London so easy (not having to worry about our house back home) and we are indebted to them for helping us make it work.

Now that we are back, we are all living in the house together while they search for a new place to live. People ask us all the time "how is that working?", expecting I think to get some kind of dirt or a litany of complaints. Frankly, it has been pretty easy. We have been affectionately referring to our situation as "the Commune". It is fun in a way. There is always someone to hang out with, someone to watch the game with, someone to talk with. There are extra hands to load or empty the dishwasher, pick up the mail, grab the newspaper, make the morning coffee, take out the trash. I think it is helpful for Auntie K & Uncle D to have 4 built in sitters. I think the highlight of Chizz's night is when he comes in the door, Zabba runs to him, screaming his name and asking if he would like to play "baskieball". Which of course, he always does.

In fact having Zabba around is one of the highlights (not that K & D aren't cute in their own special way, it is not the same). She is always full of fun little comments. Like the time I was joking around with her about not walking on my white couches with her shoes on and a full juice cup. I asked her to jump off and like most kids her age, she asked why. Under my breath (I thought) I replied, "because I am going to kill you if you get something on them". But she just repeated "Cause you gonna kill me??" which she repeated quite often that day. "You gonna kill me?". Yikes. It reminds you that you have to be careful of what you say around little ones, they don't really get it. And who knows what she would repeat at preschool. "My auntie says she is going to kill me."

So the other night Snake and Zabba had a little confrontation. Sometimes she likes to exert her will and Snake likes to egg her on. So they were having a little stare down, finally Snake says to her "I am going to beat you in this battle of wills, Zabba". She thinks about it for a minute and says "I am going to beat you with this bottle of wine, Snake". Oh, Zabba. . . . Like we all haven't thought that about Snake!!