For Narnia!

It’s always so refreshing and enjoyable for me to witness how a nine year old views the world through his imagination. Karen, the kids and I were walking along the towpath when all of a sudden Dylan who I had assumed was killing phantom demons with a branch he was waving around, shouted "for Narnia" as he leapt into the air. Cooper one of our labradoodles joined him and made it his objective to get that branch out of Dylan’s hand and run with it. Even though the branch measured about 4 feet across this did not discourage his quest to conquer it. In fairness Dylan caught on to him and threw the stick for Cooper to fetch. Only to be taunted by Cooper running from him each time he tried to grab it back. It became a game of cat and mouse but not for long. A war was to be fought, being the ever so resourceful nine year old, other sticks became swords and "for Narnia" would echo numerous times along the way. Cooper would follow in tow in hopes one of those sticks would be dropped and he could help fight the war. Near the end of our walk Dylan managed to hoist a sizable log over his head and scream one more time for Narnia, before the log dropped from his hands and bounced of the ground with a resounding thug.


Being that branches are in abundance on our property, Dylan discovered a new use for them.

While staying with us, each morning soon after he woke up he would go to our chicken coop to check for eggs. A few days into this he decided that the chickens weren't laying fast enough, and David caught him inside the coop with a branch poking the chickens trying to coach them into there egg laying box to do their job! Dolly the rooster was not impressed, one does not mess with his girls, and he was pretty vocal about it.

A few days later while we left David, Tom and Dylan to hang Christmas Lights on our house, we returned to find Dylan with branch in hand resuming the duties of his imagination. Hitting bushes, and running around holding the branch high up in the air. At dinner that night his mom asked him who he imagined himself to be. He explained with great determination that first he was a ninja going into great detail as to what he was wearing, this was followed by switching to interrogator and then police officer.

I had forgotten until writing this that I too role-played at that age, except mine where more of the fair maiden kind during the Middle Ages. I wanted to be rescued by a handsome prince and ride off into the sunset with him on a horse. I remember making necklaces out of flowers and wearing them to enhance the role I was playing. Is it any wonder I am what I am ;)