This is why the kids like me ...

[blamebrampton]

One of my friends left her 15-year-old daughter in the combined care of me and Mr B and another nice couple from Newcastle over the Easter Weekend.

This kid is actually a friend of mine, too, not just the daughter of friends. She's got a really good head on her shoulders and is pretty damn funny as well as bright, and not at all afraid to mock us back when we give her affectionate grief. We did some fun stuff, like trying out eye make-up and trying on hats -- one of which was more of a Head Chicken than a hat (seriously -- if I could train a red Silkie hen to sit on the side of my head, it would have looked EXACTLY the same!) and then we took her up to the Hawkesbury and left her camping with hundreds of mad mediaevalists, including the Novocastrians.

Of course, despite the fact that we were totally not camping, Mr B and I ended up spending a ridiculous amount of time there, too. Which led to the situation where Ms 15 and I were visiting a boofy friend's cook tent after dark for a quick chat and gossip. A nice random chick walked in and offered us homemade cider.

'Oh, good one,' said Mr Boofy. 'Offer the 15-year-old alcohol!'

I don't really drink much, but I wanted to see if it was good cider, so I asked if I could smell it.

'OK,' said Nice Random. 'But if you're 15, don't get drunk on the fumes.'

'I'm 45,' I muttered, while Young Lass and Mr Boofy died of laughter.

I assured Nice Random that she was my fave, because, seriously, I can maybe pass for 33 on a good day in dim light, then turned to Young Lass to waggle my finger at her immoderate laughter.

'Yeah, apparently you're 15,' she teased me.

'There's a really ugly portrait in my attic,' I replied, poking my tongue out at her. 'Anyway, you should be offended, when she had to pick a teenager out of the two of us, she went with me!'

'Yeah, she was totally going on height there ...'

Friends, I let her live. And this is why you can trust me with your children.

Comments

[nursedarry.livejournal.com]

Great! I'll be sending my twins to you ASAP.

Ta!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

DO! Though I warn you that my upper limit is a week, after which I sell them for body parts. I'm fun, but not saintly ;-P

(and also no good at typing ...)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

You're the anti-Easter-bunny, you collect kids in your basket.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I kind of do! I've ended up with a six year old that I have promised to teach sewing and hat-making to, which is funny, because I taught her mum how to spin about 10 years ago ...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

A cute little witch maybe ... bet they both pricked themselves ... do you have a mysterious attic only you are allowed to enter?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Shhhhh! Don't give away all my secrets! I'm training them to make my shoes!

[sirius-luva.livejournal.com]

ZOMG YOU CAN SPIN? *envyenvy*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Spinning is not hard! I can't do hard craft, so if I can do it, it's pretty easy. I learned with a drop spindle, which is a good way to pick it up, since you can cart it around with you pretty much everywhere and it costs a fraction of a wheel. Slow as a slow thing, but you can produce lovely yarn! I had a friend showed me the basics, then learned out of a book -- the Ashcroft ones sold by the loom company are fab and cover off most detail really well. Then it's just a matter of practise!

[sirius-luva.livejournal.com]

That sounds so cool! I would love to learn. What do you spin into yarn though and where would you buy that? However, right now I'm still making my SCA garb and have to make a sword and try to get authorised and see about armour, so spinning and other ladylike pursuits may have to wait a year or two while I practice hitting people with sticks. :D

[norton-gale.livejournal.com]

It is really easy - just go to a yarn store and pick up some wool and a drop spindle, then look for instructions online or a book as Brammers suggested. Easier than knitting or crocheting!

[sirius-luva.livejournal.com]

I would really love to start, but at the moment I'm swamped with assignments, SCA stuff (still sewing my garb!) and such, so perhaps when things calm down I will take it up. :D Knitting is pretty easy already, too. XD I used to knit in lectures in junior college.

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Haha, this is so brilliant. See what happens when you wear your hair in pigtails and wear your Wiggles party dress in public?

I've been mistaken for a student when I was teaching... since then I've gone rather more grey and sleep deprivation has probably aged me. I did have a new friend express surprise at my age last year so there's possibly hope for me yet.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It was dark! Though the pigtails have caused problems in the past, I try to keep them for the gym these days.

There IS hope! When you can dye your hair again, you will once more start being carded at pubs!

[nenne.livejournal.com]

That is quite the compliment. :D It's even better than the one I go at the doctor's office when he read my file and said: "I see you were born in 1986" and thereby taking 18 years off my age. I loved it!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It was quite dark! Though apparently I do manage sulky teenager body language quite effectively, and Young Lass and I are not radically different in body shape, she was in one of my old costumes for the event.

It's always nice when people enyoungen us! I once rang Mr B excited because the bus driver had asked if I wanted a concession ticket, thinking I was a student. He told me the driver probably thought I was a pensioner, the rotter!

[nenne.livejournal.com]

He should have been slapped with a rather large fish. *nods*

[chantefable.livejournal.com]

I am laughing at everything. :)

For some reason, the fact that this happened at a medieval camping gives this story weird rock'n'roll Snow White visuals. You are the fairest of them all, Brammers!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Nah, I'd be the strikingly handsome witch in the background who may be a good witch and may be about to turn everyone into frogs to keep the noise down ;-)

It was pretty funny. And dark! Do not forget the dark! I mean, I do have good skin for my age thanks to sunblock and never smoking, but not THAT good!

[shu-shu-sleeps.livejournal.com]

Hon - seriously you don't look ANYTHING like your age, never have in fact.... and I can totally see someone assuming you are a teenager :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I do look closer to my age than to 15, though! Although given that it was dark, if they were going off height alone ...

[sirius-luva.livejournal.com]

In my teen years (which aren't technically over yet! I only turn 20 in July!) I was forever being mistaken for someone older; once I was with my Eng Lit classmates at a seminar thing on the book we were studying and the guy giving the talk asked me if I was the teacher. I was 15 or 16 at the time (and, admittedly, dressed in a formal black suit-coat thing over a white blouse and had my books and paper stuffed in a laptop bag which I'd gotten for free somewhere despite not owning a laptop at the time).

Also, medieval camp? I never get to do such fun things when I get packed off to stay with my uncle and gran. XD (Admittedly, I am happy enough about raiding my uncle's study as he's a historian.)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I used to take my actual nephews off to art workshops, which makes me wish they were still little so I could have an excuse to go to kids' ukulele workshops!

And I do rather envy you. I once took one of my students out for a drink to celebrate his turning 18, he waltzed in, I was carded. I was 32. :-(

[sirius-luva.livejournal.com]

Augh. This refused to post for two hours.

Aww. Babysit more kids! The you can bring them to more workshops!

Oh dear. Did the bouncer think you faked your ID or anything? XD Well, at least you still look youthful! Many people would envy you. My sister was asked, a couple of years back, how many children she had. She turns 26 this May. And when I was in Egypt (I was 18) I was asked if I was married, but then again it was Egypt and that guy was a bit creepy.

[symetric.livejournal.com]

this is hilarious. kids love you because you look about twelve. bless your little cotton socks. *ducks from your flying wellies*

:D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Actually, this one loves me because she can raid my wardrobe ;-)

And I cannot throw my wellies at you, this year's La Nina means it's pissing down so often, I need them!

[illereyn.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you're an awesome baby-sitter (well, not so baby in this case)

[norton-gale.livejournal.com]

Were you wearing your braids, you girlish thing?

Just dropped by to see what you were up to. I miss chatting with you. Nothing new with me, just losing the battle to have a clean house and organized life. Kids are doing great though!