Let's call this series of episodes from this evening "Toddler v. Grandpa".

Episode 1: Dessert

My father has been recovering from a cold. I inquired into how his throat was feeling and asked whether something cold might make it feel better. He replied with the initials of a local ice cream shop in the NATO phonetic alphabet. DS2.9 nearby perked up his ears and asked, "Are we getting ice cream!?"

Episode 2: Dinner

DS, having eaten a late lunch and nursed recently wasn't hungry at dinner. This was compounded by his eating a piece of hot food, which burned his mouth and left him uninterested in more dinner. Grandpa attempted to cajole him into eating, not realizing what he was up against.

Grandpa: DS, what if I take your zucchini and eat it? (Said teasingly as he pretends to steal DS' food)

DS, blasé: Go ahead.

Grandpa, undeterred: What if I stole your corn on the cob, too? (He mimes eating the corn.)

DS: No Grandpa, actually eat it!

Grandpa pantomimes again and DS repeats his exhortation. Grandpa complies to see how DS responds. When he gets no reaction, he repeats the process with the zucchini. DS urges him to eat the zucchini, Grandpa does, and DS revels in having tricked his Grandpa into having eaten the dinner that he was being encouraged to eat.

I was proud. It was well executed subterfuge.

Episode 3: Gazebo

DS manages to wrest a tent-like peg securing one of four legs of an iron gazebo from the stone patio. (No easy feat for little hands.) This was the result of several minutes' labour, concerted focus, and persistence.

Grandpa: DS, do you think it's a good idea to remove the peg?

DS: Yes I do, Grandpa.

Grandpa: But what if a strong wind blows? The gazebo could be blown away or damaged.

DS: There are still three legs holding it in place.

Me: If the peg can be removed by a small child, it isn't terribly secure and would have probably been ineffective anyway.

Grandpa: DS, could you please put the peg back in the ground.

DS wedges the peg back in, only to quickly remove it again and resume playing with it.

Grandpa: DS, why aren't you listening to me?

DS: I did listen.You said to put it in, which I did.

Grandpa couldn't argue with this reasoning. By that point, my mum and I were howling with laughter. I love my dad, but the poor guy just couldn't win today!


What is to give light must endure burning.