Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Springtime For Hula Hoop

We went to Target yesterday. I had some spring cleaning projects to do, and I needed a few supplies (metal baskets for pantry organization, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, bleach, paper towels...that sort of thing), so I loaded up the Space Age Kids into the flying car and took off for Target.

Somewhere north of Mr. Clean and west of the bleach and the Dryel, I got sidetracked by OUTDOOR TOYS.

There was something alluring - irresistible - about the call of OUTDOOR TOYS. It was a sunny day. It was downright springlike with blue skies and a whisper of humidity. I swung my kid-heavy cart into the miles-long OUTDOOR TOYS aisle, marvelling at the brightly colored plastic and happily recalling recent springs past. The OUTDOOR TOYS knew their appeal and began jumping into my cart seemingly of their own volition.

Sidewalk chalk. A jump rope. No, two. We must have two. Six bottles of scented bubble solution. Two large bubble blowers. A bouncy ball. No, no. Two.

Finally, two hula hoops. Sparkly hula hoops with sparkly solution inside that swirled when the hoop twirled. The Space Age children were as fascinated by the sparkly hula hoops as I was. They raced me through paper towels, drawer organizers, Dustbuster filters and laundry degertent to get to the magical checkout lane and the card reader that would make the hula hoops ours.

When we got home, I sent them outside in spring jackets, arms laden with bubbles, sidewalk chalk, jump ropes, hula hoops, and little packages of rainbow-colored goldfish crackers. I heard their shouts and squeals and cheers as I gamely settled myself in to scrub the under-sink cabinet in the kitchen. My hands worked quickly, apparently with no help from my brain, which was occupied with the joy taking place on the other side of my kitchen window.

When cabinet was clean and the last Brillo pad and box of dishwasher detergent had been placed, I threw off my rubber gloves, abandoning the rest of the long list I'd stuck by Post-It note to the counter. I slid open the patio doors and ran outside to the children and their OUTDOOR TOYS.

Spage Age girl says that if I practice "for a million thousand hours," I might be able to hula hoop as well as she.

3 comments:

Space Age Housewife said...

Yes! I do need to do the Space Age Girlisms. I wrote them down on the back of an envelope, so that I wouldn't forget what she said. Now I just need to find the envelope... I do know it's here somewhere!

JFK Loves Belarus said...

Ahhh...the allure of spring! H asked me for a hula hoop just today.

josetteplank.com said...

Oh! I'm going to go to Target tomorrow!

Today was a rainy spring day, and I could sure use some hula hoops to brighten things up!