Dream...and reality

......My sister came to visit and relieve me from my temporary single parent status. We decided to go to the beach and collect stones with all the children. You know, a nice easygoing family adventure filled with giggles and good, clean fun. I expected Her Cuteness to love it and saw us holding her hands a jumping her over the waves while she shrieked with joy and excitement. I saw HRH sitting back from the water, wary and unimpressed, while he drew circles in the sand with a stick. I heard him grumbling and giving out about the adventure, but tolerating it. Reality. My sister came to visit and relieve me from my temporary single parent status. (Mr Loyal Servant is resting at home, he tells me). HRH screamed and sobbed getting into the car, stopping every now and again to say 'sad sad'. But I was determined we were going to the beach. HRH never made it onto the beach, he staged a sit down protest about 3 feet in and shrieked like a girl i.e. Her Cuteness. Yes, she shrieked too. She wasn't able to walk on the sand, she is just too small and couldn't keep her balance. We tried the 'jumping over the waves' trick but she cried when we put her feet on the wet sand and had to be carried after that. We gave up quite quickly and went back up to the top of the beach where HRH was still protesting. We all sat down hoping to rescue something of the outing, but both Her Cutness and HRH continued to whinge. It finally dawned on me that I was not going to get any part of my little dream and we went home. My sister summed up the event nicely, "That wasn't very successful...........oh well, maybe next year!" A bit of optimism doesn't go astray!