rookie error

We have a respite care centre on the hospital site, for physically and mentally disabled children, called the Maison de Benediction or MdB as everyone knows it.  Its Haiti though so is a million miles from the equivalent I am familiar with in the UK where Polly used to work.  We get a last minute donation for gifts so I head off to go shopping.  Of course it’s not like going to Cribbs Causeway (other mega shopping malls do exist) and we get what we can, including very unseasonal wrapping paper.  Miscellaneous flowers (roses I recognise) in shades of red and pink, it reminds me of Easter paper or something for a very aged and female relative; no jolly santa’s, reindeer or snowmen to be seen. It’s quite poignant actually, it’s about the sentiment and the giving, not the presentation.  Gifts are hard too though, there is such limited choice, so we end up with lots of user-friendly age and ability appropriate things.  I am taken by the mini keyboards as there is sound and light, a great stimulation for the children (more later).

Next morning I wake up with a bit of a dry throat.  I can’t blame the AC (we don’t have any).  No, I’m not going down with anything (thank goodness), but find myself with a rye smile.    Going back years to when the boys were young, the anticipation of excitement on their little faces would make the wardrobe emptying and wrapping ritual a special night, and so it became a tradition that we would have a couple of drinks (maybe several) whilst wrapping presents.  It was muscle memory I suppose, there was nothing I could do…

Our translator (though he does so much more) absolutely ace’s the labels, as you can see.  Luckily before I attach them I realise I neglected to buy (and fit) batteries to the keyboards, so there is some cursing.  After I calm down from that schoolboy error I acquire some batteries and fortunately do not make a hash of the wrapping paper (paid equivalent of 30p a sheet!).