When family is just enough…..…

It had been a while since I had spent some quality time with my three youngest nieces & my middle sister & I was really starting to have withdrawals from them. You see before I got very sick & had to go into full time care I used to nanny for my sister, this was years ago when the youngest was a new born & she is now going on ten so as you can well imagine we are talking along time ago. Anyway, as my body started to give way on me & I became less able to take care of myself let alone three little girls I had to humble myself & admit I was no longer in a position to mind them & my poor sister had to go outside the family & look for a nanny through an agency. She has done this ever since & it has had its ups & downs but all in all it has seemed to work out!

The downside of it all is that I don’t get to see my little cherubs nearly as much as I would like to so when I get the opportunity believe me I savour every moment! It was last Sunday & my sister suggested I come over & they put me in the wheelchair & they take me for a walk around the area – this sounded like a great idea to me! Anyway, Mum & Dad picked me up from the establishment & we took our usual route (especially when my Dad’s driving) we drove past our favourite coffee bar & bought three cappuccinos & one flat white! Yummy I thought to myself, no matter how hard they try at the establishment their tea & coffee can never quite match up to a takeaway cappacino from the local coffee bar. Off we went to my sisters & it was nice because Mum & Dad were coming in to join us for the coffee drinking ceremony! There was a feeling in the air that made me wonder whether or not we were going to actually make it to the walk in the wheelchair but I didn’t care one little bit as long as I was with my girls I was perfectly happy! When family is just enough…….

The coffee was drunk by all, everyone was relaxed & happy, Mum & Dad decided to hit the road & so it was just me & the girls & my sister. We were loving lazing on the couches watching the wonderful dances my nine year old niece had choreographed herself, a few star jumps, a number of forward rolls & she was definitely showing some very creative talent! Then the big question came…..”Aunty Jen Jen, do you think I could do your makeup?” “Hmmmmm, I thought to myself, do I feel like being made into a clown, but then I remembered why I was there!” “Sure” I said to her, “just one thing I ask you don’t make me look like a cake face” (what we used to call her now eighteen year old sister when she was fourteen and used to come out of her bedroom looking orange after doing her makeup – might I add now she does her makeup amazingly and looks stunning everytime she leaves the house)! “Aunty Jen Jen, I’m  good at makeup you wait and see!”

So the process began…..she disappeared for a good five minutes & then she appears with her very own makeup kit! Never in my life have I seen anything like it, she has every brush for every part of the face, different shades of powders, eye shadow, blushes, special eye pencils that have very special jobs apparently & of course the absolutely necessary mascara! Right, paper towell was laid down on the stool incase of any accidental spills, everything was lined up & the show was ready to begin! I sat there like a princess being absolutely pampered & I would ask her the occasional question as to what was happening & she was able to tell me exactly what she was doing & why she was doing it…….a bit of blending of the powder to make sure there was no lines on the neck, of course the eye pencil which if I could remember its job I would be able to tell you but she certainly knew it’s purpose & then lastly I had to rapidly blink my eyelashes for what seemed like an absolute age so that the mascara went on just right!

“Well, Aunty Jen Jen I think we’re finished & you look beautiful, doesn’t she?” the question aimed at her almost fourteen year old sister who had shown a distinct lack of interest throughout the whole “process” other than to make the occasional comment on the heaviness of the powder or perhaps the mascara might be a bit thick, to which she got the usual sister to sister reply “shut up & mind your own business I’m the one doing Jen Jen’s make up”. The fourteen year old was now allowed to speak as she had been asked to give her opinion & she thought it looked great, possibly a little thick & dark in places but other than than that apparently I looked beautiful. Well, there was a smile from ear to ear & one very proud nine year old, she was very impressed with her handiwork! So, now it was time for photos, sensible ones & then of course a couple of silly ones. I will put in a few with this post so you get to enjoy some of fun that we all had!

Even though it was only a few hours that I spent there it was the best few hours I had had in a long time! There is something refreshing about children & their innocence & particularly when it is family it just makes it that much more special. I guess that is the reason why I titled this post “When family is just enough”, there are times when all you need & sometimes all you want are those around you who know you best & hopefully love you in spite of all your weaknesses & believe me in my case there are a few, but everyone is comfortable just to “be”, something I need on regular intervals when living in the “establishment!”

I truly hope you as the reader have times when “family is just enough……” – it is most refreshing!!

The make up artist with Aunty Jen Jen being silly!

A nice one!

The made up one with the fourteen year old!