The party that wasn't

For various reasons over the the last few months I have been to a number of Open Homes. To most I have taken Bax - poor thing. Poor thing because he always thinks we're going to a party! Often Open Homes have balloons pinned on the letter box, there are bright, fun-looking signs out, people dress in nice clothes, and at the door they take off their shoes before they go into the house. All this, in Bax' mind, means it must be a party. He will skip down the drive of a place we've never been before, smile to all the other 'party' goers, take off his shoes, and then...it hits him...no other kids? no parpels? no food? This isn't a party!

The Open Home we went to this weekend was at a very large house right on the sea. He enjoyed climbing up the stairs and exploring all the odd little rooms and balconies but then when we went back down the stairs and out of the house and he clocked that we were leaving he was very happy. I stopped to have a long chat to the very interesting real estate agent and Bax shining his face up at this chap and saying in a loud voice "Bye bye". We laughed and kept talking - this happened about three or four times until Bax finally gave up and headed out the door. A minute or two later he came in and he had both his and my shoes and he plonked mine right by my feet and sat down to try and get his on, all the time saying loudly "Bye bye" Byebye".

He just can't see the point in these parties with no presents and no kai and no games.

PS I introduced Bax to Prof Alan Wild who was also at the 'Party' he didn't remember me (i knew him as a child) but was very gratious upon meeting Bax.