Mini-Poppins

Last Monday I had my first day back babysitting after what I thought was going to be goodbye forever. Damn those kids, though: as soon as you think you've had enough of them, they're fun and sweet and addictive. So we went to the park even though it was windy and cold, but hten I didn't have to constantly tell them to be quiet, so I didn't care. Besides, I adore wind. If people and elements could marry I'd be sending out the invitations. The twins thought this called for umbrellas so we (quietly) dug some out.
Now I haven't held an umbrella for about three years--not because I hate them or any particular allergic reaction, but just because I like rain better. (Or am caught unawares). So I got a gigantic Hagrid-sized red and white umbrella, and the twins got a frog and a rather plain blue one which was constantly turning inside out. Originally they wanted to steal mine, but then they abandoned that plan when they realized it was too heavy for them to actually hold up.
Of course it didn't rain at all while we had the umbrellas. But instead we were all morphed into Mary Poppins (and miniature versions) and marched, paraded, whistled and sang our way to the park. We twirled the life out of those umbrellas. THen at the park we decided to jump around and let the wind catch us and "fly".
The pretty twin decided she needed to jump off a high place to really fly, so I suggested one of the red stepping-stones. The next thing I know I turn around and she's crouching at the top platform of the play structure and before I could yell she casually leaps off, umbrella outstreched to catch the wind, and lands cross-legged in the gravel.
I just gaped. I don't know how high it was but she's six, and it was about twice her height. THat's like me casually jumping off of an eleven-foot platform, which for particular daredevils may seem like nothing but that would terrify me. Of course she just turned to me really excited and said, "I flew for a minute!" and got up to do it again. What else could I do? So I laughed and said, "Definitely."
The ugly twin (well, not that ugly really) got mad at me when I told her she couldn't jump off an even higher but different part of the playground. She stalked off and sat underneath her umbrella for a while, then yelled at me, "My dog died!"
Well, I'd definitely swatted him before I left so I was confused. She continued "before I was born!" and then she told me (pretty much out of nowhere) that her grandpa had died before she even got to know him and loads of other people did, too. That's why she was so angry.
I admire her for feeling that cheated. Or at least for being creative. But she's so strange.
We proceeded to make forts with the umbrellas and eventually, twirling them in front of us, paraded on home.