The great tattooed lady

Mary loved the pictures on her skin the fascinated Mary, although she was scared they might come to life when she wasn't looking. Mary also loved the stories Jill told Mary about them but she didn't like to call her Jill she just liked to call her the great tattooed lady because the stories were brilliant all the images of dragons and butterfly's and flowers they all had a meaning and many stories to go with them.

Mary could never remember if the story changed or if it was a different image but she didn't care! Both the image and the reason were brilliant. They would both sit and talk over juice and biscuits or cake ig mum had made any.

Mary would draw with the great tattooed lady and often drew a wee picture on her arm or leg, but it would wash off after a bath. Neither Mary or mum minded, it just meant Mary could draw something different when the great tattooed lady came to visit again.

©joannehepburn

Be careful crossing the road

Mary was running and jumping about in the garden, she was super exited because she was going to see her good friend Katie.

Stopping to un-hook the gate, wiggle through the space and re-hook it closed , Mary didn’t want Joe to get out without mum or dad, or any dogs thet wern’t friendly to get inot the garden either. Once it was safely shut tight, before turning around and stepping onto the pavement.  There was a line in the pavement that Mary liked to use as a marker of a safe distance from the road, and any extra big trucks or vans when they turned the corners. 

Mary liked the street where her and the family lived, it was quiet, the only real sounds were the bees, the little cute birds and sometimes seagulls but it was better than those noisy streets in town, with all the noisy cars and lorries driving about all the time.

Taking a nice wee stroll over to Katies, Mary got to the bit she need to cross the road at.  Stepping back slightly, Mary didn’t want to be so close to any traffic that was going to go past too quickly.   Looking both ways to check the road was clear, listening just to be sure and looking again to be sure before stepping out to cross the road to meet Katie. 

 

Mary made it safely over the road and into Katie's garden, running through the grass to knock on Katie's door.

Katie greeted her with a big smile she was all giddy and wanted to show Mary the new tree house.  So she ran out to cross the road without looking!

A big van roared past.

Mary grabbed Katie’s arm to pull her back!

“Ouch” yelled Katie. Mary yelled for help still holding Katie's arm.

Katie's mum came out, after one look they were rushed into the car heading to the hospital.

Katie got a fancy strong bandage to support her arm, the nurse said Mary could draw on it or write some nice messages on it to help speed up Katie's recovery.

Katie was very lucky, if you hadn’t pulled her back it could have been a lot worse. 

“Why didn’t you look Katie?” asked Mary.

“I just wanted to show you the tree house before anyone else did, I hoped you’d like all the bits I had added to it too, I’m sorry I didn’t look” mumbled Katie.

The nurse came back over to check ho Katie was doing, “Do you know how you should cross the road Katie?"

“Yes, you stop look, listen, and look again. But I was just too excited, I didn't think,” whispered Katie shaking her head.

“Well now you know and shouldn't forget again” said Katie's mum “thank goodness you’re alright.”

“It could’ve been a lot worse, you’re very lucky, it was a very good lesson I hope you will remember it from now on,” advised the nurse.

Mary had the rules noted in her mind too.

You can never be too careful as granny always liked to say.

©joannehepburn 19/06/2016

It's broken!

Mary was playing with her favorite toy she was having so much fun she put it down to grab another and “CRUNCH” Mary turned around as she lifted her foot NO! How could this happen? 

How can I fix it? OH NO thought Mary in despair. 

 Mary ran down stairs

“Mum help me” said Mary in a panic

Flustered mum took the toy and looked at it, she held the cracked legs and tried to make them meet but it was no use.

“Mary, was there a few more pieces that fell on the floor?” asked mum.

“Erm, , , I don’t think so but I’m not sure," said a tearful Mary.

“Lets have a look” said mum.

They went back upstairs into Mary’s bedroom, all that was left were splinters (you know those wee sharp needles that break off from wood before it is treated) scattered on the carpet.

“Mary do you have your slippers on?" Asked mum.

“No why?” asked a very bewildered Mary.

“go back down stairs while I hoover your room, we cant have you getting a foot fool of splinters now can we.” Stated mum.

“But, can we not rescue the pieces and put the toy back together?” said a very sad Mary.

“I don’t think we can” said mum “the leg is too badly broken and what’s left is very sharp, I wouldn’t like you to cut your hand. I’m sorry Mary but its going to have to go.” Stated mum.

OH no! Mary didn’t want to say good buy to her toy it was the best one, and she had had so much fun with it. Mary started to cry.

Mum gave her a big hug. “I know its hard but sometimes things run their path” said mum in a gentle voice.

Mary didn’t understand but she knew she had had a lovely time with the toy and played with it a lot.

“Now you have some more time to play with some of your other toys a bit more.” Suggested mum.

That was true thought Mary, but which ones would she choose first?

©joannehepburn 06/10/2015

I can't be bothered

What am i do to? I don’t really want to do anything.

I’m not in the mood to play or climb or go on adventures. I just don’t want to do anything.

I don’t want to draw.

I don’t want to watch cartoons, I don’t even want t tickle Jo!

I just can’t be bothered.

But mum says I need to get dressed and come down stairs for breakfast, so i'll throw on yesterday’s clothes and make my way down to the table.

“Oh Mary, are you feeling alight? What are your plans for today?” says mum with a smile.

“I’m fine, don’t have any.” Says Mary flatly

“Oh, are you sure your ok?”

“Yea I just can’t be bothered.”

“Aahh, well we’ll need to get you a better breakfast than cereal, we’ll need to get you some porridge with plenty honey and fruit. Got to have lots of energy to get rid on the cant be bothered virus!”

Mum mixed up some porridge at the cooker and gave it to Mary and a wee sample to Jo as he didn’t have the can’t be bothered virus, but mum didn’t want it to spread!

Mary ate all of the sweet yummy porridge with a smile, the porridge made her all warm and left a lovely sweet taste on her tongue.

Now she was ready for the day, she drank her juice and looked out the window to think, surely there was something she would like to do?

Mary watched as a robin flew and perched on the tree, Mary noticed it trying to build its nest.

“What does the robin need to build a nest?” asked Mary.

“Well I’m not sure, replied mum, we could look on the computer and see if we have anything in the house that could help?

“Can we? Asked Mary

“Looks like we have a plan” and you are cured of the ‘Can’t be bothered syndrome,’ thought mum with a smile.

©joannehepburn 25.11.2015