Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Grateful for Peacock Feathers

Two sleepover parties, a family get together, and roller skating all in one weekend.  How much is too much when you're ten? It started with an early melt down about what to where.

 On Tuesday she tells me that the Friday party is a dress up party, and she needs a bird costume. On Wednesday we are furiously Googling bird costumes.  Not one image on the whole global Internet search was any good, not one. "I don't want to look stupid mum!" Me -"but you're dressing up as a bird sweet heart, it's not going to look cool".  I remembered the little girl next door had a fabulous chicken costume that would fit the bill, she looks at me aghast - "I'm not going as a chicken mum".  There seems to be more of those mum, you're an idiot, looks these days.

We found a feathery mask and some wings from an old Archaeopteryx costume. Nope no good.  "I'm just not going", loud yelling AND STOMPING AND sCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HER LUNGS. Me - deep breathing - well actually a little yelling too.

Leave the costume problem until Friday morning vegie group (we made a hot house - follow the link to check it out).  I ask our lovely host, who has a resident peacock,  if she has any peacock feathers she could spare. Yes, lots.  Peacocks moult every year happily leaving their beautiful feathers everywhere. A borrowed boa from our gorgeous neighbour and we're well on the way. Then I remember I own a peacock dress, two safety pins for  adjustment and the fancy dress problem is solved.







 She even looks cool! 

The tail is secured by the belt but was really only worn for the arrival, she plucked her uncomfortable tail and  generously shared feathers with her friends - like the Rainbow Fish with it's pretty scales. Peacock feathers really are the most amazing things, such divine hues. I don't believe they could possibly bring bad luck or an evil eye.

Grateful for the generosity of friends. Grateful for peacock feathers.  Grateful for things coming together at the 11th hour.

And, surprise, surprise, two sleepovers is much too much for a 10 year old, particularly when they don't get any sleep at the first party. Sunday night and Monday morning tears of extreme fatigue and impending illness. On the whole she held it together pretty well, bursting with joy over her first go at roller-blading and party good times. Grateful that the Big Bowerbird's weekends are not normally quite so filled.

Joining in with Maxabella loves 

6 comments:

  1. Fantastic costume. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh the guilt!! You've reminded me of an epic tantrum that I had because my mother couldn't produce a mermaid outfit from green crepe paper the night before the school book parade. There were tears and gnashing of teeth all round.
    My grandmother was visiting and just kept asking "wouldn't you like to go as Alice in Wonderland?" over and over again. I must remember to apologise to my Mum!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an awesome costume! Very creative, you saved the day :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I adore peacocks and agree: how could they possibly bring bad luck when they are so exquisite?
    Your daughter looked divine!
    But aaargh the heartache of getting to that point. My daughter is only three but I suspect I have that to look forward to...
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. She looks AMAZING! King of the rost (that should be Queen!). Clever mum. x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ahh! She is beyond cool! Amazing!! Excellent to have a local supply of peacock feathers to use. ;)

    ReplyDelete

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
Margaret Atwood

“She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
"Winter is dead.”
― A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young