Most of the cute things that get said unfortunately get forgotten as I don't always manage to write them down and am in the evenings often dazed by the days' activities that no form of memory remains in tact.
Anyway, here are 2 little gems that I do remember:
1) I often tell Josephine to be grateful for the things she has: the food, that she has a bicycle and lots of other toys, that she can run so fast, etc, etc. With that in mind, let me tell you what she told me....
The night before our trip to Shimoda, Mamma is ironing clothes, packing bags, etc....After a short night due to preparation, the next morning, last thing to do is get Josephine on the toilet before settling into the car for the journey. While doing her business, she DRAMATICALLY wiped her left nostril on her sleeve...starting at her elbow area and smearing it slowly and solidly into the material...the snail-like shine spreading down to the wrist area. And then the right nostril on the other sleeve. Two trails. I watched it. In horror. How many times have I told her NOT to do that. So, a serious lecture began..."Josephine! How many times have I told you NOT to do that!?! Do you think Mamma likes washing, drying the clothes, ironing them and doing all these things??? NO!! Mamma, does NOT like doing washing and ironing. I want to do other things. But I HAVE to do these things. And I want you to wipe your nose on tissue paper so I don't need to wash so much!! You've only had this shirt on for ...??...30minutes? And already it needs a wash. That's NOT ok." The ranting went on and on, I confess. My nerves were shot from all the getting ready and stuff too. Josephine just sat quietly listening to me rant. Poor child. After I had gotten it out of my system she spoke up: "Mamma. Some people don't have washing lines. Some people don't have irons. You must be gwateful dor dat!"
Stumped. Really stumped. :-)
2) Yesterday in the shop we saw an unusual sight: a black African man with a Japanese lady. He was so extrovert and went straight to Josephine asking her name, how old she was, and all of that. At first I was a bit taken aback but he was really kind. Anyway, after he left, Josephine said, "Mamma, dat man. He has a black face. Have you ever seen a man wif a black face before?"
"Yes", I said. "I'm South African and in Africa there are lots of black people living there."
Josephine:....thinking..."Mamma. Why you not black?"
Me (wondering where this other guy might be in the shop...hopefully out of ear shot): "Well, in Africa, there are some white people and some black people. There are lots of different kinds of people."
Josephine: "Mamma. You not weally Afwican. You not black. You just pwetending to be Afwican."
Erm!??! ;-) A case for the ANC.
