Grandaddy

"Some days are diamonds, some days are stones", so goes the song. For many of us our day falls somewhere in between, though if we look closely enough at stones most are extremely beautiful.

Mondays are wash days. Mondays have been washdays for as long back as I remember. My Mum boiled the copper, dunked treasured articles in starch, hanging them on the clothesline to sway in the sun and breeze [on a good day], bringing them in and sprinkling those starched items with water before ironing carefully. Wash days have changed. For the housewife of the 21st century wash days are much simpler ... thankfully.

I have kept to Monday for washday, though do 'put through a load' other days as well. Today I washed, and have ironed, but not starched. As part of wash day I wash floors as well ... laundry and bathroom. This too is so much easier than in times of yore. A bucket and mop! No getting down on knees and scrubbing!

As I was mopping the laundry Dave called out. "Come and have a look here!" It was said quietly, but never-the-less from his tone I ascertained it was important that I go THEN. The sky hadn't fallen in, chicken licken was nowhere in sight!

"Look behind the battery."

I looked, and there hiding behind a tractor battery was Grandaddy. Now Grandaddy has probably resided here longer than I. I made his acquaintance not long after I arrived at this place. At first I was dubious, almost afraid. You see, his skin is old and wrinkled. He has beady eyes, and if approached too quickly, he will scuttle out of the way. Sometimes Dave picks him up; carefully from behind his head. Grandaddy has tried to nip, but most times he waits patiently to be put down on the ground.

You see, Grandaddy is a Blue tongue lizard. I have noticed smaller, and obviously younger lizards around. Sometimes they come indoors. Grandaddy is more cautious, though he may enter when I am not watching! Grandaddy has a brown mottled skin. Once I found his 'cast' skin at the side of the house. It looked like a piece of parchment, with the shapes of a lizard.

Last year while Grandaddy was meandering around the yard I hurried inside, grabbed the camera, and took his photo. This time he was agitated, showing me his tongue as he opened his mouth in an act of defiance. However all I wanted was his photo ... the vast array of animals and birds make most days, a diamond.