By complete chance, I managed to discover our local library was hosting a Hobbit Second Breakfast to celebrate. In layman’s terms: it’s an excuse to have tea and goodies at the library, and for book geeks to get together with a smattering of obsessive book glee.
It was Friday, but a Friday that my five-and-a half-year-old wasn’t in school, so clearly we were meant to attend...
So I cracked out our elf ears (yes, I’m pimping Aradani Studios again — their products are awesome and the proprietors are pretty cool, too — I’ve only met one, but I’m sure his brother is just as entertaining... he must be — they share genes, right?).
And I maybe kinda sorta ambushed a friend and then dragged her along. She definitely gets credit for humoring me... her eyes a little too wide when she smiled indulgently as I pulled the ears out of my purse to glue them on the boy and I in the middle of Tim Hortons (without the aid of a mirror, by the way); and she tried very hard to not walk three feet behind us and our pointy ears on the sidewalk.
She’s not a joiner.
I don’t consider myself a joiner, either, but when it’s a geeky event, for some reason I itch to let my geek flag fly...
And let’s face it, the five-and-a-half-year-old loved the attention. He wasn’t too keen on putting the ears on at first, but he’s a ham at heart. Seeing all the grownups at the library excited to see his pointy latex ears? He was all for it.
And it all reminded me of why I love costuming and dressing up (usually Wheel of Time-related stuff, true).
It’s a choice to grow up.
Sure, my kids give me an excuse to be silly, but even if they weren’t around, you can bet I’d been itching for a reason to buy some latex elf ears. Having kids at home just meant I didn’t hem and haw over the decision (two boys? two sets of elf ears... easy peasy, and they’ll fit Mom, too. DONE!).
But grow up? Lose this spark? This marvel at the magic of the imagination? This giddy glee that infuses me?
Nope. Never.
And I hope my kids never do, either.
(Who knew Hobbits liked orange juice?)
I live in a small town with my favourite people: my husband, Mr Lannis, and our two boys, along with two cats and one hamster.
If you follow me on Twitter, you might witness my issues with linear thought, road rage, spending more money on food than books, and potty mouth. Be warned.
