Peter and the Cubby-Wolf

Yesterday was the first day of winter break for both Cubby and Charlie. Winter break is not something I am familiar with from my own school days, probably because winter wasn't much of a thing where I went to school (Hawaii, Alaska, and Arizona). Except in Alaska, and no one even pays attention to winter there, so no breaks for it.

Winter break is a nightmare for parents, of course, because what could be worse than having your children home all the time during the worst weather of the year? Not much.

So yesterday was challenging. The wind was blowing ferociously, meaning even when I did get Charlie and Cubby outside, they didn't stay out long. Mostly they were inside screaming and fighting all day. And talking about poop.

Needless to say, I was feeling a wee bit desperate by 4 p.m. This desperation led me to suggest they could put on a play for me and Jack. OR, hey Cubby! Want to act out Peter and the Wolf, like you did at school?

He did. So I put on our CD of Peter and the Wolf--narrated by Patrick Stewart, pleasingly--and we all took direction from Cubby.

He ran around setting the scene with a blue blanket on the floor representing the pond, on which was the duck (a stuffed owl), and a table for the tree, in which perched the bird (a stuffed eagle). Charlie got the coonskin cap, because he said he would be Peter. Cubby, as the wolf, wore this strange blanket with a hood and ears that someone sent to Jack when he was born.

Here's the wolf trying to catch the bird.

Unsurprisingly, Charlie flaked on being Peter after about two minutes. So his understudy had to step in.

He lost interest quickly too, however, leaving only one option for Peter.

Whee.

Charlie did deign to be the hunter later.

He's an excellent shot with his toy guitar.

The procession after the wolf is captured and imprisoned was a little odd.

Jack as Peter again needed some help processing from the hunter, and the wolf does not look appropriately chastened. Or imprisoned.

Oh well. We were true to the spirit of the story, if not the details. And it was the most amusing fifteen minutes of the day, so there's that.