Instead of knitting, I took my 8 year old nephew Hank for a day, and here is what we did. (Actually, if you are my mum, or Erin (Hank’s mum) please move along. You can read this another day. Like…. the 26th. Thank you.)

1. We had a conversation about whether or not it could rain frogs. The answer is a definitive Yes- and Hank feels that there is a 95% chance you would survive. (The 5% risk of death would apparently be a result of your complete shock that it was raining frogs. Not that you would die of fright or something, but that you would be “so shocked that you would forget to take cover, and even a small frog falling from a great height could kill you.” Excellent point.

2. We went on the subway.

My sister has a car. The subway is very novel to Hank. We stood in the last car and watched the tracks go out fast behind us… and we came up with a strategy (as all young Torontonians have before him) for what we would do if he fell onto the tracks. We sped under the city, guessing at what we were under.

3. We had hot chocolate and croissant at Bread and Roses in the Village. (Also maybe one candy cane cookie, but it was small, so it’s not like it was really like junk food.)

4. We bought a few things, things for Hank to give to his mum. (When you are eight – you really need help with strategy.) We think she will be very surprised and wonder where he got the money and how he got to the store. She will likely, Hank thinks, wonder about this “for the rest of her life”.

5. We almost didn’t buy a picture frame, because as Hank pointed out to me, they were all full of pictures of people we didn’t know. His mum wouldn’t like that. Also, Hank told me that he has asked Santa for an ipod, which he is going to fill ONLY with songs by Mika. (I had no response. Still don’t, although I admit that “Love today” is on my own ipod for running. Only for running. Well, running and the first day of school.)

6. On the way back home, Hank discovered an antique device, the purpose and use of which I explained carefully.

We left a message on Erin’s phone telling her we were calling her from “a pay phone”. Crazy. When I told him that when I was young there were no cell phones, he looked at me and said “That must have been hard to manage.”

7. We made a Gingerbread house.

Technically, Megan and Hank made a gingerbread house. Then Hank called my mum and told her that he was bringing dessert on Christmas day. (Quote from Hank “There has got to be a way to get more candy on this.”)

8. We made tee-shirts for Erin and Gramy.

This is something my kids used to do when they were little. It was really, really fun doing it again. The results are as fashion forward as they were the last time I broke out the fabric paint. (Don’t tell me you’re surprised I had a bunch of fabric paint lying around. C’mon. I’m crafty. Click to embiggen.)

9. We wrapped gifts.

(That there is a Gordon Ramsay Cookbook. When Hank chose it, I asked him if his mum liked Gordon Ramsay and he said “Oh yes. She says the only thing she doesn’t like about him is his wife and kids.” I almost had a spasm in the bookstore.)

10. Hank left… and I looked at the sweater.

One sleeve short… and I really don’t care. People before things, and today was totally worth it. I gotta go knit though. Maybe all night.