Dragon visit

We had a visitor this afternoon.

A visit from Zog. The dragon.

He has big feet and he stomped on our house. When he came in, Jackson took him for a walk around our living room in a stroller. Zog liked it!

* Zog, by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Jackson fed him "dragon food" in a bowl, which is similar to dog food. It tastes like chicken and rice and broccoli and peppers. Zog also eats bananas. And peppermints, when his throat is sore.

The boy and the dragon played catch with a racquetball. Their conversation was extensive, but consisted of a lot of "here you go" and "you missed it!" and "Dad, the ball went under the chair!" They did not like the suggestion to go capture princesses, preferring instead to lick the window on the backdoor. Of course.

We read many Julia Donaldson books. (See here.) But we haven't read Zog for days. Not sure what prompted today's surprise dragon visit.

After awhile, Jack went to the couch. Zog sat on his lap while they played on a LeapPad. Zog likes to give small creatures baths.

Zog did not, repeat NOT, breathe fire. That would be ridiculous.

Also, I am informed that I am Zog's friend. But I should not try to play catch with him, because that leads to protests and "NO!" and brimming tears. I am not an expert in dragon etiquette, unlike Jackson.

At age two, the border between real life and imaginary scenarios is not defined. They smudge into each other. Imaginary creatures can streak into real life, while real life rules may constrain dragons from breathing fire in the house or toy trains from flying. Actually, some of the trains can fly, if it's deemed too annoying to follow the track to the other side of the room.

Zog left us at lunchtime. He didn't say goodbye. Just departed, without comment.

As I type this, I hear snatches of conversations in the playroom. A train engine, Gordon, is pulling freight and instructs "James, get out of my way!" Rosie is not supposed to back up. Thomas is "ready" to "pull milk," Toby is in the train shed, and now cows are on the track, the gate at the station is open and how am I going to get over there and Gordon goes round and round and CRASH and we need Cranky and what is Gordon doing asked Rosie and oops sorry Thomas and oh no and back up and please somebody in front of me pull my train and there is a crack in the track and I have the breakdown train said Thomas and  and   and     and      and        and           and             and               and