Instead of buying expensive food for them to turn their noses up at, we all headed off to our old faithful restaurant, Empress Garden, to celebrate my birthday with the grandchildren. A Peking duck, a few wontons and skewers, together with a bit of bok choi and some steamed veges, seems to just about satisfy everyone’s tastes, without over doing the budget.

While waiting for everyone to arrive, three of the grandchildren (aged five, seven and 10) were discussing things they could be when they grew up: everything from ballet dancer to actress, nurse or marine biologist and more. Wanting to stretch their imaginations, I suggested that they seek out an occupation that no one else had done before and that combined as many of their interests as possible. “Why not,” I suggested, “aim to become the world’s first synchronised swimming trainer, for jellyfish. Look at the beautiful motion jellyfish have when they swim,” I said. “I am sure that if you could only get them to do this in unison and to music, you would be certain to be eligible for all sorts of government grants and on-going funding for life.”

This last bit about the funding coming from someone other than their parents did not seem to enthuse them at all but, to my absolute delight, they caught on to the beauty of the idea. Miss Seven was immediately concerned with whether jellyfish could hear the music, as they don’t appear to have ears. “And,” said Miss Five, “how do we play music under water?”  Then Miss Ten wanted to know how you would train them. How could you identify and reward the jellyfish that were doing it right without getting stung by the others who had missed out? What would you use to reward a jellyfish, anyway? Lots and lots of silliness all round, while those who were adult or who had heard all Dad’s stuff before, talked adult things in the background, oblivious to our soaring imaginations. Soon, our minds were corralled back to the table by my darling wife, as our attention was required by the arrival of another dish and the need to sing ‘happy birthday’.

A little later on the youngest two asked to be allowed to leave the table and go and play outside. The windows facing the street at Empress Garden are low and you can easily keep an eye on the children. Imagine my delight when I turned to see Miss Five and Miss Seven dancing past the window, left, then right, then repeating, trying to imitate the glorious, contracting, swooping motion of jellyfish swimming in unison. Wonderful!  And I was the only grown-up who knew!

I just love joining the unrestrained limitless imaginations of the young when they are set free. For a little while I can be seven or nine again, exploring silliness and viewing the world from a different perspective. Harsh friends suggest that this regression is happening more and more often and in danger of becoming permanent.

Here at Redgraves Home Fabrics we have spent more than 60 years helping clients create the home environment they imagine with beautiful curtains, upholsteries and accessories. Many of the products we sell are exclusively imported for our clients and not available anywhere else.

 Call us today for a consultant to visit and help with your window furnishing needs and check us out at www.redgraveshomefabrics.co.nz. And, if you do know the answer, we would love to hear whether jellyfish have ears.