Isobel usually has an especially affectionate relationship with her stepfather, John. She looks forward to his days off as, being a trucker in the oilfield, he often leaves for work before she gets up and gets home long after Isobel is in bed. Sometimes, on days when he won't see her, John will leave a small treat on her dresser for a surprise when she wakes up.
Last Tuesday was NOT a good day for John. It was the first day that he worked for a new company and it was not without its glitches. The brand new 2011 Kenworth semi he was driving broke down and had to be taken to the shop for warranty repairs. So John was sent out with another employee and then that truck broke down too! Luckily the second vehicle could be repaired without delay. At any rate, it all made for a 15 hour day on the job.
Since the Kenworth was in the shop, John had Wednesday off work. It wasn't a Kindergarten day so Isobel was in her glory. No school AND her Johnny was home to spoil her!
Unlike most families, we have two houses next door to each other. It's a long story ... but suffice it to say, that's what happens when you marry the neighbour! John often goes next door to relax and watch television in his "man cave." That's where he was last Wednesday when Isobel invaded his space.
It was fine for a while. She was playing with the cats and colouring her oversized doodle pad with "The Little Mermaid" characters on it. But then the trouble started....
It was the middle of the afternoon and John dozed off for a nap. Isobel wanted something and so she woke him up. Not once, not twice, but three times!
Unfortunately, by the third time, Johnny was no longer patient with his human alarm clock. Apparently he lost his cool and yelled at Isobel to "Go home for an hour" so he could sleep.
This reaction was devastating for Isobel and her tender heart. She came running into the house wailing loudly. At first I couldn't figure out what the problem was. When I managed to dry her eyes and wipe her runny nose, and she repeated her sad tale, I finally understood.
In between her sobs, Isobel said, "Johnny YELLED at me. And it was louder than an APATOSAURUS would roar!"
Frankly, at that point, I wasn't even sure what an Apatosaurus was. I knew it was some kind of a dinosaur, but I couldn't figure out where on earth Isobel had even heard of the creature.
I didn't waste much time trying to make sense of the matter ~ Isobel soon got involved in another activity, Johnny got some much needed sleep and, before too long, the pair were fast friends once more.
Then, this evening, I was reading "Eloise and the Dinosaurs" to Isobel as a bedtime story and it all made perfect sense.
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| Eloise has fun at the Museum.... |
In this "Ready-to-Read" book, Eloise (who is currently one of Isobel's favourite characters), goes to a Museum with her Nanny and her tutor, Philip. On their field trip, the trio tour the dinosaur halls and see the skeletons of several different types of these now extinct creatures. There is a Tyrannosaurus rex, a Triceratops and, yes ~ an Apatosaurus! However, its bony frame isn't doing much roaring!
After this incident, I looked up some information on dinosaurs and found this website. It tells us the name Apatosaurus (a-pat-oh-saw-rus) means "Deceptive Reptile." They lived in the Late Jurassic era and were about 5.5m long. They have "also been called Brontosaurus (thunder reptile) but the name Apatosaurus was given first. At birth, a baby Apaotosaurus weighed approximately 3kg (about the same as a human baby), however when fully grown it weighed about 30 tonnes! It therefore spent a great deal of time in the water which helped support its immense weight. They could live to be about 200 years old."
Paleontologists say dinosaurs are extinct ... but maybe these so called experts are wrong and there IS just one lone Apatosaurus left in the world! Only Isobel knows for sure!
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