Making Juice....

I balance precariously on a branch and stare for a moment at the ground beneath me. Then determinedly I lift up my other flip flopped foot and climb higher into the grapefruit tree. Tantalizing ripe grapefruit sway in the breeze way above my head. Holding tightly onto a fork like branch that I’m carrying in my other hand I stop for a moment and take a deep breath. Sweet blue eyes look up questioningly beneath m.” Ba?” Jayden says, meaning ball! I smile and nod. “Mommy will be right down,” I tell him reassuringly. Then I tackle the task ahead of me. Since we make all our own juices here these grapefruits will be just right for the juice I plan to make with tonight’s dinner. The only problem is, is that we’ve taken all the ones within reach, or within the sticks reach. Now it’s time for some monkey business! I climb a little higher and then push my forked stick through the thick foliage. Wham, wham, wham. I shake a branch laden with fruit but nothing happens. Wham, wham, finally a massive grapefruit breaks off the branch and falls to the ground with an earth shaking thud. “Ba?” Jayden says again and goes running for it. He picks it up excitedly and carries it under his arm like a football. He tries to run with it but it is pretty heavy for his little arms so he doesn’t get very far. From my vantage point I can still keep an eye on him so I carry on. After several more unsuccessful attempts I finally get 3 more down. There is still more up there, but by now my arm is getting sore and I’m not sure if my flip flops have survived the awkward position. I jump down and bend the deformed flip flips back into shape. Then together with Jayden I carry our treasures to our little kitchen. Yummy grapefruit juice with dinner tonight!