My Shadow

I seem to have aquired a shadow. It's smaller than me but follows me everywhere around my house a few times a week. She's eight years old. My brother's daughter. For the first couple hours it's okay as we're usually talking about her week and school stuff. Then it starts to get annoying. I will go from one room to another and am constantly asked what I'm doing. It's become almost a game as I'll be folding laundry and she'll ask and I make up something totally off the wall. I think she's just bored. Last night I was a little short on patience and I told her a few times to go find her dad. He can't be far, our house isn't that big. I found him in the living room sleeping. In my ever patient voice I explained to him that this is not my child. Although I like to spend time with her, he needs to do something with her and not just the older one. I already had them for 4 hours yesterday at my sisters baking cookies. A and my brother went to a Bucks game last night which I had declined as I wanted to get some things done. J and I were planning on going out and meeting up with them later. Never made it. By 9 pm I got so sick of my shadow that I opted to go to bed, thinking I'd catch up on some things I taped and watch a movie that was borrowed to me months ago. Not so true. I probably was out by 930. I guess that's the reason that I was up at 530 this morning. I was at Walmart by 745. Excellent time to shop at Walmart by the way.
I got home around 9 only to have a repeat of yesterday. My shadow was awake and ready for more Auntie A tracking. The best part of the morning was when she asked me what I was going to do when her dad moved out. Trying not to laugh or jump for joy I simply said, "Well I guess I'll miss you". I told her I'd have to come and stay overnight at their new house so I wouldn't miss her so much. Going back to the mind of an eight year old I'm thinking that when the time comes I may have to make up some excuse. As much as she gets on my nerves I've always been a little partial to her as she does have some special needs. They left around 1030 this morning and then my chocolate coating helpers arrived. J provided us with musical from her rumbling tummy. If she could only get it in sync with some Christmas Music she'd be doing great.