We’ve just got back from a few days on the Isle of Wight, of which more later.
After one particularly windy day of exploring and wandering, we arrived back at our lodging and noticed that Pedro was missing. Pedro is/was Tom’s toy donkey and was a gift from a friend. We thought hard about where we had last seen Pedro and decided that it must have been at a National Trust garden that we visited. It being the early evening, we decided it was too late to call, so I called first thing the next day (Friday). Unfortunately the garden is closed on Fridays and Saturdays (hello? why??), but I’ve been promised that someone will get back to me tomorrow.
Tom hadn’t noticed the absence of Pedro, but last night the penny finally dropped. We had tears and wailing and “where’s Pedroooooooo???”. I felt utterly awful – I do my best to keep track of Tom’s belongings, but clearly this got missed. We appeased Tom with a story that Pedro had gone to visit his donkey friends, although he saw through that and Hels explained that we’d lost him and were doing the best we could to track him down.
Today we bought a new donkey. £2.99 in Morrisons. He’s not the same, but Tom seems happy. For now.
Thank goodness it wasn’t Miffy. Now that would have been a real disaster and simply doesn’t bear thinking about.
UPDATE: I had to call the National Trust in the end. No sign of Pedro I, but it seems that Tom is already very attached to Pedro II.
Gosh, what a close thing that was; I hope Pedro turns up. Interestinig that Hels’ adult explanation worked best – have you read How To Talk So Kids Will Listen, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish? Despite the awful title, it’s a really very useful book, and I’ve found that I’m saying ‘no’ a bit less now, and finding more constructive ways to talk to Bernard.