Hammocks

It was a perfectly good, normal morning when Frankie entered the room and announced...

"We need a hammock."

I'm taken aback.  Where the heck did that come from?

I confess a hammock was not something I gave much thought to because mostly I've just seen people being 'tossed' out of them as thought the hammock didn't want them there in the first place. Also, I've seen videos of dogs getting stuck in them, kids desperately trying to get into/out of them, couples uncomfortably cuddling in them, and as I've said mostly people being 'tossed' out of them.  But mostly we certainly didn't need one.

I suspected I was going to have a battle on my hands because Frankie had that look she was not going to 'give in' easily...she wanted a hammock.

Shoot!!!!!!!

My main argument against a hammock was that we had no room for one.

Frankie immediately went to the tool box and extracted the tape measure.  She went out onto the patio and began to measure off the area she suspected a hammock might fit.

Uh,oh.

I followed her outside and began to make my case against this purchase.  "Frankie, they're dangerous, especially for (grimace) 'old people'.  I could break an arm, a leg, a hip trying to get in and out of it."

She ignored me and kept measuring.  

Over the next couple of days the discussion over a hammock continued.  Soon a catalog was (literally) shoved under my nose and double chin.  There in 'living color' was a hammock.  This girl had done her homework!  Not only was it NOT macramé, it was stationary.  The hammock itself has a twill washable fabric that firmly anchored to each end of a sturdy metal frame.  It even came with a matching carrying case should you want to dismantle it and spend a day at the beach.  Then circled in a broad permanent marker was the price, and last but not least the dimensions; a perfect fit for the area Frankie had so carefully measured off.

The price was reasonable, and after examining the picture to establish there was little likelihood this contraption would 'spit' my body out I agreed to make the purchase.  

With the speed that an item can be shipped the hammock arrived within a few days and Frankie and I proceeded to put the thing together.  That was a piece of cake, great instructions, and with the exception of 'human error' (we had attached the hammock itself up-side down to the frame) it was ready for occupation within a half hour.

Of course Frankie went first and gave a glowing review; Muse, coming out of a good long sulk came next.  She also approved.  Finally it was my turn, Surprise!  The hammock accepted me, I wiggled and squiggled myself into a perfect comfort spot and settled in.  I wish you could have seen the looks on their faces when I refused to budge from the comfort of MY new outdoor bed.

On the down side, I've tried reading in it, playing I-pod games in it, enjoying the breeze, clouds and chirping birds in it all to no avail.  I LOVE IT because, within minutes I am sound asleep.  Do I share with the girls...no, not really. However, if they happen to get up early I do let them argue over whose turn it is to use it.

Frankie...get out of there!