A Day With Great Grandchildren

Granite Falls, 23 September 2008:--

This was one of those unexpectedly nice days of sunshine and blue skies that we have come not to expect after the Autumnal equinox here on the Wet Coast. The Grand Mother and Grumpy took advantage of the day (and an invitation to a "catered" lunch) to drive North for a visit with two of our Great Grandboys, Malachi and Amos, and our 6-month old Great Grandgirl, Elianna. Did I mention our oldest Granddaughter, Amy, and her husband, John? Oh, and our oldest daughter, Susan, and her husband, Steven.

The lunch was served in the newly-remodeled home located next door to a manufacturing firm with which Grumpy is planning to do business (more about that in another post). Grumpy admired the great amount of work that Grandson-in-law John has so far put into this house. Descriptions of its inhospitable condition before John undertook the remodeling are beyond belief. A real-estate assessor had actually declared it a total loss! Now, with much of the interior sheet-rock replaced and coated with a primer, the filthy carpets removed and new vinyl flooring installed on one bedroom, the kitchen and bathroom (wood-look-alike flooring in the bedroom), the house is beginning to look, smell and feel like a home. Yet to be done is laying wood-look-alike vinyl flooring in the large living/dining area. John is to be congratulated on a hard job well done!! Thanks ,John, for taking such care and doing such a good job for your wife and children (my Granddaughter and Great Grandkids).

Elianna, just six months old and sporting two vicious-looking lower front teeth decided to give Grumpy a chance to hold her for awhile. Her warm smile indicates that she didn't mind the respite which her Mother Amy briefly enjoyed.

While Grumpy was enjoying getting acquainted with Elianna and Malachi, the Grand Mother and Amy were entertained by Great Grandson Amos. Poor Amos is missing a couple of his upper baby teeth that got knocked out by some kind of boyhood prank -- such is the peril of little boys! It is believed that the missing teeth had nothing to do with his apparent ability to miss his mouth with a goodly portion of his food. Despite this, Amos seems to be well-nourished and able to keep his older brother properly under control. (Reminds Grumpy of his younger brother, Bob, and himself!)

Later, the Grand Mother got a chance to hold Elianna while Malachi, ever the watchful big brother looked on. The Grand Mother was also able to elicit a smile from Elianna thus proving that Grumpy did not have a monopoly on keeping this little girl happy.

Altogether, a happy and profitable day for the Old Folks. So good to get out and be able to enjoy our children/grandchildren/greatgrandchildren.