Ramiro Turns Fifteen!! -- Before and After Pictures!!

Birthday Day, May 31st 2010 --
Our local teenage hero awakened this morning to the traditional Breakfast in Bed, served by the Grand Mother. Pancakes, smothered with cinnamon sugar, topped by eggs over easy with Boysenberry syrup garnisheed all over. The candle is the only unusual part of this dish -- a special touch just for his birthday.

For awhile he resisted the demands to "WAKE UP!!"

But, as the aroma of the freshly cooked pancakes and eggs (his favorite breakfast) drifted past his nose, he "came to" -- sort of.

The evening before, his Grandpa had requested a "BEFORE" photo (when he was still fourteen). But Ramiro declined saying, "I'll look the same!" So Grumpy had to substitute the enclosed photo as the "BEFORE" picture instead. I'm sure Ramiro will be happy with his Grandpa's selection. This is Ramiro before he was fifteen.

"First things first", is always the mantra of the teenager. So eating breakfast was out-prioritized by the urge to examine the cards and gifts that awaited on his  breakfast tray.

A pair of shorts and two purple "South Pole" T-shirts were found in addition to a surprise that fell out of one of the cards.

The Last Word

Sunday at Church --
This past Sunday before services, an old friend came over to where we were sitting. I introduced him to my Granddaughter, my Daughter and Son-in-law who had come with us after joining us for an early breakfast. I then introduced my friend to my Bride, who does not regularly attend with me and who I assumed he might not know.

I introduced the Grand Mother as "my First Wife".
He greeted her and asked, "And what do you think about being the first wife?"

"I don't know; I haven't met the others yet," she responded sweetly but firmly.

Grumpy and his friend collapsed in laughter and were struck speechless with the brassiness of this unexpected, out-of-the-blue retort! Grumpy is rethinking his mischievously referring to the Grand Mother as his "First Wife" in the future.

Great Grandchildren; Youngest Additions

Various Locations and Years --

It has occurred to Grumpy that not enough publicity has been made of his ever-burgeoning descendants of the 4th generation. To at least make a "dent" in this oversight, here is his attempt at rectifying this situation (photo credits generally to the respective parents):

Starting with the oldest* of the youngest are these two, close and tow-headed brothers, Jamey G and Arthur:

Next are these two Mermaids (or is that "MUD-maids?), Abby and Amelia, who are close cousins of the above pair (they are tow-headed, too!):

Then we have this "crew" of wild "Zimmer-offsprings", Malachi**, Amos, Elianna and Ezekiel:

Not to be soon forgotten are Emileigh and the newest of all, three-week old Oliver:

And we can never forget these charming Great Granddaughters, Hanali, Heidi and Hailey:

And finally, to end this expose Grumpy proudly presents this "finding" -- not under a flat rock, but on top -- Gracie-Mae and Zach:

Stay tuned! The Grand Mother and Grumpy have "reason" to suspect more of these varmints will appear in the future! For one thing, we have no recent photos of the Great Grandchildren who live far away on the East Coast (some of the above are from as far back as 2008!); we hope to close that gap soon.
*[Corrected data, May 10th, 2010--Ed]
**[Previously mistaken identity -- sorry! Ed]

Mother's Day 2010

SuSunday, 9 May 2010; Mother's Day --

This day started out with a cloudless sky; the Olympics gracing the western horizon, as Grumpy and the Grand Mother motored North to meet oldest daughter and her husband for breakfast. The eye-squints, especially with the GM's eyes, are a sacrifice Grumpy made in order to include the sign in the background designating the location where we enjoyed our breakfast together.

Once inside -- up two steep flights of stairs!! -- we found a "homey" setting. This restaurant was fashioned from a modest single-story home built on the original ground level --  about 15 feet above the street which was cut later to eliminate a rather sharp hill that had previously impeded thru-traffic visibility.

The Grand Mother bravely made her way up the stairs without complaint and we were soon seated in a cozy corner of what was probably once the dining room in the original home -- now with space for two-person tables in two other corners.

The service was excellent, considering that at this late-ish opening hour (0830), the place was immediately half filled, and, because of being unfamiliar with the menu, we were not ready to order when our waitress first came. However, our coffee cups and water glasses were kept full. We each enjoyed our choice from the menu; the Grand Mother had her old favorite, Eggs Benedict. Each of our choices included the specialty of the chef: garlic mashed potato patties. [Later, at church, Mother noticed a lady recoil as she visited with her! The garlic mashed potato patties must be Antisocialist.]

Despite the delightful company and atmosphere, we agreed [after the agonizing trek back down that double flight of stairs] that we will not be going back to this restaurant. Once was enough.

I'll Be Doggone! Darrell Turns Forty-One!!

Friday; Around Grumpy's Castle --

Well, it finally happened; Darrell, our "baby boy" finally reached the "ripe old age" of forty-one! Grumpy told him that he was now "over the hill", but Darrell argued, "No! That'll be when I turn fifty!" I guess it all depends on one's perspective, doesn't it? Maybe we are only old if we think we are; now that's a good thought!

One of Darrell's distinguishing features these past few months has been his black, bushy beard. He began growing it last Fall sometime and, to his Mother's great chagrin, chose to not even trim it.  At first he complained that his electric shaver didn't do a proper job. So Mother bought him a brand new one and Grumpy offered to trim his beard with the hair clippers, down to a length where the shaver could take over. But Darrell declined; besides, he said it kept him warm. Well, you shouldn't be surprised; with that tightly curly beard, it became more like a thick woolen coat over his neck and half of his face.

Finally yesterday, after his birthday lunch at his favorite Chinese Restaurant, and dessert at the local Baskins & Robbins, where Darrell requested a double ice-cream cone (think bits of ice cream in that beard all around his mouth!), we came home and Darrell asked Grumpy to begin "the process". Now Grumpy used to cut Darrell's hair from the time of his first hair cut up until he was about 6 or 8 years old when he accompanied me to my barber. After cutting my hair, the barber suggested that Darrell climb into the chair -- it was obvious that he needed a haircut as well. Grumpy objected, offering that Darrell's tightly curly hair was hard to cut. The white barber boasted that he "knew how to cut Black hair -- no problem!" Well, Grumpy should have known better, but he allowed this barber to try to cut Darrell's hair. The result: It looked awful!! Darrell was understandably embarrassed and from that day on, would not even allow Grumpy  to cut his hair any more.

But on Friday he finally wanted his beard cut and bravely allowed Grumpy to do it. The result was a much more groomed appearance as the accompanying photo shows. Darrell looked at himself in the mirror and agreed that it looked pretty good. Grumpy reminded him that he had always cut Darrell's hair until that disastrous job by the boastful barber.

Grumpy thought the trimmed beard looked fine. But Darrell would not let Grumpy stop there; he wanted it all off! So Grumpy proceeded, carefully avoiding pulling too hard on the tangled curls or nipping the tender skin under Darrell's chin. At last the youthful face we have known so well emerged!

Now Grumpy and the Grand Mother had expected that the shaver would be next, to remove the "five o'clock shadow". But, NO, Darrell insisted that it was now just the way he wanted it. At least now Darrell looked much younger. In fact, one of his teammates' Moms on his soccer team told him he looked like he was "in his 20's"! Grumpy agrees.