What Else Did Grumpy Experience in Virginia?!

19 August 2013; Castle of the Grump, South King County --

Continuing with the delayed narrative (with pictures) of the saga of Grumpy in Virginia, this post will show evidence of some of the dangers of venturing into the wilderness created by the transposition of the oldest of Grumpy's children from Florida to Virginia.

One of the days that Grumpy visited his 64 year-old Son, he was able to take these photos of a couple of "Missionaries" who dared to come into the jungle clearing representing the aforesaid Son's Native domain. Their "mission" was unclear -- they couldn't explain why they came or who sent them. Their names are unknown, but their initials were J and D.

 

The "Missionaries" soon found themselves in "hot water"! The "Native" [presumably cannibalistic] prodded and poked them down into the "boiling" water -- insuring their being evenly "cooked". Their futile efforts in trying to avoid their plight were without results.

Then, alas!! The one who dared photograph this unspeakable scene was himself a victim of the same fate!! [Apparently the "Native" acquired the camera belonging to this latest "victim".]

What Did Grumpy do while in Virginia?

19 August 2013; Castle of the Grump, South King County --

It has been awhile that has elapsed since Grumpy has posted anything on this BLOG. In fact, it may be noticed that he hasn't mentioned anything about his recent wanderings to Virginia and Iowa, both of which occurred in rapid succession during the early part of August. The intent of this posting is to dispel this oversight.

The visit to Virginia originated as an opportunity to see my Florida-residing Grandson J, and at the same time celebrate my #1 Son's 64th birthday -- I thought we could squeeze my birthday in there, too, somehow.

As the day to depart neared, Grumpy received word that the memorial service of a favorite cousin in Iowa would take place on the 10th of August. This provided the added motivation of diverting my return trip to a stop-over in Des Moines, with the added pleasure of visiting my sister, H, whom I hadn't seen since way back in June when we concluded the Alaska Adventure! An easy negotiation with Southwest Airlines took care of the necessary changes.

The first impressive sight in Virginia was a visit to the Smithsonian Aviation exhibit at Dulles airport. On display here is the only remaining Space Shuttle, Challenger, complete with its scorched tiles survived from its last mission re-entry from space. The original Boeing jet transport aircraft, "367-80", is also in this museum [how did the Boeing Museum of Flight miss this one?].

Grumpy enjoyed the display of many other vintage airplanes [including the "Yellow Peril", his U.S. Navy nemesis in which he logged nearly 200 hours learning to make precision landings and some aerobatics -- including the thrilling and memorable "outside tailspin"!].

Later in the visit, we traveled to the birthplaces of George Washington and Robert E. Lee. George Washington was born in the middle eastern part of Virginia -- not at Mount Vernon. His birthplace was burnt to the ground sometime in the distant past and all that remains are the outline of the original home and some artifacts collected by archeologists in the past century or so.

A walk around the grounds revealed some wild life [a grumpy-looking Blue Heron] -- and a life that no longer is as wild as it was in the past [The real Grumpy one!].

Robert E. Lee's birthplace was much more impressive. However, his father was apparently not a good manager of finances or farming and lost Robert's birthplace to foreclosure on a mortgage. The building is currently owned by a private non-profit group who are in a long-time process of restoration to its documentable original design.

Note the four chimneys on each end of the building; each of these chimneys serve four fireplaces. Yes, there are sixteen fireplaces in this house! Imagine keeping firewood supplied for all of these! [Maybe that is partly responsible for the elder Lee's losing this beautiful estate.]

Other wild adventures in Virginia will be forthcoming in a subsequent post.

Four Generations

August 2013; Virginia Countryside, USA --

Grumpy is part of an unusual family. He met his maternal Great Grandmother Miller when he was 10 or 12 years old. She died a few years later at 97 years old. Grumpy's maternal Grandmother died when she was 94 years old -- in an automobile accident [one of my Aunt's was driving]. Grumpy's own Mother died at 103 + 3 months! So four generation photos are not uncommon in this family.

In fact, here is a five-generation photo taken a few years ago on an occasion when Grumpy's Mother [the Great Great Grandmother on this occasion] visited us [When #2 Son's #1 Son L. got married]. Grumpy's #2 Son, Grandson "Stretch", and oldest ZGreat Grandson are shown here with Grumpy and his Mother. [In fact, Great Great Grandmother N. celebrated her 103rd birthday here a day or two later!]

Grumpy, now being the oldest member of his generation in this family, proudly presents some four-generation photos from his lineage.

The first one I happened upon was this one, taken a year or so ago, shown here with Grumpy, Grumpy's #2 Son, that Son's #2 Son [Grumpy's tallest Grandson], and #2 Son's Grandsons, J. and A. [Grumpy's Great Grandsons]. These are the same two Great Grandsons who accompanied Grumpy on the Great Prairie Safari!

Grumpy found this two-year-old four-generation photo while looking for something else. How could I leave this one out? Two gorgeous blonde Mermaids in this one, previously included in a POST entitled Second Annual Four Generation Expedition.

On this trip back to "Ol' Virginny", Grumpy had the opportunity to capture photos of two more four-generation groupings. The first one included Grumpy's name-sake Son, Son's youngest son R., R.'s son A and of course the Great Grumpy himself.

The second opportunity happened just these past two days when said name-sake Son's oldest son -- also a namesake of Grumpy -- visited at the Virginia Palace of said name-sake Son -- with two boys of ages 12 (J) and 14 (D). 

Grumpy has at least one more four-generation photo to take before beginning on the first of his anticipated five (5)-generation photographs! But the five-generation stuff will be for another BLOG posting. This Post will be updated sometime in the future with at least one or two (or three!!) more four-generation photo's that Grumpy can boast about.

Oh, the work that poor Grumpy had to put forth to cause all of this!

What's for Dinner -- in the Jungle

5 August 2013; At the Jungle Outpost of a Native Virginian--

On this day, celebrating the anniversary of a "Native" Virginian's birthday, Grumpy came upon an unusual sight: Two "Missionaries" in hot water. The water is obviously boiling, as you may notice in the center of the "pot". The lower parts of these two hapless guys have apparently been cooked to the point that they can no longer lift themselves out of the hot water.

Soon the "Native", whose cannibalistic tastes placed these two in the hot water in the first place, comes along with a big fork or ladle to stir them around so they cook more evenly. The one Missionary struggles futilely against the Native's determined efforts.

Looking again, we see that another guy has fallen prey to this heathen Native. His agonizing screams pierced the jungle loudly. Lions trembled with fear; elephants stopped their foraging. Other tribes counselled among themselves about  "moving to a different neighborhood".

But no one came to help.