Grandkids

It's really a shame how other people's grandkids are so average. I have been blessed with rather charming, attractive and intelligent grandchildren.

Plans became rather impromptu this weekend. Oldest daughter, Michal, ended up with all of the kids on Saturday morning, so we got up to her place as quick as we could that morning. Mostly, it was so we could play, but we told her it was for moral support. When we got there, most of the apartment population was in time out. So, we took over the kids, Michal finished making breakfast and Micah went for coffee.

The coffee is key here, because it really wasn't very good coffee. I like strong coffee but when it gets that acidy taste and goes bitter with a hint of burn on it... then you lose me. The kids were settled down with their plates at the short kids table and I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to sit with them. I took a big gulp and exclaimed.."Oh shit!" I headed back to the kitchen to load it up with milk and over heard Micah saying to the kids, "Grandma said a bad word, didn't she?" There must have been a response here that I couldn't hear and then he proceeded, "Grandma was naughty, wasn't she?"

Back into the living room and I was greeted with some very sober expressions. I was sooo busted!

So, I did what any grandma worth her salt would do, I apologized.

"I'm really sorry. I had a surprise, a really horrible surprise and it startled me and I said a bad word. I shouldn't have done that. I'm so sorry."

Evelyn, in her most serious little voice said, "That's okay, Grandma."

Everyone was in the kitchen sputtering to keep from cracking up while Micah reveled in his ability to get me into trouble. Micah does that.

Sunday was another impromptu day. My mother, Great-Grandma, tricked the girls into coming down. Without my knowledge, she said that a family meeting was planned to discuss her "final arrangements". She is a tricky old broad and we have to watch out for her. Not only did we not discuss anything, but she left some stuff that she can't live without so another meeting will have to be planned so she can get her stuff back. But the good part of the day was, as always, the kids. Baby Oscar was an angel all day. He only got upset when hungry. Then he rolled over on his tummy and did an interesting little jackass kick to let us know he was serious about his condition.

Edgar and Evelyn went outside and ran. They ran down the driveway. They ran back up the driveway. They ran across the hill. They ran across the back yard, followed the track to the pasture. They ran the circles that I mowed to mark the round pens... all four of them. They ran up and down the row of hazelnuts. Then the big seventy foot round pen.

A small break was taken to look down post holes.

Then they ran down another path toward a woods, they ran along the hazelnuts again. Back down the track, back along the pasture. Across the drive and over the front hill. We went into the front woods. They hung from tree limbs. We inspected sticks. Then ran across the hill again and to the house. Evelyn went inside and showed Grandpa her muddy shoes. But Edgar found a small frog on the rock pile, and couldn't bring himself to go inside. We watched the frog for awhile. Then we went to the old garage trench that is still full of water. We threw rocks in the water and watched the big green frogs jump and swim. Then we ran down the path where the bunnies hide. They scurried away, which is always fun. Then we took a ride on the mower. Edgar was very serious about this. Serious about the placement of his feet. Serious about exactly how he held the handles. He didn't say a word, but glowed with pleasure.

I don't know... after spending time with my grandkids, watching them try things, talking with them, seeing their eyes light up, I have to say that my heart goes out to those "other" grandparents... those grandparents with the average grandchildren.

Louie