a trip to the kids museum Marbles

We've been to this place, Marbles Kids Museum, before; and to go the day starts early, with being read to by Grandmama. like before breakfast.  That is all except Luke who has his 'muk' early, and if it was up to him, often.  He looks like he has had plenty of muk too. 

There is so much to do and play with and build and experience at the museum it is amazing, one of the kids' favorites was building cars and racing them down this race track.  Note Julianna's and Lydia's excitement and leaps as they themselves race down the way to get their cars.

Lydia especially seemed to just bounce as she went after each of multiple and I mean multiple trips chasing her car down the track.

This is Lydia showing off one of her models, she made several.

These two boys worked like their lives depended on it loading little balls into this pulley system to feed conveyer belts to feed a huge overhead bank that would later drop the balls as shown below.

Julianna and John Paul are about worn out loading balls at various load points and are waiting on other kids to load some for a while.

Matt got the kids suited up for a hockey game on the slick floor with plastic sticks.  The spirit was pretty high, the skating and stick skills not so much I think.

Now on this court I heard, "watch me Granddaddy, watch me".  

and I sure did

There were unique physical testing / exercise devices that the kids enjoyed doing and Isaac surprised himself that he could pull himself up strapped into a seat.

While I was playing ball with Luke, Patt was in a kitchen with John Paul, photos later. Matt was in a building shop with the big three - I got there in time to get these action photos.

The kids were making boxes or shelves or something that involved sawing-

Using a drill - a hand drill - not one of those power ones, and screw drivers, and appropriate facial expressions.

Yesterday Patt's company celebrated her retirement with a party in the parking lot between the office buildings at their Raleigh offices as is their custom.  In addition to staff from the local office staff from other offices attended as did people who had worked with Patt from other agencies around the state.  It was quite nice and many wonderful things were said about her.  I asked her quietly as an aside where was this always patient, understanding (among other platitudes ) person they were talking about?

The photo above is of some of Patt's former direct reports along with their new supervisor.

and here is the view from the "family section as Luke, Laura, John Paul and back of my head, and Lydia's hat are prominent.  Julianna is sitting up with Patt in this picture while  Patt's former supervisor and person who hired her away from Apex is telling of recruiting Patt.  

They did indeed say very nice things about Patt and her contributions to the company and to the many communities that they served over the years.  It was obvious they meant them too.

Patt was given among other nice gifts a beautiful magnetic wall map with little magnets and directions to mark locations of travels and visits in her retirement.  The intent is to seriously follow that direction.

Though the party was but yesterday, Patt's last day of work was actually two weeks ago in Asheville at a conference that ended at noon.  Rather than driving back to Raleigh,  those last four hours of being employed.

Here is Patt hard at work, practicing being retired enjoying the Little Tennessee River.

and the view into western NC real near Murphy.  The return to Raleigh can happen whenever.  You know, Patt's retirement starts on Monday and if she uses that day or the next to return to Raleigh so what.

moving right along

All of a sudden the house got full, the basement is being turned into a school or camp, or store or play house of some sort,  and it is much more lively that it used to be when I was sitting at my desk down there listening to sport talk radio and "doing some bills" or some sort of record keeping or something — and a lot more fun too.

We have wagons to load and pull around, being in motion is apparently pretty important to this one.

and the basement is getting a full dose workout and the old toys a new exercise.

and yes I have participated in a tea party already.  Do note that is lower case tea party. And the tea was quite good I would point out after I had Luke adjust it much to his delight.  It is never sweet enough to start with for me.

Matt  had the kids help him wash the car.  Brave Matt, he suggested I might want to move our car up the street.  I did.  Wise move.

Look who has the hose.  He was not the only one either.  All of them dipped rags in buckets and applied elbow grease.

wide areas of the cul-de-sac were wet down, kids were wet, car got washed, kids got sprayed, feelings got hurt, the whole gamete of events transpired.  Great activity for the kids to shake out a long car ride.  And they did a long car ride too.

more adventures to come.