Preparing for parties and a little reading time too

Well, the grandkids and Matt and Laura have migrated north now and all is quiet in our house. It was great while it lasted. We had a ton of fun. Part of the fun was getting ready to host a family get together.  

As a part of preparations for the party, I organized an early morning work party for outside chores.  Willing helpers were everywhere.  

Bucket carriers, weed pullers, choppers of weeds, and you name it, we had it. Luke talked about as much as he worked, but he talks a lot so you know he worked a lot too. John Paul was more into chopping of things.  

The leaf blower was a hit. Julianna had her own ear plugs saved from the packet she got on the flight across the Pacific so she took charge of leaf blowing.

Isaac liked the lawn mower, and mowed a good bit, but the mower and the dead man cut off would get him stuck on occasion. 

That was when big sister Lydia came to the rescue.  She was so proud to have mastered starting the mower. And not so easy to do on this not so new mower.  

In addition to working we celebrated John Paul's gotcha day and Lydia's early birthday. Wish I had a photo of John Paul, and his first gift - a jar of molasses. John Paul, as do the other kids, likes molasses mixed with butter on biscuits.

Grandmama can flat out figure out a good present. The hit gift of the day. Everyone's current new favorite game — Nop-ly as Luke calls it.

After a work morning we had, or rather a subset of us, had some serious cooking and food preparing for a big time dinner later in the day.

Eric and Barb came early and Big Uncle Eric was swarmed with kids explaining how monopoly was played.

Well of course we played, and played, and then guests came and this game broke up and two more games started. Involving just the kids that were here.  

Unfortunately I do not have photos of the party - and we had big time attendance too. Lots of good food and good times.

I do have a photo of Patt reading to a majority of the kids. We, and they enjoy, the reading out loud a lot.

And on another day, Patt took a picture of me in the same spot reading - perhaps even the same book.  

We look forward to having even more grandchildren here for Christmas. Hot diggity dog.

Graham and Charlotte for the kids - a little heritage and family history

A few days ago we took the kids and Matt and Laura by Mom and Dad's old house in Graham. It looks kinda rough compared to how it once looked but it was nice to see it and have the memories it prompted. Eric met us there and regaled us with stories as only he can. The kids allowed as how he would be a "good grandpa" too.  

Part of the tour included a trip down to the barn where part of Eric's charm included telling some stories about Paul's horsemanship - or rather propensity to fall off one or another of our various horses. The kids thought those stories were funnier than I did. In fact, some I do not remember.  Could be like our TV though.

We then went down 54 to the graveyard to visit Mom and Dad's graves. Was a nice remembrance time there.

The kids asked good questions and seemed genuinely interested in the lives of my parents. I am so glad they went. John Paul stayed connected to me the whole time we were there.

Then it was on to Charlotte and Betty and Arthur's back yard for a picnic lunch. Guess who had the boys excited? Well the three boys, especially these two, followed Art around like he had the keys to the riding lawnmower or something.

It was a beautiful afternoon and we had a nice luncheon. Randall and Sheryl came down from Concord to visit and it was good to seem them too.

Standing on the fence hollarin' for the donkeys. It was in vain. But it was not for lack of effort.

Later riding in Eddie's van — 10 of us, yes 10, we found the donkeys and got to pet one of them.

A lot. He, the male, was quite friendly and patient, apparently enjoying the attention from somewhat reluctant attention givers.

The donkeys hang out with the cows. Actually donkeys keep coyotes away and are social animals who get along with other domestic animals. That is your animal husbandry lesson for the day.

And Ed led an excursion to try to get close to the mother donkey and her two week old baby. To cut to the chase, that is as close as they got.  Mama donkey judged approaching crowd as potentially dangerous — which I assure you, was not.

We reassembled for a swim party and dinner at Ed and Cathy's — you know, work hard, play hard.

and rest hard.

And on the way home got eye exams from Randall while Patt and I visited with Sheryl and Jackie.  A great day — long indeed and slept that evening so we could play Nop-ly the next day.

Back in Raleigh but still traveling and staying busy

There is an amazing park near our home that among other very nice age-sized facilities and things to crawl on and climb over is a six foot high basketball goal which we about wore out. It was bombs away. Good thing we had a bag full of balls. (Child peace hint here - at least one for each seems to satisfy most of the time).

And a makable six foot goal is a real re-enforcement device.

And at the downtown Marbles Museum there are even shorter goals. From the dunkable for Luke which he did once or twice and the more challenging which he gravitated toward for his jump shot.

Isaac liked the jam shot dunk. Only once though as I think a little rim to the wrist action is an unpleasant part of a slam dunk. The uninitiated need to develop a work around. Probably not something Isaac needs to spend a lot of time on though. I did not either when I discovered that wrist hurt thing associated with my slam dunk on a short goal.

Also at Marbles Museum is just about every single other nice toy do-hicky device a kid could want.  The kids had been there three years ago and remembered it very well and wanted to go back to certain "rooms".

There were also various game boards and a big water play area that Luke just about bathed in.

Not that he or any of the other kids would need a bath after eating pudding or anything else. We wash tablecloths daily, enjoy pistachio pudding, molasses and butter mixed with leftover biscuits as desserts and continue card games and Nop-ly.

some last beach photos

As is the story of late, shoulda woulda —da da —nevertheless, To keep the record somewhat straight,  as part of beach week we enjoyed the USS North Carolina despite the inoperable antiaircraft gun.

the steps were plentiful 

portholes and gun turrets great for crawling into and out of - and lots of 'em too.

Meal prep time was not always this full of helpers, but on occasion Patt could assemble an army.

 and they did work well and do real stuff too.  Patt just stays cool and calm, and lets them go.  The little two need some calming down - understatement - on occasion but the big three can get stuff done.

and the nine of us can eat some groceries.

the Wheel House, looks like the Wheel House

Windy day

all of us

the game really was organized, just looks like it was not.

Luke was excited with his teammate - me!  There is no joy in Mudville like the joy of a lucky streak in Noply for Luke and we were on one for a while.

Things we learned you can do at Oak Island

Just a few of the things we did and learned we could do at the beach.  One of the things we did not learn was that John Paul is gregarious and made friends with the group next to us where two of the men "happened" to be fishing.  Well it was not long until one of the men had outfitted the talkative one with a fishing pole and 

well he caught a fish.  

The fisherman was such a nice guy (must have found his hat) and had the other kids sharing a chance to fish as well.  Isaac and Luke caught fish.

We learned how to sit in chairs at the beach at low tide.

We thought this was a good idea.

The kids and Matt built huge sand structures.  Complex engineering structures, well-built structures.

and played on them.

This being the beach and sand being sand, and a new day being, well, new.

 And new plans meant a different structure was built.

And tides doing what tides do made, this one a lot of fun too.

Sand bars are great places for tossing a football.

And as the tide rolls in for sitting and talking

or sitting and answering questions.

Beach shopping is an important part of going to the beach.

 And "keep away" is such a great game.