Doctor Grandma

Someone I know has this for her signature file:

“America’s Labor Unions: the folks who brought you the weekend”

Thank you for that! I appreciate it. Especially 3 day ones like this one.

Leah, Jean, Zakiah and Naylah all weekend. We had great fun. Zakiah was a true delight. Naylah was so sweet and fun. We all had a good time and didn’t spend much money at all. We cooked at home, never went out to a restaurant, and didn’t even have a grill. Dishes were being washed continually. Leah & Jean got to go out together Sat. night & I watched Naylah. She took the warmed bottle just fine! Other times over the weekend it wasn’t so easy. She is cooing and smiling.

We went swimming in the pool, where the water has now turned cold. But it was still sparkling clean and great fun. Hardly anyone was in it until today, when we didn’t go. The days are piping hot, up to 9o degrees and the hot sun burns into your skin, but the nights are now getting down into the 60s, so we wake up slightly chilly.

Took walks around the pond, had 2 other friends over Sun. morning & they talked about being in Africa & practiced Swahili. Shared late breakfast/early lunch.

They left Sun. night but their car broke down about 45 mins. away from here. It’s incredible what then happened. They called, waited until Al got there & was looking at the battery, then BOOM!! A car wreck happened right next to where they were. Al pulled a car door off to get some people out of one car, and directed traffic. Jean called 911. As Leah said, “Our car broke down so we could be here to help these people.” In any case, they returned here, then Jean, Levin AND AL went back AGAIN to start their car to get it back here that night. The gas station they parked in was closed, & there was a WHOLE LOTTA TRAFFIC going in and out of the lot, in the form of illegal activity. They needed to get the car out of there, and the three of them needed to go retrieve it. As Al said, “3 men will not get attacked. Two could get attacked.” I was so glad when they were all done and home at 3am. Didn’t sleep much that night.

Monday we were lucky enough to find a place open to get an alternator replaced. They left about 5pm tonight & are finally home. Leah was worried about her class preparation this week. (Me too! I was going to work on it all day today.) But it was fun to have them return. Zakiah slept one more night on blankets at the end of our bed. It was such a nice time together.

Took Zakiah to the Chapin local parade today, which is small town memories. He got his face painted. All the boy scout troops and local businesses march in a parade and throw candy to the crowd…. Then Zakiah picked out boiled peanuts & went on 2 rides, as well as got a free balloon.

Toys for the weekend at Grandma’s house included:

a small rocket that launches with air through a cardboard tube, coloring book and crayons, numerous  balloons, a “find it” tube with small things in it besides beads, various other little things. I keep an assortment of toys around for visits like these.

It is still very hot, to the tune of 100 degrees and heat advisories. But there is a different “mood” entering the air. Kids are bored with swimming, not as excited about going to the pond to fish. Families are gone, taking their last trips to wherever. Summer camps are over. Stores are filled with long-sleeved shirts and Fall clothes. Student furniture is all over Wal-mart on sale. Toads and tree frogs are still singing at night, but not quite as loud.

My son and daughter-in-law are here the rest of this week, then all family trips and visiting will be over and I will be in work mode. As of Monday, I will be in my office daily. But last night we had 2 big games of Scrabble, the last one I almost won, with a new game that rotates the board and stores your pieces better. And TODAY, a trip to a chiropractor for my son whose back has been out for a week, and then a drive to CHARLESTON and the ocean. People in Wisconsin don’t get to see that big body of water with a weekend drive. So we are going. Then tomorrow morning, a drive back to our daughter’s in Raleigh, from where our son & wife will get on a plane the next morning to fly home. One more visit w/ Naylah, baby girl born this summer, newest member of our family, and Zakiah, big brother, at our daughter’s & son-in-law’s. That will truly complete the circle for this summer.