Molly and Jack’s annual summer visit
Grandkids Molly (11) and Jack (8) were with Shonnie and me for about a week for their annual summer visit while their mom (my daughter), Lilla, attended a conference in Florida.
One of the first things we did when they arrived in Asheville was talk about all the things we wanted to do together. The list was pretty long and included in no particular order:
- Hike to a waterfall
- Swim at Sliding Rock
- Go whitewater rafting
- Go camping
- Visit Ma (my Mom)
- See the new Harry Potter movie
- Have a tickle war
- Read more adventures of Captain Underpants
- Talk only in pig Latin (Ancay ouyay alktay inyay igpay atinlay?
Come on in, the water’s fine!
I’m happy to report that we accomplished everything on this list except camping. Our trip to Sliding Rock took place on a day when the temperature in Western North Carolina was an exceptionally high 90+ degrees. So even though the water in the pool at the bottom was frigid as usual, we all warmed up pretty quickly once we were back on shore.
As it turns out, Jack wasn’t up for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, so while Shonnie and Molly did that, Jack and I went to the bookstore. We sat on the floor in the kid’s section and shared books about pirates, Daniel Radcliffe and, of course, Captain Underpants.
At most schools, the teachers try to emphasize “the three Rs” (Reading, ’Riting, and ’Rithmetic). But George and Harold’s teacher Ms. Ribble was more concerned with enforcing what she called “the three Ss” (Sit down, Shut your pie holes, and Stop driving me crazy!).
–Dav Pilkey, Captain Underpants & the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman
Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick
Each night after dinner we played Clue, and as fate would have it, Jack won the first game, Shonnie the second, I won the third and on the final night Molly came through. One
requirement of the winner was a victory dance, which we all performed with great enthusiasm.
Rafting on the Pigeon River
Our rafting trip took place on the upper Pigeon River (fun, fast, bouncy Class II-IV whitewater mixed with calm stretches) at the north end of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We all had a great time as the photo certainly attests (Molly in right front, me left middle, Jack behind me and Shonnie, the rafting pro, behind Jack).
My old hometown
Then on to my old hometown, Tullahoma, Tennessee, where we visited my mom, Sue, met back up with Lilla and went on a family picnic at Rutledge Falls organized by my sister Nancy. Nancy’s son, Mark, joined us as did Lilla, my niece, Annie, her husband, Chris, and two of their boys, Copeland and Grayson. A great finale to a fun-filled week.
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[…] My family—my mom Sue, fierce protector of her clan; my daughter Lilla, her husband Brandon and their kiddos, my grandkids, Molly and Jack who bring joy and delight during their week-long summer visits; my brother Modern Art, his wife Eve and their kids and grandkids; my sister Nancy, her husband Mike, their kids and grandkids—all of whom I feel more connected than ever before […]
Pingback by Talking My Walk: Random Musings on Life, the Universe and Everything-- » Some of the things I’m grateful for — November 21, 2007 @ 2:44 pm
[…] Shonnie also began graduate school, taking two classes in the early part of the year in the Organizational Leadership program at Gonzaga University. We took a trip to Chesapeake, Virginia to visit Shonnie’s brother and sister-in-law, Jason and Shevaun, and their kiddos, JC (6) and Marissa (3). They came down to visit us and camp in early fall. During the summer we hosted grandkids, Molly (12) and Jack (8), for their annual visit. We enjoyed games of Clue, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies, and rafting on the Pigeon River. Jack wasn’t really into Captain Underpants this year, much to the disappointment of Bruce. But we did get a chance to alktay ayay otlay ofyay igpay atinlay againyay isthay earyay. Shonnie took a driving trip with her dad, Bob, in September, venturing through the amazing landscapes of Zion, Bryce, Escalante, Capitol Reef national parks (Utah). And we made a couple of trips over to Tullahoma, Tennessee to visit Bruce’s mom Sue and his sister, Nancy and her family. […]
Pingback by Talking My Walk: Random Musings on Life, the Universe and Everything-- » Happy New Year! — February 1, 2008 @ 2:18 pm