Monday, June 20, 2011

Trip back home was like horses heading for the barn......

Today I took Ethan, Jorden, and Stephen for a walk......amidst their objections, of course (giggles)!
First, to decide which directions we were going to walk, Stephen chooses West. However, I was the only one who had any idea which direction that was.
So, across the street and down the side walk....it was like herding turtles...that is, after I got them ALL in front of me. Uncertain of where we were going, they discussed crossing back to the other side of the street and going to the 'bar'....which is actually J&J's Party Store. When asked if they had any money....they said 'we thought we'd use yours'.....typical. But Grandma Marlys was smart enough not to bring any money, so we stayed right where we were and kept on 'trucking on down the sidewalk'....yes, they imitated trucks after I said that.
Eventually, after almost 25 minutes and a bunch of other silly stuff, we arrived at the school playground. I headed straight for the swings, as did they. After a couple minutes, Ethan said, 'Grandma Marlys, I didn't know you were so much fun'. Awe.......way to butter me up Ethan!
After a fashion, Stephen headed for the slide, the other two followed, and I found a picnic table. In about 15 minutes of watching them 'playing around and bumping each other' a couple older boys showed up with a basketball. I was ready to leave, but decided they would enjoy playing with others, so I just watched. Soon a teenage girl walked up to me and asked if I was their mom. I confessed to being their grandmother and we chatted for a little while. Then she went to play with the two young girls who had come over to the playground earlier with the boys. It appeared they were all her siblings.
Standing there watching, I began to size up the ball game. From a distance it looked like every time Ethan got the ball, it got taken away from him. I walked over to talk to him about it and he told me 'I am the ref'! Who knew....looked more like he was not getting a turn to me....giggles.
Soon we were heading back home. While at the playground I had thought there was some rain activity, but it was so sparse that I decided it wasn't happening. Not happening that is until we where within sight of the house.....then we got wet!
So we, rather they, ran from tree to tree, dodging the mud puddles.....until they saw Grandma Marlys walking right through them....'Hey boys, I have 'water' shoes on; you don't!'....after which they started dodging the puddles again.
It has only been 10 minutes since we left the play ground and like 'horses heading for the barn, we are now all together at a drive across from Venice Street, where we cross the road. They are all excited to get in the house ahead of me so they can play video games......but, I am ahead of them on that thought.....(I had said they could play when it was raining' but, the rain is over.......'oh, man'.) Somebody comes up with the idea of playing left-handed-batting baseball. Good, that will keep them outside for a while and I can get lunch ready.

1 comment:

Bob and Molly said...

Oh Grandma Marlys, look at all the fun you are having.