"Grand" Adventures

(Caveat Lector (let the reader beware): my creative writing energy has been focused on a more pressing issue these days - convincing our public schools to save arts and music - so I'm fully aware that this blog post is somewhat.... "ho-hum," as one beloved (yet ballsy!) reader described a different, recent post. While the content is rich, the delivery is poor. Mea Culpa.)

Summer Wednesdays have become Hangin' with Grandma and Grandpa Days (while I put in a few hours doing the grunt work for a massive and important research project that my professor leads). They have become one of the most highly anticipated days of the week, because the days always promise fun and adventure (isn't that the definition of "Grandma and Grandpa"?)

Once, they rode their bikes over to G & G's house - and then exhaustively explored the special trails my dad has created, winding all through their sprawling acreage. Another day, they played at the sandy, inviting lakefront (dubbed "Beach 6"). They took turns going down the steep water slide, straight into the lake.... but Leo was so hesitant and fearful of the too-fast slide that my dad spent the next day building a whole new extension to the dock in order to accommodate a less steep slide. Then there was the day that they all went to see Mr. Popper's Penguins. Grandma's enormous popcorn bucket fed the whole crew, which delighted Pax almost as much as the movie itself - he cackled and giggled with the rest of the audience and didn't fall asleep once, as he gnawed his way through a gallon of popcorn.

But this past Wednesday was a clear favorite. The older boys spent the morning creating Robots using sheets of cardboard, empty boxes, styrofoam, and other odd assorted goods (including a paper fan, some brass brads, and empty spools of ribbon). Meanwhile, Pax carted the boxes all over the house, looking important and determined to be a part of the action. Finally after hours of deliberating and creating, the masterpieces were done - and ready for their naming ceremony.

Leo announced, "My robot is named John Paul Leo. But you can just call him John."

(What a coincidence, I thought; my dad's name is John Paul.)

Aidan asserted, "MY robot's first name is Super. His middle name is Helpful. His last name is 1st-in-everything. So you can just call him SH1." Later he explained that some robots have letters AND numbers in their names, like R2D2 and C3PO. Similarly, he pointed out that his robot and Leo's robot were just like the famed Star Wars bots - one was short and fat, the other, tall and skinny.

I don't know if it is the robots, the water play, or the popcorn that the boys enjoy so much as it's the time spent with Grandma and Grandpa; the best part of my Wednesdays is getting to hear about the "Grand" Adventure. And so I eagerly await the report of this week's adventure.... Road Trip to the Science Museum!