Wednesday

Good morning, world! No, not today, flowers. There are a bunch of grnadkids sleeping over here upstairs. Garden work will have to wait.

 

 

Several notable things about this day:

First, predictably, I'm tired because at least one out of the three grandkids was up too late, and another was up too early. But, on the upside (and it is a huge upside), every kid in the house slept well and without any night-time interruptions, which is fantastic!

Second of all -- the heat and humidity are moving on. Thank goodness.

Then, too, we have a few activities for this day, but by 2, the local two campers will have been picked up by their parents and I will pack up the ship and take Primrose back to Chicago.

That's the plan.

So, they're up! (Because on a sleepover, when one is up, the rest are quick to follow.)

They occupy themselves with attempting to put together a half finished half wrecked Lego set with most pieces jumbled together in no particular order. They wanted to do a Lego and that's all I could find.

I take care of animals and fix breakfast.

We do have an art project and it would have been a good one had I read the instructions earlier. (They specify that you need to prepare the solution one day in advance. Well who knew! 

The kids want to do it. Let's see if it works for them.

 

It does! We learn a lot about gooey squiggle art. All mistakes were made, some techniques were learned.

In the meantime, one of the Lego builders perseveres, only to discover, after much effort and great progress, that she did the structure backwards. In Lego, left has to be left and right has to be right or it wont work. Frustration. Wrecking ball havoc. Amazingly, she starts again. Impressive dedication. 

The other two play a pretend game that I couldn't possibly follow.

 

And so passes the morning.

We do also fit in an outing to Eugster's Farm. For the goats. And the chickens and cats. As if there weren't enough of those at the farmette...

(the goats)

And we eat a lunch at a young family favorite -- Culvers.

And now it's time to say goodbye to the local kids. I pack up the car and drive the little Chicago camper back to her home in the big city.

It's not really camp anymore when parents and her little sister are around. But it is lovely nonetheless. I keep thinking of an article that appeared in the paper a few weeks ago, where the author described trips grandparents can take with their (admittedly somewhat older) grandkids. I read the comments to it as well, where one person wrote -- my absolutely best and most wonderful vacations with the grandkds are the ones where they pack and bring their parents along for the duration. 

I get it. I love it as well when I am almost wallpaper, and I have the whole family in the room with me, and my participation floats in and out and I am not in charge. I can sit back with a delighted smile -- it's almost like watching a good movie unfold before my eyes.

Yet, as you and I understand, the time you get to know your grandkids best is when you are with them and the parents are not around. [Although yesterday, when Primrose asked if Snowdrop minded being teased by me, I answered -- I know Snowdrop well enough to tease her just a little, where she and I can laugh about it and the big girl responded -- it's true, gaga knows me really well; she *thinks* she knows me totally, but she doesn't! Not all of me. I smile at that. Of course, I dont presume to know anyone that well. But the more time I spend with them alone, the more I can feel their small and big pains and triumphs.]  And, too, as the girl with the reconstructed Lego will tell you -- there's no greater satisfaction in this world than finishing something that is a super hard challenge.

*     *     *

In Chicago, we have a supremely delicious celebratory supper at Fish Bar. My daughter knows I have a deep love of lobster rolls (and have not had one probably since she lived in Boston more than fifteen years ago). It's a beautiful evening. Outside dining weather.

(Great to see Juniper again!)

I get to play that wonderful role of "there for the hugs," stepping back from the parenting tasks that are now back in the hands of ... parents!

Such great kids they are. No, really! Such great kids...

with so much love...