Keeping up with grandchildren

While we were back east for vacation, we were able to spend some time with our only grandchild, Anthony. This year he turns six on the sixth of August. It always takes me a day or two to adjust to the level of energy it takes to keep up with him since we only see him once or twice a year " another way my age is showing. He loves playing on the farm with his cousins when we are in North Carolina so we have him for the week we are there.

Granddad Hatch set things up so that his children could each have an acre of land on the farm if they wanted to retire and over the years several have done that. There are eight families living on the winding road that cuts through the farm. Since it is not a thoroughfare, everyone travels between homes on either golf carts or four-wheelers. There used to be cows as well as fields but recently the cows have been replaced with goats to help keep the pastures mowed down. This year the fields are planted in soybeans which means you can see across the fields to the highway or other family homes. When corn is planted, you only see who lives next door.

Of course, Anthony wanted to drive the golf cart around and how could we say no? His coordination with the pedal and steering wheel needs some improvement unless his intention was to do wheelies around the turns so we compromised and he steered while I controlled the accelerator. He learned that Grandma likes to go a bit slower than his Aunt Shannon and how to start the engine and release the brake. I'm sure his parents are thrilled that he now "knows how to drive" as he would proudly tell everyone. Since our golf cart didn't have headlights, his job was to hold the flashlight on the road as we made our way home each evening. Fireflies were out almost every night but we weren't able to catch any.

Anthony's cousin Elizabeth is five months younger than him but she had already lost her two front teeth and Anthony insisted that he was going to lose a tooth, too. He politely listened to each of us say that the teeth would come out when they are ready. At the end of our week together while eating dinner in a restaurant, Anthony pulled his tooth out and proudly showed everyone. Never underestimate the power behind a child's commitment. I spoke to him a few days later and he told me that he was saving the money from the tooth fairy to buy a Ninja Turtle toy. Don't you just love children, and especially, grandchildren?

Have a ramblin' good week!

n To reach Gail Davis, e-mail RuhenstrothRamblings@yahoo.com or call 265-1947.