I fully intended to post this blog on Monday but had to delay because of a phone call I received.
It was from Digger calling to say some of the boys were gathering at the Brandon Golf Course for, what could be our last chance to play this season. So, at 12:30, four of us teed off into a stiff north wind that caused my eyes to water and nearly miss the ball. At least that’s the excuse I’m using. Still, it was great to be out in the sunshine sharing shivers and laughs with friends who love this goofy game as much as I. In fact, we’re going to try it again on Friday if the weather forecast doesn’t slip into ooops, sorry, mode.
Sadly, the week-long visit by our granddaughter, Zoey, came to an end Friday as we packed up her little suitcase, together with lots of extra stuff acquired from spoiling grandparents, then drove her back home to Lincoln, Nebraska in time for her 8th birthday party on Saturday followed by Halloween trick or treating.
Just a side note here: If you are an impatient person and easily frustrated, DO NOT..REPEAT..DO NOT travel south on Interstate 29. I was pulling out great tufts of hair as we encountered one construction zone after another. It took a full half hour to get through Sioux City where work has been going on since Eisenhower was president. Huge chunks of interstate between Sioux City and Omaha are still ripped up. Expect two lane traffic through the winter months and well beyond. I-80 between Omaha and Lincoln remains a sea of orange cones and barrels with speed limits varying between 75 and 50 a dozen times over the 46 miles.
I know, I know, these projects take time but it seems odd that a road crew guy can have a full career working along that same stretch of highway.
Eventually, though, we made it to Cornhusker City and Zoey’s parents were as excited to see her as we were sad to give her back.
Zoey was excited too because Saturday, 12 little girls were coming over to help celebrate her birthday with a dress-up party.
Her dad and grandpas were the only men allowed at this little soiree and each of us had job assignments.Zoey, the birthday girl, is lower right in the pink hat.
Upon arrival, every little girl received a colorful hat and boa then proceeded to various stations around the house where they would have make-up applied,and get their nails done.(Linda’s job)
Then it was on to the game room where I was in charge of music beginning with a rousing rendition of “Little Sally Walker” in which the kids form a circle with one girl in the middle who skips, sings and dances; “Little sally walker walking down the street, didn’t know what to do so she jumped in front of me, singing hey girl do your thing, do your thing, hey girl do your thing, now switch”.
And, switch they did until everyone had a turn.
I admit to feeling a bit silly..this big old guy dressed in a Nebraska Cornhuskers sweatshirt..singing “hey girl do your thing”..but that’s what grandpa’s with assigned tasks do. Next up I was in charge of the CD player for a game of musical chairs only instead of chairs, the girls passed a purse filled with prizes around a circle. The one holding the purse when the music stopped got to fish around inside and grab a gift. Unfortunately, I proved to be a lousy deejay because I lost track of which girls had not received a prize; an error that was realized after receiving an icy stare from a pair of big blue eyes about to fill with tears because the mean old guy running the music had passed her by.
Well, I made up for it on the next round and everybody seemed to be happy when they left my station to the one next door where they were making bookmarks.
From there it was on to the photography station where each little girl had her picture taken with the guest of honor to take home. Then to the bakery station where the kids decorated cupcakes that I had made the night before (Yes, I did!) and everyone sat at their assigned seats..sang Happy Birthday and dug in to the cakes and ice cream.Daughter, Suzan, makes sure every guest has a candle to blow out. That’s Zoey’s other grandpa, Paul in the background. His job was to dry the girls’ painted fingernails with a hair dryer.
As I sat in the background watching Zoey open her birthday presents..squealing with delight at each one..I got to thinking about how blessed we are..both as a family and a country that we might experience such privilege and joy.
It made me realize that life is too short to waste on being aggravated over things like road construction.
But, rather than run the risk of losing that warm/fuzzy feeling, I decided to skip the interstate and take old highway 77 home.
Yahoo, Nebraska is real pretty this time of year. Just a couple hours after the birthday party it was time to change into Zoey’s Halloween costume.She decided a year ago to dress up as "Puss ‘n Boots." The look was made complete thanks to some make-up expertly applied by her daddy.