Younger Folks

[sawguy21]

 :D :D I am still chuckling at the doll incident. I had a lot of fun with my godson when he was young, curious and spontaneous. He is now 15, so serious, but with a dark sense of humour, and has grown more distant. I miss the old days. :(

[Nate Surveyor]

Jeff, that's great!

He he eh!

Hmmm!

N

[thurlow]

Only 2 children in our (immediate) family;  my brother's 6 and 13 years old.  Only their maternal grandmother is living, so my wife and I fill the grandparents role.  They......the kids.......live about an hour away, but we see them every week.  When the 6 yr old comes, he's not interested in playing; he wants to "work".  My wife's sister had 2 small (14-16 inch dbh) pecan trees she wanted removed from her front yard, so I recruited the crew 2 weeks ago



to go take 'em down.  Here's the sister and brother having a serious discussion



picking up firewood



and moving the tops

[bedway]

Those of us who have been granted the gift of bringing new life into this world have many memories. We have a tendency to remember the good times and forget the bad. Raiseing a child thru the teen years is a real test of ones parenting skills, to say the least! My children were all unique in their own way, as is natural. Funny thing is, the one that was the biggest handful in her teen years is now raiseing her own 3 little ones. She looks at me occationally with that grin and says,,,,dad, now i understand why lions eat their young! :D

[sawguy21]

 :D :D :D She fulfilled your greatest wish, she got kids just like her. ;)

[bedway]

 :D

[Roxie]

My grandson, Nathan, who is three, went to the doctor's for his checkup.  His baby sister, Sarah, who is nine months, was taken into the exam room.  When the doctor brought in the needle for Nathan's booster shots, he tried to climb his Mom and said, "Noooooooo!  Give it to my sister!!"   :D

[Patty]

That's funny Roxie!  :D    Grand kids are sure special.  ;)

[Faron]

My wife and almost 7 year old grandson were shopping for a wide brimmed hat for me the other day.  While looking, Ethan spotted a do rag type hat thing like the inner city gangs wear. He insisted he wanted to buy it for me for Father's Day.  My wife gently explained to him, "Honey, grandpa doesn't wear those.  He won't like it at all."  He gave her a fiendish grin and replied, "I know!  Won't he have a fit!"  He bought it, and my wife said he chuckled all the way home thinking about me opening it.  I aim to brag it up and suggest that I should wear it to his baseball games. ;D  There are eight more about like him.  I think I may be in for a rough time for a few years. :D

[Bibbyman]

You may have gotten the idea I'm pretty proud of my granddaughters.   

This morning when I went out to the mill I found that one or both of them had cleaned up the sawdust from under the edger.  They also swept up the area around it.  I hadn't asked them to and they didn't even come in telling me they did it or expect any reward for doing it.

This morning they helped Grandma Mary do a lot of heavy house cleaning.  They did a mountain of laundry and hung it out on the line to dry and brought it back in and folded and put it away.  Mary asked Brooke to scrub the kitchen floor but Alex wanted to do it.

After noon Mary had to make a run to town to get a few things and expected the girls to go along.  But they didn't want to.  Alex wanted to watch the old black and white movie "Anne of Green Gables".  Brooke lost interest so I had her load both washing machines with the last of the cloths.

It was the heat of the day by then so we kind of took the afternoon off.  I suggested we put in "To Kill a Mockingbird".  Both girls had seen only parts of it before and were very interested in watching it.  Brooke couldn't set still for the serious parts and went off elsewhere until the kid part of the story came back on but Alex watched and followed the whole thing.  Apparently Alex has read the book because she was telling us about things they left out of the movie.

This evening marked another failed attempt at camping out in their playhouse.  Sometime after the movies were off, they disappeared outside.  Turned out they were preparing their playhouse for a sleepover.  I told Mary I'd give them to 9:00 pm to be back inside.  I was wrong,  they came back in and slipped down the hall to their bedrooms about 9:15. Said they kept hearing strange noises.

[Phorester]

Hmmmmmm, sweeping sawdust, folding clothes, fighting over who gets to scrub the floor, all without complaint,,,,,,,, do you hire'em out? ;D

Another thing kids are good for......... my co-worker's mother is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.  She is  a big-boned, big woman, she's lost about 70 pounds so far. Also lost her hair.  The family wanted to go out somewhere last week, and of course his mother didn't want to go because of the way she lookd.  My co-worker's 9 year old daughter walked up to her, took both her hands and said, "aw Grandma, you're as pretty on the outside as you've always been on the inside."  Wasn't a dry eye in the house.

[Bibbyman]

About 4:00am I heard a thump and then an "Uhaaa!" come from the girl's bedroom.  I waited from some sign of injury – like a squall or a cry but all I heard was the squeaking of the bed as one of girls got back in.

I normally wake Mary to go investigate any nighttime disturbances with the girls but she was really sawing them off.  So I got up and checked it out.  I guessed it was Brooke that had fallen out of bed as Alex sleeps on the top bunk and has a rail to keep her from rolling out.  Also,  if she'd fallen out, it'd  been a louder thud and for sure would not have been without some outcry.

I could see Brooke moving around.  I asked her, "Are you all right Hun?"  She said, "Yea."  I turned up the light a little and she set up in bed.  She was sleepy all over more than any other place.  I asked, "Did you fall out of bed?"  She said, "Yea."  "Does that happen often?"  I added.  She said,  "Yea.".  I said,  "Good night.", and turned down the light.  She fell back into bed as if whatever had propped her up had been yanked away.

We got up a couple of hours later.  She didn't remember at thing about falling out of bed or our conversation.

[Bibbyman]

We were invaded by Oompa Loompas  last evening.  We have one customer, that comes around and gets slabs.  He's kind of short and has orange hair.  I never could remember his name so I just referred to him as the Oompa Loompa – when Mary and I are conversing about him. 

He came out last evening to get another PU load of slabs.  I was elected to go out and "deal with him".  He always wants to visit but he's not someone I really enjoy visiting with when it's the end of a hot day.

I just got out the drive where I could see up past the sawshed and the road was filled with Oompa Loompas of all ages.  One little one about 4 blew on past me heading for the house.  I made the greeting statement, "Boy! You brought the whole clan!".  The next Oompa Loompa, about 6, replied,  "No.  We're just brothers.". 

This guy wouldn't need a DNA test to verify these kids were his. They have the same compact structure and orange hair.

The Daddy Oompa Loompa managed to hale in the littlest one before he made it all the way to the house.  We met right at a little mini-garden Mary had built that contained a spaghetti squash and a few tomato plants.  With the inborn curiosity of a child,  the smallest Oompa Loompa picked up a rotten tomato and asked, "What happed to your pepper?".   I told him it was a tomato and that it'd got bad and he could throw it away and pointed to a spot out in the yard.  He was pleased to help.

Then he marveled at the spaghetti squash and wanted to pick one but his dad took over and distracted him from them.  He turned his attention to a green tomato about the size of a walnut with the husk on and with a, "What's this?" he plucked it off the vine.  His dad wasn't fast enough. I told him he could have that one.  OH. BOY!  He tried a couple of places to stuff it and ended up putting it in his pocket.  Daddy Oompa Loompa just rolled his eyes as I chuckled.

There is one cherry tomato plant in the box and it was loaded with ripe ones. I picked a clump of three and told the smallest Oompa Loompa he could eat these.  His eyes sparkled as I dropped them in his hands. 

Daddy Oompa Loompa rounded up his merry band the best he could and headed back up the drive to load up slabs.  I noted the littlest Oompa Loompa stuffing the cherry tomatoes in his pocket.  I was pleased to see that.

[asy]

I noted the littlest Oompa Loompa stuffing the cherry tomatoes in his pocket.  I was pleased to see that.

I bet his mum won't be when wasin' time comes!

My son does that. Always something 'interesting' in his pockets, and do you think I can get him to empty them out prior to putting them in the wash?! nooooooooo...  It's always "SURPRISE MUM!" hmm...

asy :D

[sawguy21]

 :D :D :D I remember taking my (then) girlfriend's kids to the game farm. The older one was quite interested in the animals but the novelty wore off for six year old Amanda. By the time we got back to the truck she could hardly walk, her pockets were stuffed with stones from the path. ;D

[Bibbyman]

People are reluctant to post pictures of their kids on the internet.  And I can see their point.  But I've taken a lot of pictures of Brooke and Alex and it's difficult not to share.



Here is one I shot of Brooke on the first of August of 2007.  The sun had been up for a couple of hours but had just got up high enough to clear the trees and light the top of the sawdust pile.  Brooke thought it would be a great place for her and her dolls to catch a few rays.

We have a good supply of old B57 belts around the mill.  We changed out a pair last weekend and I thought of pitching them in the dumpster.  But then I had another idea.  This morning I handed a pair of them to Alex and told her to follow me.  I pointed a stacking stick with the axe and drove it in the ground in the shade of the walnut tree holding up their tire swing.



I gave them some basic instructions and then went and got my camera.  Out of about 10 pictures I caught this one.  By the way,  Mary is sawing.  You can tell by the sawdust coming out of the pipe.



Here it is again where you can see Brooke holding her tongue just right.

[Dave Shepard]

Looks like a new event for the Pig Roast, the sawmill belt toss! :D Winner of the longest toss wins a used belt off of Bibbymans mill. ;D Looks like they are having fun.


Dave

[Bibbyman]

School starts tomorrow for Brooke and Alex.  I came into the house about 1:00 this afternoon to find both girls in the floor trying to stuff a bushel basket load of school supplies into each of their respective back packs.

I made the comment that I went all eight years of grade school and didn't use that much stuff.

The school sends out a list of stuff each student in each class.  Here is the list of stuff for Alex's 5 grade class.

•   Trapper Keeper w/zipper (Kind of a zip up ring binder and organizer with pockets.)
•   2 1-1/2" 3 ring binders (1 white w/slipcover & 1 black/navy w/slipcover)
•   2 packages of dividers w/tabs (for 3 ring binders)
•   2 packages of wide-ruled loose-leaf notebook paper
•   3 spiral notebooks (70 pages)
•   7 folders w/pockets & 3 fasteners (purple, blue, green, orange, red, yellow, 1 decorated)
•   # 2 pencils
•   2 black/blue pens
•   Markers
•   2 highlighters
•   Metric/standard ruler
•   2 fine point Dry Erase Markers
•   Eraser caps
•   Scissors
•   Colored pencils
•   2 glue sticks
•   2 boxes of Kleenex
•   2 large sheets of white poster board
•   1 box gallon size zipper storage bags

I was doing good to start school with a Big Chief tablet, # 2 Ticonderoga, a box of 8 Crayons, a pair of blunt nose scissors, and a bottle of glue.

I told Mary we were lucky they didn't have an I-pod or lap top on their lists.

[Furby]

Laptops are on the 7th grade list Bibby, you've got a bit to save up. ;)

[sawguy21]

At least one of the local school boards is giving a laptop to each of the grade sixes with periodic updates. Cripes,I wasn't allowed a slide rule until grade ten.

[thurlow]

Our required supplies.........for the first 3 or 4 years...........were a lead pencil and a tablet.  I remember about half way through the first grade the teacher saying that we needed to bring a nickel for a work-book.  When I told my Dad, he went into a 5 minute tirade, saying that the books were supposed to be free.  I soon learned to ask my Mother for any additional needed supplies.............DanG, the things you remember.

[asy]

Hey Bibby,

yer not alone.

My kids' lists look REMARKABLY similar to that, except add a couple of reams of copier paper each...

Well, that was their primary school lists, the high school ones seem even LONGER.

I budget around $100 per child per year for supplies, and I buy them from the warehouse and Big W. I can't see the sense in buying really good pencils and supplies for the kids when I know for a fact that the kid sitting next to them ;) will break them in no time...

Seriously, though, one of Stephie's 'friends' has a penchant for either 'borrowing' (permanently) or breaking things, I've caught her at it, then she swears black and blue that it's hers. Even though it's got Stephie's name on it! Amazing. I know she's been through some seriously hard times in her life (being a recently arrived refugee) but no fair! I'm not rich...

One thing I DO do, is, when my son turned 12, I bought him a REALLY good set of pencils, They are for HOME USE only, and are NOT to be taken out of the metal tin they came in. They are to be used on the table only (no colouring on the couch with these!) and are to be kept safe at all times. Stephanie is getting a set of 72 Derwent pencils for Christmas this year, I've already bought them (they were on a half price sale, and since the full price is DanG near $70, I was really pleased to pick them up at half).

There are two reasons I lash out on these pencils. Firstly to delineate between these and others, so this set instills a level of pride etc in the kids. And secondly, and I guess most importantly, I received a set of 72 Derwent pencils when I was about 14. I still have them. They are still in good condition. None lost, none broken. A couple fairly well used now, though. But I guess you get that after nearly 25 years...  ;)

When I gave my son his set, I showed him mine, and told him how proud I was to still have the same set of pencils 25 years later. They were used all through my high school days, lots of projects done with those! Stephanie's seen the pencils. Even got to use one or two ONCE. That's it. They don't even ASK to "use Mum's good pencils".

She'll be thrilled. I just know it. :D

asy :D

[Bibbyman]

Hardly a month goes by we don't get some case of the girls sleep walking.  Sometimes it's just setting up in bed and saying something unintelligible and falling back to sleep. Sometimes we find them sleeping on the couch or one of our chairs in the living room.

But last evening I was doing my last checks of the Forestry Forum about 10:00pm and I heard the heavy falls of little footsteps down the hall.  I just figured one was going to the bathroom but whoever it was had past on by the bathroom and turned right up the hall to the front door.  I got up to investigate.  When I heard the front door open and shut I kicked up my pace and raced to the front door.  I opened it and turned on the front light. The upper hall light was off as well as the outside light. It had been pitch dark outside.  I spotted the little figure of Brooke in her night shirt going out the driveway.  I called for her and she stopped. She had made it 30 yards in the dark.  I asked her where she was going and she said something I couldn't understand.  I reasoned to her she should come back to the house.  She returned and we stood in the drive for a few moments while she woke up a bit.  She said she had to get some cloths. I told her to come back inside and go back to bed.  She did.

This morning I was telling her dad what she'd done last night.  She didn't remember any of it.

Good thing she does not know how to drive!   

[Bibbyman]

Yesterday was Wednesday.  Also the day the local paper has all the grocery ads, etc.  Mary was having Brooke read the ads and give her ideas of what she should include on a grocery list.  One item Brooke wanted was "Hic" juice.  It turned out to be Hi-C drink.   :D

[Phorester]

Last night I was visiting with friends down the street.  They have a 10 year old daughter.  She was listening while we were talking about a mutual friend of ours who is in his 60's and a bachelor. Their daughter asked what a bachelor was.  She was told it was a man who never got married.  She asked, "you mean he's like a virgin?"