They got the job done

Wow, that was some productive Saturday we had around this household.

But, let's back up a bit first.

On Friday, we changed plans slightlly on how to get my beautiful boy here.

Instead of my driving all the way into the big city to pick him up, my little chickadee picked him up at his day care centre and we met at what is the half way point for each of us, thus saving me a great deal of driving (for which I was eternally grateful).

My beautiful boy sat back and watched a video for the drive home (I swear it's one of the reasons he likes for me to pick him up!) and we arrived home right in the middle of my favourite politics show so I was able to catch the end of the program.

Precisely at 6:00pm, Grandpa announced, "OK, man, let's get to work."

And off the two of them went to the woods to haul in the post for the new mailbox.

Now before any of you start chastising me for the lack of helmet on the boy, I've already been duly chewed out by his mother.

And I've apologized to her up one side and down the other.

The only reason I'm allowed to post the picture is because, as his mother so succinctly put it, "he came back alive!"

I was never in any doubt that he would (as if I would ever deliberately put my beautiful boy at risk, but it truly never occurred to me that I was ...)

It won't happen again.

When the boys returned from their hard work in the woods, they enjoyed a shrimp and salad dinner while we watched the ball game.

I'm determined to turn my beautiful boy into a baseball fan and apparently, I might be having some success because he seemed unable to keep his eyes off the action.

I know it has to be his growing love of the game that kept him glued to the TV set (it can't possibly be because he's a TV junkie, could it?)

By the time we finished dinner, it was getting close to what I felt should have been his bedtime, although he assured me that on Fridays' he "didn't have a bedtime."

His mother and I had a good giggle when he called her to say good night and I asked her what his bedtime was and he turned to me and whispered, "I don't have one."

In spite of those attempts, he had to go to bed when Grandma and Grandpa were going, so he settled down with his book, without argument.

It didn't take him long to nod off either!

The next morning, we were all up bright and early ready to start the day.

And he co-operated beautifully with his Grandma as she stayed in bed to read her newspaper (he stayed in his bed and played on his DSi).

After breakfast, it was time to work again.

He's tremendously helpful around the house, so while I cleaned up in the kitchen, he vacuumed the dining room and then did the same in the living room.

And he did a bang-up job too!

When it was finally time to leave for the trip to deliver him back to his parents (we were again going to meet at the half way point) we paid him for all the work he had done during this visit.  I think he thought he had died and gone to heaven.

For the record, I think Grandpa is a cheapo cuz he didn't pay him very much for all that hard work he did in the woods, compared to what Grandma paid him for the housework.

But my beautiful boy was perfectly happy with his earnings, and that's all that matters.

He jumped in the car, sat back and turned on his movie, picking it up where he had left it the day before (he loves that VES!).  When his parents asked him if he had a good time and might he go back again, perhaps more frequently now, he said, "Maybe."  (They're hoping.)

Pauple said, "So now, every time you get mad at us, you're just going to pick up the phone and call Grandma to come and get you?"

He just got his funny little grin on his face.  Like, "Hmmmm, not a bad idea, Dad."

We'll see.

I love that boy to pieces!

I got back home and had about a half hour of sit-down-and-breathe time before our guests arrived for what turned out to be a wonderfully enjoyable visit.

John's son and his wife (the one who is a year older than I -- gosh, I love playing with that one!) as well as John's sister and her husband joined us for a bean dinner.

The men took down the old drecrepit mailbox and installed the new one (to which I am now charged with affixing the house number and our name).

The women sat around the dining room table yakking.

And yakking.

And yakking.

When the men finished their chore, they sat out on the porch talking.

And talking.

And talking.

While the women continued yakking in the living room.

Eventually we sat down to eat.

And then we all  continued talking.

And talking.

And talking.

And then we moved out to the porch.

And continued talking some more.

Then I got too cold and moved back into the living room.

The women followed me.

I turned on the television to check in with the ballgame.

My boys were ahead in the bottom of the 8th inning.

Then the men came in and joined us.

And the Jays' bullpen managed to blow their lead.

Just like is their pattern.

Then my daughter-in-law (have I mentioned that she is a year older than I?) asked if I could check in with the Senators' hockey game, just to see what the score was, you realize.

And the Sens were ahead in the 2nd period.  Unbelievable!

So then we had to switch back and forth between the ballgame and the hockey game.

The blown ballgame ended -- badly.

So we watched the 3rd period of the hockey game.

And we watched the Sens blow their lead to allow the Pens to tie the game.

And we watched the game go into overtime.

And we watched the Sens let the Pens win the game.

And finally, Ottawa won't have to put up with Sens fever any more.

Again, it's over for another year.  Thank the good Lord!

And unfortunately, my step-son and his wife (the one who is a year older than I) had to then drive home -- right through Ottawa and past the traffic nightmare that would be all those fans leaving the stadium having just blown the deciding game of the series.

I wonder how long it took them to make that trip home?

But we had a fabulous evening with them.

And I learned that I still don't care to watch hockey.

But I do love to watch baseball -- even when my boys continue to play badly!