down the goat path

Monday, the bosses took a good look around and realizing that the town was virtually abandoned decided to petition to close early.  Before the clock even struck 11:30a I was on my way home to enjoy a beautiful sunny day.

Mom really wanted to go for a visit with Grandma so she and I and Shaun and Cara and Daisy (their dog) got in the car and went for a drive.  Shaun and Cara are spending the week with us and it has been a blast.

 Grandma built her A-frame at the bottom of hill hidden in a grove of pines overlooking a lake.  She has always said it is her dream home.  I grew up (the house was built about the same time as me) playing on the patterned carpet and now have quite the affinity for it.

My momma, she's pretty handy with a guitar and had fun strumming this old Mexican model in between chats with Grandma and her hubs Mr. Hawley.  He is 93 and more active than most 70-year-olds I know plus he has a killer sense of humor and tons of great stories from his life lived abroad.

Grandma told us whence/whom pieces in her china cabinet came and I found her stash of cocktail parasols.  Jason and I used to LOVE to find these in the bottom of the china cabinet when we were little and play with them. 

Grandma also shared with us what she could remember of the origins of a few pieces of her jewelry, after her stroke she has a more difficult time remembering everything.  She was also up and moving around really well considering the broken hip she suffered earlier this year.  She's still a pistol.

Cara and Shaun both take piano lessons and played a few tunes for us.

 Mom, Gma and Me.

 This was probably one of my favorite moments captured.  Grandma was very concerned about Shaun's not wearing a coat and tried to wrap him into hers.  It was all we could to convince him to take a jacket along, which he promptly left in the car.  Ah, so be eight again.

Grandma and me.  Physically I resemble my mother's father and have dark hair from my dad's side but in my guts and soul I take after this lady in her sense of adventure and clamor to explore the world.  I also share her love a beautiful details, golden linings, and the written word.

What a lovely visit.