Shining Through Rain

Wake Up with First Blog Reader

I’ve found it extremely hard to blog when I’m in the actual company of the First Blog Reader. She’s not very understanding if she is not the sun center of my attention if we are in the same house. As a matter of fact neither am I. My wife and I drove down last night after work for a long New Jersey weekend. By the time we arrived our granddaughter was down for the night but this allowed for a couple of nice hours with our daughter and Wingman for some rare adult conversation.

Abuela Too

I got up early to drive my daughter to the train station and then waited with semi-baited breath for the sun center to arise. She seemed a little shocked to have the faces she sees so often on video screens in the room with her but that soon succumbed to the required hugs and showing us around. We came downstairs and she immediately keyed in on the box containing her new kitchen as well as the gift bag holding the numerous gifts my wife had acquired for her as well.

Presents

Of Course!

Wingman reluctantly left for his trip because he could see how much fun we were all having. My granddaughter supervised the assembly of her kitchen when I wasn’t required to push her around the first floor in her new toy wheel barrow. Abuela was teaching her how to lift the plastic cookies out of the oven as the First Blog Reader took her new kitchen duties very seriously. It was so welcome to have the gifts appreciated so well. My wife once again redeemed her reputation as a world class shopper.

Abuela Brought Ketchup Too!!!!

And Pink Gardening Gloves

Giving Friends Rides in new Wheel Barrow

Too Many Laps to Count

This will be a short blog because she’s down for a nap right now and I want to be ready to continue to fully enjoy our time together. First my daughter has cooked up a huge surprise for my wife that I have to execute in a few minutes. I have to leave the house to pick up the surprise which should elicit a memorable reaction. You’ll have to tune in tomorrow for details.

I’ve fallen behind on my reading recently due to work both at the office and at home. I’ve used an extra half hour sleep each morning instead of my early morning reading sessions. I’ve still waded through an old Stephen King novel that had somehow passed me by unread, Lisey’s Story. As usual the Master was on top of his game weaving a fantastic story of a Maine novelist’s widow dealing with her grief and a crazed fan bent on murder. It wouldn’t be the Master if an alternate world didn’t creep in as well. King does such a fabulous job with human relations and his subordinate characters always feed the story line without distracting from the well-formed leads. Lisey, the title character, shows immense courage and depth dealing with a half-forgotten key to her survival while also telling the heartbreaking story of her dead husband’s early life. Can’t believe I missed this one when it came out but everything in its time and this was well worth the wait. 

Pick Me Up Grampa

Abuela Giving Barrow Rides Too

Not as Easy as it Looks

Loving the New Kitchen

Helping Abuela Get Ready for the Day

Pile Driving Grampa

The Cook is In!

Always the Fashion Plate

Supervising Grampa Building her Kitchen

The Gloves