Curtis' Rules

Last week Curtis spent a few days with my parents. Here is my Dad's transcriptions of his experience playing games with Curtis.

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I thought I'd talk about Curtis, you know, our one and only grandson who is almost 5 years old. He answers to Curter, Bud, Buddy, Junior, even Curtis.

We had him for a few days prior to Christmas and I must say, the kid has an addiction to TV. He watched a DVD of old Tom and Jerry cartoons until he knew them by heart... or at least I thought he did. I managed to get him outside a few times and we played until I got too cold to motate.

He likes to play board games so we did that as he brought each one out to the dining room table. We played Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, Backgammon (his way), Checkers (also his way), and Chess (with a totally new twist).

As he set the board with Chess pieces I asked, "Do you know how to play this game?"

"Uh-huh," and then proceeded to set the black pieces on the black spaces and the white pieces on the red spaces and in random order. I've learned to 'go with the flow' because I seldom have a chance to win when playing grandchildren.

Then he rolled the dice! He counted the dies and moved one of the black pieces in some wild motion and placed it on a black square with another black piece!

I had to ask, "How do you play this game?"

"Roll them and count the dots." I did.

"Which one do I move?"

"Anyone." I moved one of my men to another space and all was well.

He tossed the dies and counted the dots and moved a third man onto a preoccupied space. It was now one of those games where there are no rules until he needs a rule to trump anything I do and benefit him. I decided to "try the rule book."

I rolled the dies and counted the dots, six. My bishop was handy so I slipped him to the far side of the board right next to his King.

He straightened up and said, "Good move, Papa. Now let's go play some ball."

Dec 27

Twas two days after Christmas and I look forward to cleaning everything up. The house will seem so much bigger! Karen is spending 4 nights with my parents and we will pick her up Wednesday when we go over to help my Grandpa move into my folks' house. He will stay there either until he's given the All Clear from his heart surgery, or indefinitely.

Grandma is at a home that is over 6 miles away from town and isn't all that cheery of a place. We looked at 2 other places on Saturday and if one of them has an opening, Grandma will get moved there. Poor gal slept for 22 hours straight the other day. Hope she wasn't all drugged up, but that her brain was really tired. This one place is so beautiful, the residents have their hair done up, and the home smells good!

We went and saw "Alvin: the Squeakual" on Friday night and we rented "Julie & Julia" last night. Both are very good movies and I recommend Alvin for the whole family, and J&J for the over 15 crowd. (nothing bad, just the handful of swear words).

Curtis wants to watch The Pink Panther DVD from Auntie Kim. See you later.

Wise Doug

I can't get these in order, so use your imagination. Merry Christmas!

... a little rain must fall...

Into every life, that is. I have never feared dying. It's the getting old that is scary. when I was younger, it wasn't the aging/sickness/disease part of it. It was "I don't want to get wrinkly and ugly." Views change on that when you start getting close to 40.

I now do not fear aging... I view my octagenarians in my life as beautiful people. Those wrinkles and gray hair hold so many stories.

I have many beautiful old people in my life.

1) Grandpa Cecil. He is 88 and amazing. He has survived prostate cancer, World War II, his brother's death, and 2 weeks ago he came out of open-heart surgery and is healing nicely. He adores his wife of over 65 years and has dedicated the last 10 years to being her sole caregiver. Two months ago he decided he needed help and they moved into an Assisted Living Facility. Thankfully it was done before surgery was required. Today he was forced to make another decision... move his beloved into a nursing home. Her care was too great for the workers at the ALF. He will stay in his room until the end of the month where the caregivers can watch him, then he will move in with my parents.

2) Grandma Delight. I loved being with Grandma Dee. She taught me how to make rhubarb pie and chicken & rice. I loved getting a hug within her plump arms. She loved to sing. Old age has affected her body and mind. Her legs don't work and she's confined to a wheel chair. Helpers have to move her from seat to bed to toilet. Her mind is confused and she repeats herself often. Today her words were almost incoherent. As she left the ALF and went to the NH, she asked, "Cecil, where am I going? Are you going with me?" This separation could be as painful as during the War.

3) Grandpa Chauncy. He's only been my Grandpa for 15 years, same as 4) Grandma Lucile. They have so warmly welcomed me and our children into their family. I wish I knew more about them and hope to learn even more. Grandpa is 95 and Grandma is 88. I am so thankful that they are both healthy, relatively speaking. They still live in their home with a bit of help. I adore these two people. They have hearts for loving on people. I have never heard them say a negative thing about anyone. They are people you want to be like when you grow up.

So... I look at old people differently now. There are stories and lives lived in those wrinkles. Wisdom and advice in those gray hairs. As a lovely song says,

"Lord I want to be just like You, cuz they want to be just like me. I want to be a holy example..."

To my Grandparents, two of whom probably will never see this, I love you. Thank you. And if someone loves me half as much as I love you all, I'll be blessed.

Cowboy Curtis