I feel bad that I never did write about my octagenarian (sp?) grandparents coming to visit from CO.  They were here in the first half of October.      They were really on their way to see his sister in Nocona, TX.  First they flew into OKC, stayed with us for about 3 days, and we drove them down to Nocona.  They stayed down there a few days, we drove down to pick them up, broght them back to the OKC airport, and they were on their way back home!  So a real whirlwind trip, in a way.  But I think they had fun.  I hope they did.  I will say this: 82 and 86 year old people should probably not be frequent fliers.  Quite an adventure.

Anyway, it was nice to see them down here.  I enjoyed getting to show them my house.  I really liked showing Grandma the back yard and my garden.  I showed her where I want to make improvements, what I plan to plant and where next year, that kind of thing.  We talked seed companies, mole removal plans, plant placement ideas, etc.  It was nice.  I also liked feeding them after having sooooo many meals at their house.  Of course, Grandma DOES help.  You don’t get to have Grandma near your kitchen w/o getting SOME help.  But that’s fine.  I liked the help, I just liked that mostly it was my responsibility to feed my grandparents.      

Grandpa was Grandpa.  Anywhere he goes, he’s got his cane, his Bible carefully carried in a box, a Bible commentary, and a pen/pencil.  Oh yes, and the scraps of paper on which he scribbles notes.  Reminds me very much of the TV detective Columbo.  He sat at the kitchen table most of the time doing his "studying." (His study generally now consists of about 30% study time, 60% sleep time, 10% denying he was sleeping.)  It cracks Grandma up.  If you know her, you can just see the way she crinkles up her face and shakes her head in ALMOST silent laughter.  I even offered to take him to McDonald’s or Braum’s, if he promised not to get more than 2 scoops of sugar free ice cream (diabetic in denial).  But he said, "Oh!  No thank ya, Honey.  I’m fine right here.  I’ll just stay here and visit."  This surprised me, since when he’s at home he goes to one fast food place or another every day to study.  (He also doesn’t mind the free coffee or Diet Cokes he often gets, since they all know him.  I think there’s a Subway place that sees him coming and just sets out a cup for him as he walks in.  It’s all very amusing to the descendants — "The Tribe," as he calls us.)  As I said, it surprised me, but I didn’t mind.  It was nice to have him there.

This has turned into a longer post than intended.  So I’ll just say two more things and stop.  The days they were here, he never did let me take him to Braum’s.  But he remembered it from when they came down 3 years ago for our wedding.  He VERY MUCH wanted some Braum’s ice cream before he went back to Colorado.  So we told him that at some point on the 3 hour drive to TX we’d stop and get him some Braum’s sugar free ice cream.  I kid you not… he pointed out every single Braum’s sign all the way down there.  (Just to make sure we didn’t forget, I guess.)  We finally stopped at the one in Gainesville; and boy, was he happy!

The last thing is this: Ethan LOVED having "PaPa Frank" and "Mauna Fern" down here. (He says Grandma: Mauna — like flora and FAUNA, with an M.)  He thinks all of his grandparents are just the BEST!  He still talks about Grandma feeding him ice cream in the car, and he frequently asks where they are.  Often when we’re outside and he see a plane (he LOVES planes!) he’ll shout, "Plane!  PaPa Frank, plane, on!  Mauna Fern, plane, on!"    I wonder if he thinks they’re STILL on the plane!  Maybe they’ll get to get off the plane when we’re there at Christmas.