What a Week!

Whew! What a week! It started with a special visit from Bob’s granddaughter, Nancie. She was only down for one day, but we were very thankful she came by to see us for a few hours. She came with great news, SHE’S PREGNANT! Bob is going to be a Great-grandfather. How exciting.

There was more news, IT’S A BOY! With all girls in the family it will be nice to spoil a boy for a change. And she is due right around Bob’s birthday in July. Who knows, maybe Bob will get a special birthday gift this year.

Nancie couldn’t stay long and this is the last time she was allowed to travel so we won’t get to see her for a long time. We pray that she has a happy and healthy boy this summer.

Tuesday, we couldn’t let the week go by without more excitement. The neighbor across the street had a very large oak tree in her front yard. Half of it fell and landed in front of our house. What a mess. All the power and cable lines came down. Sarah was great and called 911 to report it. The fire department was there right away. Bob couldn’t figure out what had happened, Sarah told him the tree had fallen.

They called me and told me to bring home dinner since I couldn’t cook anything. When I got home Bob was sitting on the couch watching all the excitement out the window. I knew we would be sitting in the dark soon so I quickly fed everyone. The power company told us we would be without power for quite a while so I had Bob call everyone so he would have something to do.

Bob told everyone we had a storm that made the tree fall. Not really. It didn’t even rain. It was a little windy that day, but not enough to push a large oak down. The tree was just old and had some rot in it. It was just one of those things. After Bob called everyone he kept asking to watch the game on TV. We had to keep telling him over and over that there wasn’t any electricity. He looked out the window and told us that there was a light on across the street because it kept blinking. That was the light on the power truck.

We tried to keep him talking about different things. He told us that Harold told him why he keeps forgetting things. We asked him what Harold had said, and he shared the following story with us.

“When I was young,” he said. “I used to have a blanket that my Mother gave me. I would take that blanket everywhere I went, and when ever I could, I would take it out and use it like a cape. I would yell ‘Shazam’ and pretend that I was Captain Marvel.

One day out on the playground, Harold and I were out playing ball. Harold was up to bat and I was catcher. I had my special cape on. Harold went to hit the ball and I stood up at the same time and he hit me in the head with the bat. He said that I got one step in before I went down, out cold.”

Rob and I laughed and laughed with the image of a small boy with his special blanket tied around his neck. I am sure Bob thought that blanket would protect him from everything. Rob told his dad that he thought that happened too long ago to affect him now. I told him maybe Harold was the one who knocked some sense into his head.

After we talked for a long time, Bob kept asking for the TV to be turned on. I suddenly, realized that we did have a radio and went for the batteries. I turned the ‘magic’ basketball game on and told Bob, he could listen to the game. Rob and I went and laid down, Sarah went to her room, and Bob was sitting on the couch.

Before we knew it, the lights came on. Rob and I had fallen fast asleep. It was way past 9:30 I woke up and jumped out of bed. I looked out in the living room and Bob was still sitting on the couch, in the exact same spot, still listening to the game. I told him it was time for bed and I could turn the TV on for him and he could finish the game in his room. He was very happy to hear that.

Christina got off to Louisiana without any problems on Wednesday. Bob sure is going to miss his grandchildren. He loved it when they would come by and visit him. They will have to call him regularly…hint….hint.....nudge…..nudge…..girls!