My Beloved Curmudgeon’s son and granddaughter have been visiting this week. They are leaving in the morning. It’s been a fun week with them. We have gone somewhere every day they’ve been here. B.C.’s son asked if we had seen all the natural wonders in the area yet. No, actually we haven’t, but we put a little bit of a dent in it.

We have explored caves, crossed mountains, gone to parks, shifted through dirt and water to find ‘gems’. B.C’s son bought bags of dirt for his daughter to shift through and she discovered a whole bag full of gems. I think she’d have been satisfied with that alone. We have looked at her ‘gems’ so many times I have them memorized. There is, indeed, still gold in them thar hills. But the goldmine is the tourist industry and all the fathers buying dirt for their daughters to find ‘gems’.

It’s been a very pleasant visit. His granddaughter is a happy child who laughs and giggles a lot and knows that adults are supposed to make decisions and she is not the center of the universe. Her self-esteem is just fine without being allowed to make all the decisions, interrupt adults and have everyone hanging on her every word. It’s very refreshing to be around a child like that for a change.

Beloved Curmudgeon’s son and granddaughter surveying Tennessee
smokey mountains

We watched the Tennessee version of surfer dudes hang gliding off the highest point in the area. It made the granddaughter and myself squeal and giggle. There was a gasp that came with the rush of excitement when the glider caught the wind as it plunged over the seemingly bottomless drop off overlooking the beautiful valley below.

This picture doesn’t do justice to the height from which this hang glider was jumping.
hang glider

The granddaughter, I’ll call her Giggles, picked some dandelions and gave them to me in a glass out of my cabinet. She drew me some pictures and sang for us last night. We had some nice ‘visiting’ with Beloved Curmudgeon’s son. We saw some sights and enjoyed each other’s company.

I haven’t been on the computer much while they have been here. Visitors to my blog have dropped by half at least. I haven’t thought much about the news and barely turned on the television. It’s been wonderful, because I got a chance to stop and enjoy some of the things that are really important. The dandelions, the giggles, the make believe ‘gems’, the imagination and chatter of an 8-year-old child and the love of family and friends. Those are the things that really matter in life.

It’s good to be reminded of that once in a while. Especially when life has been turned upside down.

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