Friday, February 6, 2015

Exuberant Grandkids Bring the Tree House to Life!

No, that's not one of the grandkids in the
tree house.  It's Chipper, who some of you
may recognize.  Chipper was my classroom
mascot the last several years I taught, and now
he accompanies me to all my singalongs and
other events at school and nursing homes.


A few weeks ago I outfitted him in this
construction outfit and created a narrative
for his rest home friends.  It goes like this:
"You may have heard that the unemployment
rate has gone down.  That's partly because 
Chipper got a job!  That's right.  I've hired him
to build me a house.  Of course, with him being
a monkey, it had to be a tree house.  I couldn't
be too picky, because I only paid him with bananas."


Now these are grandkids.  And I was thrilled
with their response this week.  On Tuesday
Bri and Hunter made their first visit.


Bri is on the upper deck.  It takes a little
getting used to.

Amanda could get attached to this place.
And Hunter hopes she stays put.






Tree house follies with Bri and Hunter


It takes three to make a ring around this tree.
It's not part of the tree house.

On Wednesday, Claire and Evan were
introduced to the new tree house.  They
scampered ahead on the trail and arrived 
before the adults.  Up they go.

They made themselves right at home.

Claire was all smiles the whole time we were there.

Posing on the "deck" or "patio." Whatever.

An equally big hit was a deer skull and
assorted bones just a few feet from the
tree house.

Now that all the kids have seen it, I think
Amanda is going to take the bones home
and use them in science study.

Claire has an eye for the camera today.

That old ladder from my childhood bunk bed
is serving admirably for getting to the top floor.

One happy girl!

It's so relaxing to just sit and chill. Judy
and Claire sat there swinging their legs
for several minutes.

Just a swingin.'


Evan, our daredevil (one of them), likes to
lean over the railing and grab leaves off the
neighboring trees.  Then he watches them
flutter to the ground.  

Speaking of daredevils, here's another one.
Claire was emphatic that I should get her
"in the air." And I did!




I was snapping a picture of Judy and Evan
hanging out on the top deck when guess
who should pop in?

Yes, it's been a big hit.  And all of us will 
enjoy it even more as winter inches toward
spring.  Even Chipper!


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