Trick-or-Treat : Featuring the Pinehurst Traffic Circle

Okay, this one really taxed my imagination.

Here it is Halloween, and I'm blogging about

the Pinehurst nightmare.  How do I do that?

Well, how about this?  For some people

the traffic circle is their

WORST NIGHTMARE!

Well, personally, I've never had many complaints

about the traffic circle.  For any major wait I've

had on there, I can easily conjure up memories of

dozens of much-worse traffic tie-ups in other locales.

But if you frequent this traffic circle, have you ever

noticed the sign as you approach it on 15-501

from Aberdeen?

They couldn't have chosen a more fitting symbol than a

TURTLE.

Well, sometimes you get a treat,

sometimes you just get a trick.

HAPPY HALLOWE-E-E-E-E-E-EN!!!

Be sure to see all three of my

Halloween posts before you leave.

Trick-or-Treat III

Just home from a wonderful visit with my

Georgia family, I wanted to post some highlights

of my visit.  Here's Daddy, who at 97 has

rekindled an interest in playing the harmonica.

His first experience with one was in his teens,

when he says you could buy one for a nickel.

Me, Caryn, and Buddy, all retired teachers now,

enjoyed our time with Daddy immensely.

The Halloween spirit was evident all about.

I did a couple of musical evenings as well as

playing some sacred music one afternoon.

I've made many friends among Daddy's

neighbors and caregivers.

At my final night singalong, Daddy agreed

to play something on the harmonica.  I wasn't

able to record that event, but I did record him

practicing "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder"

the day before.  If he keeps practicing, I'll record

him again on my next visit.

Well, time to get ready for those

Trick-or-Treaters.  If any.  Be sure to read

Trick-or-Treat I and II.

Trick-or-Treat II

I have always loved Halloween, and as a kid

I loved our school Halloween carnival almost

as much as trick-or-treating.  For one thing, it

was always all day long on a Saturday.  It included

all kinds of games, a country store (my first yard

sale), the SPOOK HOUSE, and more.  In Atlanta,

I came across this poster I had created when I was

in 5th grade: The Skyland School Carnival.  Note

the lettering-- Daddy had brought home a special

alphabet stencil from work for the "shadow" effect.

Of course, to get Frankenstein right, I had

to practice over and over and over and over.

I continued to love Halloween fun during

my teaching career.  I blogged a couple of

years ago about funny epitaphs and that blog

still gets a lot of hits from around the world,

especially at Halloween.  Here are some

in case you haven't seen them. 

I had fun encouraging my students to make

up their own humorous epitaphs, then draw

a variety of tombstones.  Students would

embellish their "graveyards" with hands

coming up from the graves, bones or skulls

lying about, dead trees with bats and owls,

and so on.  I'm sure you can imagine.

Happy Halloween.  Be sure to read the posts

just before and just after this one.

Trailers from the latest Video Kids

One problem with posting videos of the

grandkids is that I always intend to point

out things to look for-- then I can't remember

what they were.  Well in this video, young

Hunter goes for his first "drive" around our

house.  He encounters a little traffic, a couple

of fender benders, and speed bumps.  Stick

with it to the end to see a cameo by Kitty Cat,

much to Hunter's delight.  And then that big

smile celebrating his successful drive.

(For much of this one, I was literally a "trailer.")

Brianna has always loved the song "The Wheels

on theBus." In Grandma's rocker (which Grandma

is obviously off) Bri sings her way through the book

of the same title.  She had sung through the better

part of it before I could sneak away to get the

camera. Back I came to hear "The babies on the

bus go "wah-wah-wah" and "the mamas on the

bus go shh-shh-shh."  I was very impressed

with Bri's attention span-- it was the end of a

long day for her.  And by the way, she is gentler

on pop-up books than some 3rd graders I taught!

Judy and I were amazed at how Claire can get

around on the tricycle she got for her birthday

back in July.  Here, she negotiates her fairly level

front sidewalk with no help.  She ends up showing

off her mastery of "reverse."  And don't miss the

obligatory "cheese" at the end.

Claire is versatile (if I told her that she'd be

saying it next time I saw her).  Her song-and-dance

routines seem strikingly similar except for the words.

This one is "Oh, Be Careful, Little Eyes."

I would be totally out of breath if I tried to do these

double-time bounces while trying to sing.  What a

workout!  And at the end, the obligatory "cheese."

Why does that sound so familiar?

Well the only grandchild you haven't seen

in action is Evan, and here he is, to close out

this video fest.  There were SO many times that

I wished I had my camera in hand to film him

(what's "film"?).  And when I did have my camera

in hand you'll see what happens.  Not content to be

taped, he wants to HAVE that camera.  I hold him

at bay as long as I can, but he will not be denied.

I don't know how many of my readers will

persevere to the end, but as I've said before,

I think I'd blog if I were the only person who

viewed it.  After all, in the sense that a Weblog

is like a diary, it's not for everybody.  That said,

I hope these lovable kids brightened your day.

Action All Around

These pictures were not all taken on the same day,

but they're all recent.  And today is CATCH UP

DAY on the blog!

Hunter: "Did somebody say KETCHUP?"

Brianna loves for Grandma to share a book.

And she likes chewing on Grandpa's whistle

and bird-caller.

Hunter: "I'm just goin' for a spin. 

I'll be back soon."

Obviously, fear of snakes is a learned response.

Well, Hunter won't learn it around here.

Bri loves playing with this little Ferris Wheel

bank.  It was actually the first gift I ever gave

Judy, way back in 1975.  It plays "A Spoonful of

Sugar" when you drop in a penny.

But we make up all kinds of other games

when we drag out the pennies.  Like "Hide

the Hand."  Hmm.  Where is it this time?

Evan thinks this sofa is just the right size.

Evan: "And for my next trick, watch what

this train does when I tug the string."

Grandma discovers that Hunter does like

bananas, after all!

"But I'll still share," says Hunter. 

(He finished it, every bite)

I had to set the camera speed on "Sport"

to catch Claire dancing without blurring.

She dances to every song she sings, but

they all resemble an Iron Man workout.

Grandpa introduces Claire to a new video,

"Wheels, Wings, and Moving Things."

Claire loves anything that GOES, but

especially airplanes.  School buses, trains,

boats, and trucks are also well-liked.

Evan: "Grandma is SO huggable!"

Grandma: "Evan is SO huggable!"

Grandma: "Evan, I LOVE you!"

Evan: "Gramma, I WUV U 2!"

Evan: "Y'all are so suspicious.  What makes

you think I want to open this cabinet just

because I'm leaning on it?"

"Besides, I haven't cracked the combination yet."

As much fun as it is to play with all these

children, it's also wonderful to watch the

countless ways they entertain themselves.

Play is the work of a child.

"Now if I could just learn to set the

self-timer, I could take a picture of

my own cuteness."

Claire can really cruise on the tricycle she

got for her birthday last July.  When supervised

she's got a nice level road.  Her front walk is

a nice practice area, too.  (Soon-to-be Drag Strip!)

"Who says trains have to have tracks?

Is it just another silly grown-up rule?"

"Hmm . . . . What next?"

The wheels are always turning.

Happy Trails until next time!

And next time may well include 3 or 4

well-chosen videos of these lovable rascals.

Playdate!

It seems like just a short while ago I was

apologizing for not having many recent

pictures of the grandkids.  That was then,

this is now.  Prepare yourself: Here They Come!

Evan: "Besides, I made him an offer

he couldn't refuse . . . ."

We thought Bri and Claire might be old

enough to play with this wooden train set.

And yes, they love it.  But here, it's Evan

building the "train track to nowhere."

Ah, history buffs like Grandpa, Evan and

Hunter debate the qualities of their

favorite presidents.  Thanks to Aunt Caryn

for the quilt-- it's now toddler tested.

Gentlemen, go to your corners.  Hunter

inspects our washing machine box while

Evan figures out how to manipulate our

luggage carrier/toy receptacle.

Sand is a multi-purpose agent for Brianna.

Good for cooking, digging, and pouring.

Can't get too much of that stuff.

We all love watching Claire's curls flutter

as she swings.  The girls are learning to pump

their legs-- less work for Grandma.

Hunter: "It's a fight to the death-- Hunter the Bold

versus the Evil Serpent."

"Hey Evan, could you spare a minute to

help me get my finger unstuck from the

Evil Serpent's mouth?"

Evan's not camera shy.  He's a smile waiting

for a photo op.  But he'd rather be

holding the camera.

Hunter is drawn like a magnet to the

scene of activity.

"Grandpa, did you shave today?"

"Grandpa, will you help me find your muscle?"

"Ugh.  This shirt tastes better than it smells."

Evan and Hunter: "No, we don't worry about

him getting away.  He's totally domesticated."

But when someone needs a bottle, I do slip

away to go hot-rodding with Claire.

This is a one-seater, but Bri ambles along

just in case we need a push.

Believe me, Bri knows her stuff.

My dad and brother often call to check in
during the afternoon, sometimes while the
kids are at our house.  They're accustomed
to hearing me say when the phone rings,
"That must be Grandpa Loyd." They don't mind
me taking the call outdoors as long as it doesn't
put a stop to the fun. Heaven forbid.

Hallmark, make me an offer.
My heart just melts.

As with the wagon, sometimes Bri would
just rather push than be pushed.  And that's
just fine with Claire.

With the girls entertaining themselves for
a while, moms Jennifer and Amanda get a
little extra one-on-one time with their
handsome fellas.   No, not their hubbies, as
handsome as they are.

Claire: "I find it's nearly always worthwhile
when visiting neighbors to check what's in
their compost.  Most instructive and revealing."

Hunter: "Okay, I've got this juggling of two
balls down pat.  Next step is learning to let
go of them.  And then, adding the third ball."

Aunt Amanda knows just where to tickle
Evan to elicit that smile and a giggle.
Doesn't look like he minds, does it?

Yes, it was a full afternoon of child neglect
and abuse at the Loyd house, fully documented.