grandson's visit

Usually, during the Summer months, grandson comes to visit the old folks -- he calls me "old person." It's a bit of change for him as well as us. There are no young people in the house, so it's a bit difficult for a 13 year old, going on 20, to deal with the well worn path the old folks have made. The structured life, the time on the computer, food choices -- NO veggies, the early to bed and early, as in 0400 or so that I usually get up and read the paper, to rise all confuse the young.
However, he was adaptable and stayed up late, snoozed in late in the mornings and we walked around him and did our routines. He got up and had breakfast and went about the computer, figuring a way to push past ole gramps to the computer.
He introduced me to Lime Wire and I'm now downloading the music to my CDs and will play them while at the gym doing my heavy breathing, wheezing, and aching. I can count on 80 minutes of music to time me on the bike. After that I'll go about pushing, pulling, and all that other crazy things that go on in the gym.
First thing we did last year was to enroll him in the Steve Fisher basketball "camp." Well, it turned out not so much How To as it was a bunch of out of control kids playing one on one with a team made up of 5 or 6 others. They learned quickly to share the ball and play some real basketball. Roy was no different, however, he needed to learn how to run. I noted he ran flat footed, as if walking fast. When they passed him the ball the last game, he put it right in the hole! SCORE! Got high-fives from his team.
This year, first thing, we got him into a "re-hab" program to de-train the way he "ran" and to make him fleet footed. Worked pretty well. As a matter of fact, the guys liked his improvement and his dedication to the program so much that they invited us, after class, to join them at the driving range for some fooling around with those things, the sticks and the white dimpled ball. Roy was fairly good, but hadn't had much training since he didn't like the way his father criticized him when he would hit the ball. He's going to be in school all year now and then next Summer we'll have to see "can you top this."
You see, we took him around the US one year from his home in Illinois to his aunt and uncle's place in Binghampton, NY. After that we took him to see Niagra Falls. That was an experience, dealing with the Canadian border people who were suspicious we were kidnapping him and "running" to Canada. Finally they let us go and see the Falls and return to US where we were welcomed by the US border folks.
The next year went to London and his time there was interesting. Found lots to see and lots to do. Specifically? We did all the "to do" things: Stonehenge, Westminster, Changing of the Guard, Picadilly, etc. etc. etc. He seemed to be most impressed by Hamley's -- the huge toy store.
Then to Steve Fisher's camp last year along with the re-hab this year. Next year? Not sure. Maybe golf if he likes. There are so many things to do. Even went to Universal Studios to see what that was all about.
Roy had a friend join him for two weeks. Tommy Carino. That was a challenge for us. Two teenagers with the teen demands. Things seemed to be chaotic and then Tommy left and we had some leveling.
Things are so much more interesting with a young person here. Guitar lessons, searching f0r autographs at the comi-con convention, running two days a week, gym two and three days a week, all were fun things as I went along with him to all of them. However, G'ma was bushed with just thinking about all that activity.
Sometime we'll have other things to think about to do.
When we took him back to Illinois and his mother, the weather was terrible: hot and muggy! They have mosquitos there we do not have here, so that was another experience we'd rather avoid again.
The airplane ride back was okay. Stopped in Salt Lake City and then on to Chicago. When we left Chicago, 1:30 late, we arrived in Atlanta to transfer to San Diego. Seems the plane was delayed from Chi to Atl because of weather. The plane out of Atl to SD was delayed as well, but this time it was, we heard, because they had to take an inordinate time cleaning up the plane since the Miami Dolphins left the plane a TOTAL mess! Usually takes about 20-30 minutes to clean a plane and refuel it. This time it was over an hour!
Looked as if we were the last plane into SD as everything at the airport was closed. We arrived home, tired, and went to bed without unpacking more than the toothbrushes.
We never learn, though, so next year is already in the planning stages.
NOW, if only he doesn't find a girl friend to latch on to -- surely he'll want to bring her? -- and can come visit G'ma and G'pa, we'll survive another year.