Nathaniel as Handyman

John did the laundry, and grandson Nathaniel brought the basket back. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? We tend to make things more complicated than they need to be and more amusing than is strictly necessary. Nathaniel was carrying a vinyl record to his room and dropping the basket off on the way. This is what I saw.

072218 N delivers laundry basket.JPG

I told the fellows what happened to me the other day. I was sitting on the big green exercise ball while typing at the desk. I shut out everything while reading or writing. After quite a while, I looked at my arms and wondered why they were at a strange angle. I needed to reach upward for the keyboard. My knees were bent and cramped. Standing up was not a simple push up with both feet; I grabbed the desk for balance. What on earth??? The exercise ball had been shrinking for an hour without my noticing.

The next time I was in front of the computer, I used my dad’s office chair, forgetting how hard the wooden seat was. When Nathaniel walked in, I lurched upward. “Uhh!”, I said. “My bum is asleep!”

“Why aren’t you using the ball?” he asked.

“Look at it,” I said. “It shrank to half its size last night.”

He turned it this way and that and found a tiny hole. I must have rolled over a stone or some other sharp object. He went into fix-it mode, asking if I had a pump and going for tough tape. That reminded me of my dad, who always repaired things instantly. In moments Nathaniel removed the plug and began using the hand pump.

072318 Balance ball repair.JPG

It was a tough job. I thought having the ball under-inflated would be acceptable, but I was nearly crippled after using it for an hour. Replaced knees do not take kindly to being twisted. One of us will try again when Nathaniel is not working or my arms are feeling strong.

Half a Day with Nathaniel

Grandson Nathaniel had the morning free the day after his mother went back to New Jersey and John and David went to the train club in Tennessee. I figured he and I should have a treat, too. He loves wandering through antique shops and thrift stores. I wanted to share with him a consignment shop that former neighbor Amy took me to. It’s the most elegant of the second-hand stores I’ve seen. Nathaniel posed with a hat he found, though it was too small for his head. The section in view was about a tenth of the whole warehouse.

072118 N posing in Scallyways.JPG — Nathaniel in Scallywag’s

After checking out restaurants on line, Nathaniel chose Sweet Onion, just off Main Street in Waynesville. He opted for the chicken Parmesan sandwich, and I chose a fried chicken sandwich with blackberry barbecue sauce. Our sides were macaroni and cheese and broccoli casserole. There was no table that had a complete view of the open kitchen, but he could see a little of the action. Two years of culinary training have sharpened his observations about food service. He is a delightful dining companion, said with no prejudice at all from his gran.

072118 N lunch at Sweet Onion.JPG

Nathaniel was watching the time carefully, because he was to start work at 3. He suggested there would be time for a cursory view of an antique shop we had been wanting to see named Chateau Debris. Both of us loved the name. Although it is barely visible in the photo, the name is above the doorway. He was dressed for work as a prep person and line cook.

072118 N at Chateau Debris.JPG — Nathaniel on the porch of Chateau Debris

Nathaniel can absorb displays in an amazingly short time. He zooms in on something he wants to see, then moves right along. The rooms in that house were tiny and chock full of over-priced junk. Only two people could move in a room if they synchronized their steps in the same direction. I sidled through places where Nate micro-navigated his size 15 feet. Items were not displayed, but thrown on top of each other. I was happy to get out alive, content that our house does not resemble that chateau. We still have discernible walkways.

Dog (and Cat) Days of Summer

The day before daughter Kate went home, she and grandson David posed for a portrait, as formal as you can get with three animals. We were walking Shawn and Bob’s dogs while they were away for an impromptu family reunion. That afternoon I sat on the porch reading. David soon came back with Emily, the oldest who doesn’t walk far. The little black and white dog sprawled contentedly on the porch beside me.

071918 David Kate with dog friends.JPG

I saw Jasmine, the outdoor cat, walk across the lawn. She had something alive in her mouth. You wouldn’t believe how quickly I moved to shut the front door. What if she wanted to present her catch indoors??? She set it down, nudging it first with her right paw and then with the left.

Her prey was dead. She fixed me with a steady gaze, and I received her unspoken message. “My name is JAS; MINE is the victory! Don’t you dare touch it!”

071918 JasMINE.JPG

Earlier in the week someone drooled over fudge in the supermarket. I shot down any idea of buying it, because Kate insisted on paying for everything in the cart. Old Miser Me said we shouldn’t buy something we could make ourselves. We were running out of time, so on the eve of her departure, I made fudge. When my arm was tired from beating it, Kate took a turn. She handed the pan to serious Chef Nathaniel for his opinion.

071918 Chef checking fudge.JPG

David beat it, too, posing as the frenzied chocoholic waiting for his fix.

071918 Kate David stirring fudge.JPG

We each had a piece, our cravings satisfied. For the moment.

Mountain Wish

One of the things daughter Kate wanted to do was go on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s about 15 minutes from our house, so it was an easy request to grant. That’s probably why we left it until last, making me a bit nervous. We waited for grandson David to get home from work. Late afternoon was a wonderful time to be up there. The sun hit at an interesting angle, and most of the tourists had left for the day. One of my favorite places is Looking Glass Rock. The outcropping shines reflectively as the sun shines on it when it is wet or iced.

071818 Kate David at Looking Glass Rock overlook.JPG

A zoomed image shows the rock.

071818 Looking Glass Rock zoomed.JPG

I spotted fancy wild flowers, colored a bit like tiger lilies. The blooms looked as if they had been turned inside out.

071818 Turk's Cap Lily near parkway.JPG

The internet provided a closeup photo and the name – Turk’s Cap Lily.

Earlier in the day, Nathaniel knew where to find a ruler when the subject was the width of a hand span. Kate’s hand on the ruler might be a bit smaller than mine. I envied Nate’s from the time he was 12 years old. Reaching octaves on the piano would have been so much easier if I’d had an extra half inch. Now his hand spans a whopping 9.5 inches. Can you imagine what it would be like, instead of stretching, to contract your hand to fit an octave???

Days with Wings

The second week of daughter Kate’s vacation flew by, not that the first was at all slow. Several times we sat on the front porch, rocking and talking. I wanted a good photo of her face. This was the best.

071718 Kate closeup.JPG

Kate helped us walk the neighbor’s dogs many times. I never thought we had glow-in-the-dark grass in the neighborhood, but the lawn in the background almost matches John’s T-shirt.

071718 Kate and John walk Abbie and Dolly.jpg

Grandson David loves pretzels, and I remembered to put them on the table one evening. He fished out one, and it came with its own decorations.

071718 Dangling Pretzels.JPG

One evening son John $ came to spend the evening with us. Oh! How the laughter rolled! A year or two ago, he and our grandsons had a pick-up conversation that continued every time they were together. It began with one of them saying in an over-drawn, posh English accent, “That reminds me of the hunt.”

The three of them were really into it at the dinner table. Kate had been shrieking with laughter, but she paused when I snapped the photo. $ said something outlandish which had David almost spewing his dessert. Since Nathaniel looked still, I presume he was thinking of a perfect comeback. It was one of those times you’d like to wrap in magic paper to preserve it. At least we have this photo as a memento.

071718 The Hunt conversation

Food Events — the Good and the Dangerous

Neighbor Marla, on her ATV, delivered just-picked cucumbers to us. Daughter Kate’s eyes lit up, and John almost drooled. Mere hours later we served them at the table. Kate, commensurate with her size, savored the ones on her plate.

071618 Cucumber lover.JPG

I wondered if John’s eyes were bigger than his stomach. He pigged out on the green, crunchy things. The rest of us were more restrained, though our appreciation was right there. Many thanks, Marla.

071618 Master cucumber lover.JPG

I have a photo to show what was left of two cardamom/almond coffeecakes. Friend Karen shared a container of cardamom with us when we were in New York recently, and that was what flavored our breakfast bread. I first tasted cardamom at John’s family gatherings. His mother was of Norwegian heritage and always baked Christmas cookies with cardamom. It was love at first taste for me. We love it so much, that we have it occasionally throughout the year. Everyone loved the coffeecake. Thank you very much, Karen.

071618 Remnants of cardamom coffeecake.JPG

We all knew the watermelon was in trouble. I was waiting for the melon lovers to ask for it and cut it, because I avoid all but the smallest pieces. Nathaniel found a small puddle under it. We cleaned it up and put it on a plate. That did nothing to turn back the clock. The melon sat there slowly spewing at us. Nathaniel agreed to cut it to humor me, because he was sure it was inedible. He began making a cut in the middle and suddenly THWUNCK! With a rather low tone the melon split itself in half. Startled, Nathaniel jumped back, out of firing range. Kate’s mother-instinct kicked in. She rushed to make sure her 6’5” baby was safe. We stared at the melon and began to laugh. Nathaniel, with a newly-minted food handler’s certificate, wanted no part of it. I cut a little chunk to taste and said it was watermelon wine. Kate agreed to a bite, and we both backed away from it.

071618 Sick watermelon.JPG

How would we dispose of three-dimensional watermelon wine? If neighbor Shawn and Bob had been home, I might have asked if they wanted the melon for their chickens. I thought of their coming home to find the girls drunkenly staggering about the enclosure and knew I wouldn’t even offer. It was too heavy for plastic garbage bags. I suggested Nathaniel toss the halves over the fence into the empty pasture, now full of waist-high weeds. The horses have been gone for weeks. Hours later I had other dire thoughts. What if the pasture owner mows the field and hits the time bomb melon? What if melon vines spring up there next year to proclaim what I authorized? Golly Pete! I am dreading the consequences, both now and later. Who knew you could get in such trouble with a rotten watermelon?

Apple Pound Cake by Chef Nathaniel

Both grandsons, David and Nathaniel, had a special day off while their mother was here. David chose to swim at waterfalls with her. What would be special for the younger son? We made several suggestions without making him jump up and down with glee. Would he want to visit some town to wander down Main Street? How about visiting a few antique stores? He didn’t reject any idea and was willing to go along with whatever was decided. I finally realized that he stated his first choice a few days before. He wanted to bake something special on his day off. He baked the apple pound cake in the morning and brought it out to the porch to put it on the cake plate. He might have needed more space than the kitchen afforded. I thought it was great, because if there were crumbs, we’d brush them to the floor where they’d fall through the cracks.

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He is used to the demands of my camera and willingly posed with his mother and Grandpa. He asked if we had dessert plates, already aware of presentation of a special dish. He knew where the good china was, and I brought out the sterling silver forks. He even lit candles for the occasion. The table was beautifully prepared, though we were not. Next time he might ask us to dress for dinner. Easy for him to say, since he owns a white tux.

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For the final flourish, Nathaniel drizzled crème fraiche over the slices of cake. He pronounced the French words as a chef would, and David used the American pronunciation. The rest of us just provided simple hums and grunts of praise.

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Later that afternoon we wandered through an antique store that we pass on the way to town. I was surprised that the inside was not junky like the outside. After a leisurely walk through the whole place (felt like 10 acres), Nathaniel poured over the vinyl records and bought a small stack of them. I think he was satisfied with the time spent with his mother.

Years from now, when Nathaniel is a well-known pastry chef, a reporter will ask what special person inspired him to cook. Was it his mother? No, but she can boil water without burning it. Was it a grandmother? No again, and here is the picture to prove it. She baked a cake that came out of the oven laughing at her.

060112 Cake laughs at me.jpg

No Contest

There was no contest about styling ice cream, but both grandsons wanted to create their own cone-topper. We ate at Dickie’s, liking both their barbecue sandwiches and the free ice cream that followed. Nathaniel finished his lunch first. He came back to the table with a side-to-side creation with lots of soft ice cream on top.

071418 N's cone at Dickey's.JPG — Short but squat ice cream

We waited for David, knowing he has “professional” experience from working at Burger King. He filled all our cones before concentrating on his own. David goes with the circular theory, that you can build a high top by laying a round base on the cone. When we reached the mid-point of the ice cream, we found a hollow in it.

071418 David's cone at Dickey's BBQ.JPG — Tall and thin ice cream

I gasped as David sat down. The ice cream began to tilt, and he caught it with one hand. We had no scales to weigh the boys’ cones, so there could be no official winner. David kept the cone’s balance at the table and finished it before the cream could fall again or melt.

071418 David had to catch his tall ice cream — Oops!

Swimming with Waterfalls

Grandson David longed to swim at the base of Bald River Falls when we went there in May. Either he or John thought of going with daughter Kate in June, and the weather was perfect for it. John stayed home to drive Nathaniel to work, enabling David, Kate, and me to drive to Tennessee. When the younger two waded into the water, they were sharing the venue with at least eight others. I stood on the bridge above, waiting for some good shots.

071218 Bald River Falls.JPG — Kate is in blue to the left of center.

Gradually, everyone left the water, leaving Kate and David to themselves. They lurched over slippery rocks, heading to one big rock where they could warm up in the sun.

071218 Bald River Falls portrait.jpg

An older man on the bridge saw me use the camera and called out, “Are you with them?”

When I answered yes, he came a few steps closer and said, “How old are they? My friends and I were sure the young girl was going to fall in the water.”

I replied, “That’s my daughter and grandson.”

“Yes, but how old are they?” he asked again.

I answered his question – 46 and 23. (After writing those numbers, I noticed that Kate is now twice as old as David.)

The man’s body language said LOL. “Ha! We would never have guessed! She doesn’t look that old.”

It turned out he and his two friends set out at 7 am from Birmingham, AL on their motorcycles. By mid-afternoon they had already been to several places before coming to the waterfall. He comes there at least once a year, sometimes more often. As the three men rode slowly over the bridge, they all waved goodbye. The spokesman called out, “Hope the young ones have a lovely day.”

As you can imagine, the story made Kate’s day! She always looked younger than her age, and she still does.

Just a mile or so up the road was Baby Falls. That’s the one with a few designated parking spaces, picnic tables, and park-style public restrooms (no running water). A pack of young men and a couple of girls were having a great time diving off the falls and cavorting in the water.

071218 People at Baby Falls.JPG — The young men at right are walking at the top of the falls.

Kate and David stood in the water without being tempted to dive or walk across the falls. Kate rejoined me on the road as David worked his way up the stream to the picnic area.

071218 David and Kate enjoy shallow water at Baby Falls.JPG

They discovered a pile of stacked stones that David couldn’t resist. In adding one more stone, he knocked off several. It took a bit to replace them and add his own, but he did it.

071218 Stacked stones at Baby Falls.JPG

The drive home was long, but we were thanking each other and celebrating all that we had enjoyed. David did all the driving, including the twisty skyline drive going one way and the narrow gorge going the other. It was a day of golden memories that we will remember all our lives.

Puzzling

Daughter Kate and I opened a new 500-piece puzzle and sneakily began working on it while her sons were at work. It was not as easy as the 480-piece double puzzles (two pictures jumbled together in the same box). John came in to see what we were shrieking about, as we doubled over in laughter. We finished the top edge and began working on the bottom. I should have taken a picture of it. The top, with all corners in their respective places, was three inches wider than the bottom. Several sections of the sides lay about looking confused. Despite our merriment, we found our mistakes and finished the outer rim.

Enter neighbor Logan (8). He was drawn to the puzzle as to a magnet. Kate found three middle pieces that came hooked together. In just a few minutes he added pieces to it that became the nucleus of our next phase. He was called home for dinner before the puzzle became tedious.

071118 Jigsaw with Kate John Logan.JPG

During the day, Kate finished most of the top. She found one piece after another until she was tired. I joined her, putting in two immediately, followed by nothing. Later I walked by, paused, put in one piece, and walked away. Now I know the best way for me to perform. While putting cereal on the table for breakfast, I put in one piece. It was about as instant as oatmeal and just as painless. From now on, I should limit myself to finding one or two pieces and let others really work at it.