Saturday with Benjamin

11/22/2015

Yesterday, Benjamin and I went to see the Peanuts movie.  It was an enjoyable movie, but every time I take Benjamin to see a movie, he becomes restless.  When he watches movies at the house, I realize why movie theaters bore (I don't know if that's the right word) him.  The movie plays, and he takes out any number of boxes and/or toys.  He dances and sings while he enjoys the movie.

Last night we watched Frosty the Snowman and he took his plastic bowling pins and used them as drumsticks on the sofa.  He made quite a good drummer.  If at some point, Jeff and I want to watch a television program, we just crank up the volume a bit and his drumming, strumming, dancing and singing is just delightful background.

We look at it this way.  When Benjamin is not here, our house is very quiet.  The dogs are older and tend to sleep most of the day away.  When the neighbor's dog barks, half the time Maggie and Sam don't even respond.  

This morning after breakfast, Benjamin went outside and on the front porch in a milk crate is a small piece of rope.  He takes the rope and throws it into the large tree in the circle, thereby making a swing of sorts for him.

Today, we take Benjamin back home.  My task tomorrow will be to put my house in order - more or less.  When you no longer work, there isn't quite the urgency to hurry up and get things done.  There is always tomorrow and the next day.

Benjamin breathes live into our house with the joyous sound of his laughter and his sneaky ability to pop in a Shrek movie to watch.  We go through the same routine every time he visits.  He goes to the bookshelf and I always yell out "not the Shrek movie".  He laughs and we end up watching Shrek every time and that's alright with me.

I think grandparents have a built in tolerance for the noise and mess (from building small towns) that comes from their grandchild.  I know that Jeff and I do and we feel blessed.

P