Here We Go To Grandma's House

I remember when we'd visit Grandma Anne and Grandpa Doug in hot Spokane summers. The boy cousins would come up from Massachusetts, we'd go camping, fishing, shop with Grandma, and eat raspberries off the bushes growing on the side of the house. I was about 7 when I was first told the little bugs occasionally found on our berries were "extra protein." But I think Dad told us that...

They moved to Houston ten years ago and since then I've only been down once for a visit. Now that we're only 2 1/2 hours away Brian and I -and soon Wilder- will make much more frequent trips.

After a lovely lunch out together we returned home. Plopping on the comfy couches I asked question after question about each of their lives -where they grew up, where they went to school, where they moved to, their jobs- and was in heaven hearing all about their eclectic and adventurous pasts. I never knew Grandpa had such a hard time getting into military service during the height of WWII. I didn't know Grandma and her sister ran a diner by themselves, nor did I know she was a riveter for Boeing during the war. It was marvelous sharing this precious time learning more about my grandparents with Brian -who's helping me keep some of the stories straight.
We dined with Aunt Carol and her family: husband Russ, daughter Bailey, and son Remington. Carol is my dad's youngest sister. All joined for a post-dinner chat at Grandma and Grandpa's. Now we just have to make it up to Massachusetts to meet Aunt Ruth and the family and Brian will have had the grand family tour!
Saturday Grandma and Grandpa took us to Kemah, a fabulously fun tourist town on the Gulf of Mexico.

We dined at The Aquarium, a nearly underwater experience brought to us by the owners of The Rain Forest Cafe. Massive fish tanks filled the restaurant, one ranged three stories high, containing all manner of sea life from sharks to clown fish. Now, if a restaurant that specialized in steak had cows meandering around for our viewing pleasure the effect would be quite different. I ate my grilled fish sandwich with no remorse and watched in fascination as these great creatures swam around us.

Say "cheese!"

Yachts and all manner of boats passed us as we walked along the boardwalk.

I'm gonna be a shrimp boat captain. Brian's my first mate. You know, there are a million ways you can cook shrimp. There's shrimp gumbo, shrimp stew, BBQ shrimp, there's shrimp cocktail....

I was amazed at how much Dad had picked up from Grandpa's mannerisms and habits. From his endless piles of papers, his clear way of speaking, even his chuckle, I saw echoes of my father in his father all throughout our visit that made me glow and ache at the same time. Most of all I was pleased as punch just to be with my grandparents and share this very special time with Brian.