A Personal Note (Epa will relate to this)

My daughter and her family spent the last nine days visiting from Alaska.

I haven't seen them since last August and it is the first time I got to meet grandson number 2 born back on my wife's birthday in February.

But grandson number 1 is now motoring about on his own. Quickly. A handful for mom and dad to keep up with.

First order of business when they got here was to break out the Big Dipper and matching Little Dipper coffee mugs, Oreos and milk. The kid is a champ.

Introduced him to ring bologna. Pop Tarts. Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Out came my old Hot Wheels and track. Squirt guns. The kiddie pool. Plastic dinosaurs.

Taught him to scratch his pits and ape like King Louie from the Jungle Book and pound his chest and holler like Tarzan (should be an interesting flight home).

Sat on my lap mesmerized for an hour and a half Dance Recital (daughter # 3) clapping loudly and yelling "YAAAAY!" every 15 seconds.

But there is

NOTHING

NOTHING

NOTHING

that matches the very first time someone who has the biological and legal right to do so hollers "HEY G'ANPOP!" and then holds out his hand because he wants to go for a walk in the dark.

I guess, at 51, I have to admit I may have finally reached middle age.

;-)