GETTING UP TO DATE

It's been a long time since I've posted our comings and goings....a lot of activity, a trip to London and back on the Queen Mary. Jen's baby is due in September. We've had a few trips on Jewel, and of course, our grandchildren...joy of joys...are growing and loving...and there's nothing better than picking up the phone to hear "Hi, Grandpa. This is Gusty!" Whatever bad there is in life just goes away.

I'll try to bring everyone up to date, with apologies to anyone who actually misses my "stuff." How there could be anybody who'd not miss these grandchildren is beyond me, so we'll start there.

In March, Gracia has a birthday. Ron and Carol went for Gusty's in April, so we visited a couple of weeks earlier for Gracia's. This little doll is sweet beyond words...a tiny little girl, she's just a "pistol' in the social sense...open, happy and outgoing...and she loves her big brother like a baby sister should.

Go Faster, Gusty!

Of course, having a spectacular Mom is a plus for any little girl.

While we're on the subject of our spectacular Grandchildren, here are some more pix of the kids during a visit this Summer. Dea brought both kids for a visit to Litchfield By The Sea, with Steve and Lauren Ball and cousins Eliza and Hank. Chris came later in the week, and Grampa and Gramma joined for a couple of days at the end. Everyone had a blast at the beach, and with both sets of Grandparents fussing over them after returning to Charlotte, it's a wonder they ever want to go back to Kansas.

Surf's Up, Dude!

One of the best things to do when you visit, is to see your cousins, Hank and Eliza. We're off on a trip to Huntington Beach Park.

And you get to go swimmin' too.

And, a girl has to show off her Daddy!

The thing about Grampa he's always taking my picture!

And Gramma is ALWAYS hugging us!

After the beach trip, the Kansas Greenhoots visited with Jen and Todd, and Chris went home....but WE got the kids again....and Ron and Carol, Lauren and Dea and Grampa spent a day touring a drive-thru animal park north of Charlotte. It was hot, but a picnic fixed that...and Ron got up close and personal with a couple of new friends.

We never figured out what Ron was most interested in, the Emu who wanted to know "which one o'you guys is Granddad," or the fairly well hung Giraffe. Oh, never mind.

But that's what it's all about. What a great summer visit we had...now we can hardly wait to get to Kansas and see 'em all over again.