Learning Useful Things

The view from the far end of our world. Tracks in the sand.

Our little intrepid band of explorers took a long walk this afternoon; 2 grand daughters and a trusty Boston Terrier.  We went to the beach and headed west along the length of our area. Tide was out and slack. The beach was all smooth sand.

We learned about tracks in the sand, how to follow a dog by paw prints, spout holes in the sand where piss-clams reached for the surface. Rocks smooth as baby's bottoms and goose tracks that looked prehistoric.

I learned or relearned that kids under 6 have minds like sponges and are anxious to see everything.

The day started with drawing on huge "post-its" on the doors, a few rides on the carousel complete with capturing gold rings and riding with no hands. Toy stores and then hot-chocolate. Perfect behavior was a bonus but not needed or prompted. Never once.

We came home from our walk to "Shirley Temples" and hot pasta, squeezing fresh oranges and mixing with apple juice for desert, a violin lesson that actually worked out pretty well, some YouTube with young Suzuki school players and now something on Nick Jr. that is sending them (and me) to sleep.

I'm a pretty lucky guy.