Ben's Drawings

Actually these photos should have been in the last posting, but I can't figure out how to put them at the bottom of the page and I don't want them at the top, so I opted for page two of the posting. Be sure to read the first posting.

Love you all! Grandma for both of us.

Best Seller on the Grandma List

Now that I'm back from Dallas I want to show you a little about Ben's book. It's all about rocks and minerals and, appropriately, he named it "Rocks and Minerals." The drawings were done by his own hands. Saya and I got into the act because she was showing the softest mineral, talc. Ben and grandpa had one of the hardest, but I never heard its name. Maybe he will comment on this blog and tell us. Now, do I need to add that Grandpa and I are very proud of Ben?

Ben and Saya visit Grandma and Grandpa

This last week has been blessings galore. We had a five-day visit from Ben and Saya. Anything you want to know about our house? Ask Saya.

While here, she taught me to use all 4 remotes, as she is a video buff, an especial friend of Scooby-Doo – the one DVD I couldn’t get to work right.

I think she is slated to be the next mechanical engineer in our family. (Joe and Uncle Jeff, move over.) She checked out the conveyor belt at Sparkle Market and dis-assembled and re-assembled a playschool toy fire truck. (It was meant to come apart and teach a child mechanics.) She learned to play pick-up-sticks using her thumb and pointer finger. And most important of all, Saya read her Beginning Reader books to me. I was so proud.

Ben brought along his guitar and played for us, until a string broke. He and Grandpa had to run to “downtown” Cortland and buy new ones, but they didn’t have the right tool to replace the broken string. Uncle Rob can remedy that. (By the way, Ben has made much guitar progress since he received his guitar at Christmas 2007. He is a joy to hear.)

Ben also made, with Grandpa’s help, a book about rocks. They sent it in to Blurb to be published. (www.blurb.com) He and we will get a copy.

He is an excellent reader and drawer and also very proficient in the kitchen. He made mouth-watering cookies – little sweet shortbreads with butter cream frosting for filling. Before he left, Ben sorted through my cookbooks and chose 3 to take home. He also typed out several recipes – notably cornbread and blueberry muffins – to take with him to use in Aunt Deb’s kitchen.
If Saya is great with mechanical things, Ben is a pro with the cell phone. He took advice from ET and phoned home often.
We did many things together. Both kids learned the virtues of chocolate and tapioca puddings. (Ben now has the recipes.) One day, the people at our retirement community, Lake Vista, held a craft day and Ben and Saya helped sort used greeting cards to be used for something useful in the near future. We watched the birds from our family room window and thrilled at the appearance of a hen pheasant. We always ate together and Ben or Saya usually said the prayer.

We hope to repeat the experience again and would love to have any of you come stay awhile. Just let us know when.

Love you all! Grandma for Grandpa and me

Uniform Man

This family hasn't had a man in uniform since the Civil War. Now we have three. Sort of. We have Jon in his ROTC suit, Eric in his Eagle Scout outfit and now Eric again in his fireman's clothing. At the same time he received his Eagle Scout Award he was ending his training to be a Stony Creek Volunteer Fireman. He even has a pager on his belt and he must be ready to run when trouble strikes. He is certified in New York State to be an official fireman. Good job, Eric!

Eric Santell's Eagle Scout Award Ceremony

Grandpa and I are so pleased to show and tell about Eric. The next few postings are about our weekend in the Adirondacks and attending his Award Ceremony. We believe his perseverence, talents and leadership skills have been well cultivated on his journey to Eagle and he will use these traits all his life. His mom and dad deserve a big pat on the back also. We've had a wonderful weekend with the Santeller family and, as we are of all of you, we are very pleased with Eric.

Love you all, Grandma for both of us

Eric's proud family at Award Ceremony

We all enjoyed watching Eric's Award Ceremony - he was the only young man being honored - and it was fun to see the other Eagle Scouts and town dignitaries and to see the certificates from the the governor, senators and others.

Eric with his mentor Amy

Here's Amy at Eric's Award Ceremony where she learned she has been his mentor. He didn't even tell her at the Pizza Hut the night before.

Skyler has a new coiffure.

It's like a mohawk, but the sides aren't shaved, so he calls it a fauxhawk. He also likes to "smoke" toothpicks.

Jeff plays basketball with his school team

You can see he likes it!

It's snowing in Stony Creek, New York

Grandpa and I are staying at Country Road Inn while we are in the Stony Creek area to help celebrate Eric's Eagle Scout Award. Grandpa believes in enjoying the comfort of the Inn.