Goofy grandkids - what's new?

Every once in a while I plug in the cameras just to see what might be on them. Sometimes I get rewarded.

If you have figured out what is going on just by looking at this picture, you are gifted and should be proud. For the rest of us, an explanation. Veteran blog readers will remember that when we installed the deck awning, it came with a couple of long, reasonably sturdy cardboard tubes that the grandkids have enjoyed playing with.

On this particular afternoon, I had an idea that involved cutting one of the tubes into two foot lengths, which is where this picture comes in. Mrs Notthat put her foot on the tube to help hold it steady while I cut it with the Sawzall. Both grandkids, being naturally helpful, also chipped in. (There wasn't really enough room for all this help, so naturally there was a bit of pushing and shoving. This made the process take about five times longer than it would have without all this help.)

My brilliant idea? To set these up like bowling pins under the teepee frame and knock them over with the chunk of wood hanging in the middle of it all.

They were not impressed.

Riley enjoyed throwing his basketball at them for a bit, but they were too hard to get to stand up in the grass.

Then he worked out that they were easier to set up on the bricks and that they were most satisfying to knock over by kicking them.

Meanwhile, Darci and Mrs Notthat were busy training for Cirque du Soleil.

For some unfathomable reason, the grandkids spent a lot of time spinning this umbrella. You can try to predict what will entertain these kids (think cardboard tube bowling pins) but you will often be wrong. This next one though, Mrs Notthat nailed.

He might favor monster trucks, but Riley's favorite movie is Speed Racer. Putting him in front of a Formula 1 race car was a thrill.

Handing him the keys would have made him thrillier though.

That's it - move along...