Ticka Ticka dee, Ticka ticka doo

Ticka ticka dee, ticka ticka doo.....that's what my grandson, Anderson, says when he is deliriously happy. I'm happy because I just received a major dose of my daughter, SIL and grandson that might just last me for about a week.

I just returned home from visiting the McCords in Mansfield, TX (part of the Dallas/FW sprawl if you remember your geography lessons.) We had a great time visiting. The night I arrived, we dined at Chef Point, an interesting gas station that is also a fine dining establishment because the owner couldn't get a bank loan for a restaurant but he could actually get one for a gas station. It's been featured on Diners and Dives on the Food Network. Yum --the bread pudding with its cognac sauce is outstanding. It's not everyday you can get gas and chicken piccata at the same place.

On Tuesday, we gorged on Kincaid's famous hamburgers and hot dogs with chili before tackling the Central Market, which is like Eatsey's or Fresh Market, multiplied by 5 or more. I found the most delicious lemon curd. I just wish I'd bought more to take home in my suitcase. Plus, I wish I'd brought a bigger suitcase. Susannah cooked a great dinner, Chicken Delight, a recipe that will be a staple at our home from now on.

On Wednesday, we visited the nation's fifth largest zoo in Fort Worth, which is a charming city with an obviously wise planning commission helping new developments blend in. After wearing our shoes out for two hours without even seeing 1/4 of the zoo, we crawled to the nearby Macaroni Grill, where we amused ourselves with coloring while Anderson looked on with a puzzled look while hinting (unt, unt) impatiently that he wanted his crayons back. If they had given us more than 3 colors, we'd still be there. I was able to convince Susannah to let me browse the local antiques emporium in Mansfield where we found a stuffed animal with new tags for Anderson for only $2 (as opposed to the zoo's standard of $12.99 for a tiny stuffed animal). We had to make up a song about the walrus, "Wally the Walrus Wades in the Water, Flip, Flip, Flip, Flip, Flip, Flip," whereas Wally gets flipped repeatedly much to the delight of the previously bored Anderson.

Thursday was girls day out with a trip to local gently used childen's store (kinda upscale, I might add) to see if we could possibly add to Anderson's collection of Spring shortalls (I counted 24 in his closet right now), the Home Goods store affiliated with Marshalls and our favorite store of all time, TJ Maxx. We found an educational alphabet bus that we bought for Anderson that after a short time needed to have its batteries removed for our sanity. If we had had a screwdriver, it would have gone the way that annoying doll, Chatty Cathy, went for Susannah--wonderfully silent eternally.

What fun....Ticka ticka dee, ticka ticka doo.

Getting Ready!

Next Monday, I'll get to see my daughter, SIL, grandson and grandoggies in the Dallas Metroplex area. I can hardly wait.

Telephone calls are great, videoconferencing is okay but frustrating, and blogging is the next best thing to watching my grandson grow but -- to get to hold him and hug Susannah--that's what I dream about.

Our lives have been so enriched by our grandchildren. It's hard to imagine unconditional love but I think Susannah and Adam have discovered it in Anderson.

Blog ya later-- Bob wants the computer