Thoughts on spoiling grandchildren

We all know that grandparents (and especially grampas) are famous for spoiling their grandchildren. I believe this is a bad thing. It is something we as grandparents simply shouldn't do.  If my Phoebe were to get everything she asks for, it would most certainly spoil her beyond repair. So I try my best not to do that. And most days I succeed.

I believe there is a much better way to deal with grandchildren. If I can think of things Phoebe might need BEFORE she can ask for them, then that wouldn't be spoiling her. It's good logic in my mind and works well as a grandparent. I know this from almost seven years of hands-on experience. It takes a lot of practice to get this technique right.  :) 

Tomorrow is Phoebe's seventh birthday. With everyone else in the house busy, frantically doing pre-Christmas chores, it was decided that Phoebe could hang with me to stay out of everyone else's way. No problem, for we had many adventures to accomplish in our time together. Officially, we were to go to town on business. I was ordering the pipes and fittings to use for the new compressed air delivery system in the shop. We also had a little Christmas shopping to do as well.

Our first stop was at the mall. We did our shopping with the understanding a meal out was to follow. Since it was Phoebe's birthday tomorrow, it was only fitting she picked the place. And her favorite was sushi. Phoebe ordered up a bunch of stuff I couldn't pronounce and NEVER would want to eat. Grampa settled for the less adventuresome teriaki chicken on rice. Then we were off to the tool store to order the pipe and fittings. As Phoebe's great fortune would have it, there is also a party supply store in the building. We couldn't leave without some cool balloons, filled with helium of course. Then it was off to the dollar store for a special treat for Phoebe. Phoebe selected a small cheerleader's megaphone and some pompoms. Grampa agreed it was a most excellent choice. On the way home we detoured to the mall for a visit with Santa. There wasn't much time to get her wishes in before Christmas and this was the perfect opportunity. Grampa couldn't help eaves dropping a little as Phoebe told Santa her wish list for Christmas. (Grampas use every possible method to get our information.) I secretly wrote the entire list down for future reference.

 

After the visit with Santa, it was time for one last trip to the food court for a treat. Phoebe had been sooooo good! As we waited for our turn at the counter Phoebe looked up at me with her big brown eyes and said. "Grampa this has been a very special day!"  I had to agree. Then she asked...  "So can I have a coke?"

There is a rule that is strictly imposed by her momma, (since Phoebe was little) that Coca Cola is only allowed on special days.

I had to think about it for a second or two (and ponder the possible reprocussions). I decided that with it being the day before Phoebe's seventh birthday, and the two of us having spent this day on a most wonderful adventure, that it was indeed a VERY special day. A shared Coke would be the perfect celebration.

-grampa dan

Merry Christmas!

For each of us Christmas is a very special time of year. Each family has it's own traditions, their very own way of celebrating this festive day.

At our house, Christmas doesn't start to happen until we are all present. Our Christmas is about family. Tonight Peter (our son)  arrived home for the holidays. Pete and I went out to the shop to build a stand for the tree. This year we had a live tree. It was very short and a little scrawny. It was nicknamed our Charlie Brown tree some days ago when I brought it home. Our old farmhouse is small and in a few days will be bursting with extended family. A big tree simply isn't an option.

Pete and I carried the tree and stand into the house as Bec & Phoebe arrived.  This was exciting, for the start of Christmas had arrived at last! Before we could officially start, the Muppet's Christmas album was plugged in as it has been every year since the kids were very little. This is our tradition.

The wooden stand, which elevated the tree to make room for the mountain of presents that will arrive with our guests in coming days, was carefully wrapped with bright Christmas paper. The tree was too small for lights this year so they were left in the box. Then a single tinsel garland and a multitude of ribbons were wound around the tree. Peter took care of the top of the tree while Phoebe minded the bottom. Janis curled the ribbon to make it festive.Then Phoebe and I (under Grandma's watchful eye) carefully unwrapped the precious heirloom ornaments. There was Peter's toilet paper roll with bits of tinsle glued on. He had made it 32 year's pervious when he was in preschool. Bec's paper star (made a year later) was next. Other hand made ornaments from later years were brought out as well. The ornaments Janis had sewn in the first years we were married were added to the collection. And Phoebe and I picked out a couple of Aunty Gay's handmade angels to add to the tree as well. The angles were many and it was hard to choose only a few favorites. A couple of my mom's hand made ornaments were selected to join the rest. Phoebe proudly brought her collection of hand made paper ornaments to hang as well. As we worked together decorating the tree, happy music played and we laughed and remembered many Christmas's past. The tree was topped with an angel far too big, but it was one the kids had given to Janis years ago. It flutters it wings and 'flies' towards the ceiling. As the angel rises, the tree leaned slightly and all the ornaments jiggled precariously. Then she slowly setttled on top of the tree once more. It was a beautiful thing for it is all about our family and our traditions.

It will be a busy time as I and my crew do the last of our work in the shop before the break. In the next days, more and more of our extended family will arrive. Beds need to be set up and made ready. The house will get one last polish. There will be last minute trips to town for various things. Some will sneak off to private places in the house to wrap last minute gifts. Christmas Eve we will gather at a Chinese restaurant for a feast as we have done for many, many years. Then most likely we'll go for a drive in a caravan, looking at Christmas lights. When it is late, we will come back to our house and do our best to send the kids off to bed. While Christmas music plays, the many stockings are stuffed with small treasures from Santa. The house will slowly quieten down as folks head off to bed. Christmas morning will start early with much excitement. The house will smell of fresh baking and roasted turkey. There will be lots of hugs. laughter, and way too much food. We will play games, visit and just be family. Boxing day the fun will continue. This is our tradition.

I wish everyone a happy and blessed Christmas. May it be a time of joy and one of your traditions.

Merry Christmas all!

-grampa dan

Sometimes only the very best will do.

Those who know me know I love rusty stuff. To me, a rusty patina on a piece of steel is magic and beautiful. Somehow those who also love rust are drawn to the things I make and so I often get to include some rusty parts in my designs. The owners of the Fox and Hounds agree.

We are telling the story of a 200 year old business and with something that age there simply has to be a little rust. We decided the bulletin boards, story board and special chalk board would be the perfect place. We fabricated the oversized barrels to provide a frame for the rusty steel panels. Magnets will hold on the posters and other papers, making them easily changable when needed.

Because these bulletin boards are front and center I needed some exquisite rusty steel for the task. Although I can create some pretty awesome fake rust, in this case it simply wouldn't do. Only the very best would be good enough. I had to think about this...

A couple of years ago, my neighbor Gord had offered me a piece of rusted and pitted steel. It was so rusty he couldn't use it in his shop. I had no use for it at the time, but I just knew that sometime in the future it would come in handy. I put it out in the boneyard until I needed it. While it languished out back it rusted some more. We used it a couple of times to stop the forklift from sinking into soft ground. The heavy traffic simply added more character to the piece. Each time after we used it, the sheet of rusty steel went back out to the boneyard to gather more rust.

As I thought about the current problem, I remembered that rusty steel out back.  I went outside to my bone yard... and there it was! The surface was pitted badly. It was a little bent from the forklift use. But it was plenty big and perfect for this task. I used my grinder to whip off a surface layer of loose scale, then fired up my plasma cutter - hand held of course, for a straight line was the last thing we needed here. 

Today I carefully packed the rusty steel into my truck. I didn't want to scratch it. I took it to the pub to install in the places of honor.  I drilled the holes, slipped on the spacers and bolted each piece into it's final home. I took care not to use a level for I didn't want them perfectly plumb. They were eyeballed to perfection.

On one I had painted some blackboard paint. This would be the special board, drawn on with chalk each morning. This piece of steel was oriented vertically to allow room for the four specials of each day.

The other boards were oriented horizontally. We just liked the look of this format as it allowed the barrel bung to be visible. These boards will hold the notices held on by magnets.

While I was at the pub, I also climbed my giant step ladder (which I had brouht) to hang the Harold Fine Wines sign. This finished off this area of the pub nicely.

The guest view is not from that angle however. They will look up at it like they would in real life on a London Street.

Now it is on to the next...

-grampa dan