DON & SANCHO. . .The Saga Continues

TELEPHONE ADVENTURES

2006-08-12T02:10:00.000-07:00

This week Grandpa Sancho had to leave the City by the Lake and travel west to see his medical doctor. It was a long journey and this old grandpa was very tired at the end of his travels. Nothing could cheer him up quite like a telephone adventure with his brave young knight Don Andrew. When this gallant warrior called his faithful sidekick, Grandpa Sancho was almost asleep.

Guess what, Grandpa? Of course this old knight’s squire came to attention pretty quickly. What are you doing, Andrew? Don Andrew replied, We are on top of a building in a traffic jam. It was a good thing Grandpa Sancho was wide awake by this time because that was a confusing message. Come to find out, they were in the Big Fort and had gone to the circus and were stuck on top of a parking garage.

Did you get to see the elephants? The reply came, There were these clowns that were so funny and they did all sorts of things. One of them was on stilts and he did all kinds of tricks. He walked on a rope and turned over and over. It was really good to hear Don Andrew talk about clowns. It hasn’t been too long since clowns frightened him.

The very next day as Grandpa Sancho traveled back to the City by the Lake the phone rang again. What a surprise! This time it was Don Matthew. Now, Don Matthew is so small we have only been able to have baseball and swimming adventures up to this point. Hello Pooh-Paw! I went to Pooh-Paw and Gran’ Ma’s house. I am at my house. And with a little background coaching, I love you Pooh-Paw! Then Don Andrew got on the phone and told his faithful squire all about his day at the child care. He always closes his conversations with, I love you, Grandpa!

I believe one could say, Life just doesn’t get any better than that. To break up a journey clear across Texas with a Telephone Adventure is one very special experience that always makes Grandpa’s happy.

ON WASPS & FIRE ANTS & THINGS

2006-07-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

At our new home in the City by the Lake there are all kinds of creepy, flying, and crawling creatures. These can provide a fascinating and exciting experience for our young knight Don Andrew. Generally Don Andrew is fearless when it comes to all kinds of adventurous activities. He will travel with his old sidekick Grandpa Sancho almost anywhere, except where there are wasps and fire ants.

Recently our young knight hired out to his faithful squire to plant some tomatoes. He wanted to earn some quarters so he could purchase the soundtrack to the movie Cars. Its true the duo waited a little late in the year for planting and drought conditions had already set in. We got the “A Shovel” (so named because Don Andrew had Grandpa Sancho put an A on the shovel so everyone would know who that particular shovel belonged to) and tried to dig in the ground. After many tries the ingenious duo had to resort to larger equipment. A grubbing hoe could only break the surface, so water had to be added to soften the dirt. After a long while the shovel would work. Four of the holes were now dug and two remained to be dug.

Now Don Andrew is a little like his (almost) namesake Don Quixote. He not only likes to go on adventures that end up being misadventures, he also gets just a little bit confused at times. He was convinced the two want-to-be farmers are actually planting potatoes. Or, is it because he hates to eat tomatoes, even though he drowns French fired potatoes in tomato catsup?

As the day wore on so did Don Andrew. This five year old farmer was getting pretty hot in the 100+ degree head out there in the back forty. All of a sudden he called out “Grandpa we have to go in. There is a red wasp.” Now red wasps seem to be the monsters of the wasp world. Don Andrew assured his old grandpa that the wasp could be easily killed with “Wasp Poisonous” (Don Andrew’s name for poison. Incidentally, there is also “Fire Ant” Poisonous,” “Spider Poisonous,” and Mosquito Poisonous.”

Grandpa Sancho couldn’t see a wasp. But, Don Andrew assured him there were wasps over there near their nest. Upon closer investigation, the wasp nest turned out to be a bird nest in a tree. So, there was really no wasp but Don Andrew had convinced his ancient sidekick there was a need to go inside, rest, and cool off.

So, the two of them sipped tea, reclined in comfortable chairs, and watched Sandlot for the twentieth or thirtieth time. All was finally well with the two adventurers. Farming the back forty would just have to wait for a cooler day.

FLAT FROGS!

2006-07-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

Back in the spring it was raining almost every day. That was before the drought of 2006 set in. Folks in Central Texas think it is drought conditions if it doesn’t rain for five or six weeks. When we lived in West Texas we learned that just after a really great rain might just be the beginning of the next really long drought. That seems to be the case in the City by the Lake this year.

Don Andrew and his faithful sidekick Grandpa Sancho left early one day to try to find a really good adventure. It’s nearly always a good adventure when these two get together. It had been raining quite a bit so the grass was wet and the adventurous duo had to walk on the edge of the road. As Don Andrew looked to the right and to the left he could see a great number of frogs hopping around in the yards of neighbors. This was quite fascinating to our young knight.

On this particular day Don Andrew talked about the frogs during the plagues in the days of Moses while the Israelites were captive in Egypt. Grandpa Sancho was very proud that Don Andrew could recall the story so well. Don Andrew loves to hear the stories of the Bible.

As the duo traveled on, Don Andrew looked ahead and saw something on the road. “Grandpa look!” said Don Andrew. “It’s a flat frog.” Now that poor old frog had been run over by cars way too many times. He was not only flat, he was flat and dry, like he had been there for a number of days. Our brave knight drew his faithful sword (a stick) and moved the “flat frog” carefully off the roadway. That seemed like the best thing to do. He decided not to bury the frog but to cover him with leaves and rocks. It was too muddy to bury a flat frog with a stick.

As the adventurers traveled on Grandpa Sancho had to assure brave young Don Andrew that we were not having a plague of frogs of Biblical proportions. This young knight was satisfied with that answer as we went on to bigger and better adventures, eventually ending up at the playground, as usual.

LEWIS AND CLARK

2005-12-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

Don Andrew and Grandpa Sancho set out to head west. We could be like Lewis and Clark except we went by ourselves. We did not find any Native Americans. We did not cross any rivers or creeks. We did not chart any unknown territory. We did not encounter a single wild beast.

Don Andrew and Grandpa Sancho knew exactly where they were going. They were heading west in search of adventure. All of Grandpa Sancho’s grandkids like to go on adventures of one kind or another.

Not only did Don Andrew and Grandpa Sancho know exactly where they were going, they even had a road to follow. It was a very special road. We all in our little community thought it had disappeared. It was all grown up with tumbleweeds about 5 or 6 feet tall. Well, they looked that tall. Actually, which incidentally is Don Andrew’s favorite word, Grandpa Sancho had intended to run an ad in the local newspaper seeking folks to adopt a tumbleweed and either paint it with spray paint or decorate it. Coming down one of the widest streets in town it appeared as though there was a jungle of those weeds at the end of the street.

Grandpa Sancho did not get to run that ad in the newspaper because all of a sudden we had one of those 60 mile per hour winds, which is not abnormal for West Texas, and all the tumbleweeds blew over into our yards. This saved the railroad company a fortune because each of us had to put our own tumbleweed in the dipsy dumpster. We surely did miss out on what could have been a colorful Christmas.

Yes, you guessed it. Don Andrew and Grandpa Sancho headed west on the railroad. His Mom used to go with Grandpa Sancho when she was about his age. We had many adventures and found so many treasures. These we hid so we could come back later and get them. We did this nearly every day so we never really ever returned to collect the treasures, but we had lot’s of fun together. Not so with Don Andrew.

As we traveled west, Don Andrew found so many old, used railroad spikes he had to put them in Grandpa Sancho’s pockets. We found two bridges to go over, although they are just for drains (or draws) and not for rivers or creeks. By the time we got to the last bridge Grandpa Sancho had to confess to our young knight that the railroad spikes had become too heavy for Grandpa Sancho’s britches and if we were going to take them to his dump pile (where he keeps valuable rocks and other findings), we would need to turn around quickly and return home.

Don Andrew looked back to how far we had come and told his old squire that it would take so long to get home that the family would be eating breakfast when we ate dinner (Don Andrew’s Dad is from California so he calls it dinner). As we proceeded in an easterly direction Grandpa Sancho began to agree with his brave young grandson.

Lewis and Clark had many good things for their trip west. Grandpa Sancho knows this because he just read a little about their trip on a website by the title Lewis and Clark. Of course they did not have the web nor did Lewis and Clark have a cell phone. About a third of the way home, Grandpa Sancho got a call from Don Andrew’s Mom who immediately came to our rescue in that magnificent adventure machine, their Suburban. Guess what? Grandpa Sancho and Don Andrew made it home for a fine dinner of Grandma Sancha’s finest venison. What a treat! We were nearly starved to death.

WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE & P. F. FLYERS

2005-12-10T15:36:00.000-07:00

Now, what in the world do those two subjects have in common? It might just be their relation to the same boy.

Don Andrew and Grandpa Sancho began early on one of our more recent adventures. For some reason there was a Jo Jo’s Circus marathon and we decided that one or two of those were enough. It was raining just a little but Don Andrew still wanted to go to the park. This we did and Don Andrew got to do the monkey bars numerous times.

But It was now time to return home. Don Andrew has no concept of time, unless it is snack time and he is hungry. Anyway we headed for the house with Don Andrew on his bike. Of course, after about a couple of blocks he ran off the road and got it down in the grass and the wheel wouldn’t work correctly (down there) so he thought he should ride Grandpa Sancho’s shoulders home and we would just carry his bicycle. Don Andrew figures things out quite well.

Back home it was snack time, of course, so we had a few grapes. Then it was out to the front yard where we rounded up a pretty tall pile of Don Andrew and Grandpa Sancho swords (sticks). We continue to share a very strong sense of adventure.

The Duke was raking leaves which gave our very brave knight a marvelous idea. He would swing on his rope and land in the pile of leaves. This he did many times but the pile seemed to always scatter out so we had to round those leaves up again.

Don Andrew reared back and got a very healthy swing at things, missed the pile of leaves, and crashed into the tree with his back. With this, our brave young knight did not even shed a tear. He only remembered the time in the back yard and the faithful or was it fateful words of George of the Jungle, Watch out for that tree!

This brings us to another issue. It seems that after Grandpa Sancho and Grandma Sancha came back to West Texas, our brave young knight was in a local department store. It seemed there was a big sale on something like Converse tennis shoes. They were high tops and resembled the P. F. Flyers Bennie the Jet Rodriquez wore to jump the fence and outrun the beast in Sandlot. It became very important to Don Andrew that he have a pair of those P. F. Flyers. Neither his Dad nor his Mom wanted to get them since they went in for a different brand. If my Grandpa was here he would buy them for me.

I just guess Grandpa Sancho and Grandma Sancha will have to make another trip to see Don Andrew soon because that boy needs to run faster and jump higher.

A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY

2005-10-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Sancho went out early on Friday morning to take his two mile walk down the Southwest Highway. He noticed as he left, and also as he returned home, there were quite a few snails crawling on the sidewalk in front of the house. This unusual snail activity was due to the exceptional rains that have come to West Texas this fall. Don Andrew could really have a good time with all those snails.

This old sharecropper does a lot of thinking as he makes that long walk. Oftentimes Doña Duchess calls to touch bases with her father. She has been such a good daughter, wife, and mother. She demonstrates a great deal of love for her aging parents, her husband, and two small sons.

On this particular morning, Grandpa Sancho had snails on his mind after talking with his daughter. There was a good reason for that. It all happened before he left that brave young knight Don Andrew on the last visit. After there had been so many adventures, Don Andrew said, Come here, grandpa. He had something very special to give this old squire.

Don Andrew gave his grandpa a snail. Of course, it was just a shell. The snail had long since gone on to where all disappearing snails go. As is always the case, he left his shell behind. It always works this way, unless the snail gets squashed and then the snail still goes where all disappearing snails go, he just doesn’t leave his shell behind.

Grandpa (pause), take this home with you. It will make a beautiful butterfly. Grandpa Sancho had no problem understanding our brave young knight might confuse a snail shell with a cocoon. Who might not just do the same thing at four years of age?

Grandpa Sancho is still waiting to see if a beautiful butterfly comes out. He knows it will never happen. But this old man cherishes that snail and keeps it in a very special place because he received it from his grandson as a special gift. You just can’t enjoy life more than that.

"GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE"

2005-09-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

Don’t ever forget. Our young knight Don Andrew, aka Don Quixote de la Mancha, is a very brave little boy. Last Saturday he wanted to seek high adventure. We began by riding his bike. We were supposed to go left, turn right, make a circle and come back home. But, what we actually did was go right, turn right, and turn right again. In the middle of this particular block Don Andrew announced, My best friend lives there! The really neat thing about this little fellow is that he has many best friends.

About that time Don Andrew decided he really needed to go to the bathroom (bad) so we turned round right there because this old sharecropper did not know how far it would be if we continued in the same direction. As his need grew greater, Don Andrew decided it would be better if he rode back to the house on Grandpa Sancho’s shoulders. This we did with this ancient one carrying his cane and the bike, along with our valiant knight.

We returned home just in time for Andrew to use the bathroom. After all those experiences he was ready for even greater adventures. We went to the back yard, gathered up all the baseballs and his bat and he hit quite a few, with many traveling over the creek and into the neighbor’s yard to the rear. For a four-year-old this little fellow packs quite a wallop when it comes to hitting the baseball.

Then it was on to even greater adventures. Naturally his thoughts returned to Don Quixote as it so often does. Don Andrew saw a stick in the tree that looked perfect for a sword. We had to get a rope to do this one. We roped the limb but were quite unsuccessful in getting the entire limb down from the tree.

He wanted to be Tarzan for a little while. So, Grandpa Sancho tied the rope around a rather sturdy limb and Don Andrew began to swing back and forth. But, our young knight’s mind would not leave the limb alone that we left in the tree next to the one he was swinging on at the time.

One could see the light bulb go on in his mind as Don Andrew moved his slide over to the tree. Grandpa Sancho warned him that he might have a mishap doing things like that. Don Andrew assured his faithful squire he could swing to tree #1 and then safely swing to tree #2 where the limb was hanging. No seemed not to be an option. Don Andrew swung on the rope and crashed into the tree like George of the Jungle, who never landed where he was supposed to land, crashing into cliffs, trees and other objects. Watch out for that tree!

Not to be denied, Don Andrew again mounted the slide for try #2. Before he descended Grandpa Sancho looked at his leg and wiped blood from a scratch and showed it to him. Don Andrew immediately began to sob, big crocodile tears. It was more than this old grandpa could handle. He had to hold his young grandson very tightly. In just a moment, Don Andrew announced, That never happened to George of the Jungle.

Of course Don Andrew was talking about the bloodshed. That did not last long until he was once again in quest of the hanging limb.

"GRANDPA, I'M THROUGH. I LOVE YOU!"

2005-08-25T21:27:00.000-07:00

What a neat experience to get a call from Don Andrew. Everytime he calls he does so with a great deal of purpose. He is not one to waste words or phone calls.

Usually his conversations include a desire to have us come see him this Saturday or Sunday. The really cute thing is not always the things he wants to tell his old squire so much as the way he does it

Grandpa (pause) , I want to come see you and Grandma for five weeks. Wow! I think I would enjoy that but he would be ready to go home to Daddy and Mommy the second day. Grandpa (pause), I saw a Nina Moon last night. (That's when the moon is shaped like a banana if you have forgotten). Don Andrew hasn't forgotten. Grandpa (pause), I granduationed all the way to the church building. Do you remember that one?

This old knight's squire loves every minute of our conversations because they are very important to our young knight and his loyal squire.

The latest experience: Grandpa (pause) when you get here I want to show you how I can swim. Then, Grandpa (pause), we will play baseball. Then, Grandpa (pause) we will have an advanture, Don Quoxite and Sancho Panza!

Then as suddenly as he began, Don Andrew tells this old sharecropper, Grandpa (pause), I'm through. Bye! I love you. Grandpa Sancho loves to hear from his grandkids.

WORLD RECORD-SHATTERING CHANNEL CATFISH

2005-08-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

The day began early. Don Andrew and Grandpa Sancho watched Jo Jo the Clown, which we always do when we are together. Don Sean and the Duke and Duchess of Waxland were also with us. Don Sean is a very busy little boy. He has no time for Jo Jo because he must begin early to play with the toys.

The time finally came. After breakfast we went to Wally World for everything we would need for the day. We had to get day licenses, a life jacket for Don Sean, more fishing hooks, and the two boys got to pick out their favorite colored bobber. We also got two boxes of wormies. We even bought a chair for Grandma Sancha because she forgot to bring hers along for the trip. Of course, she made this poor old crippled sharecropper sit in the chair once we got to the old fishing hole.

So we were off to a typical fishing trip. We had spent $100 on all kinds of fishing goodies, ice, cold drinks and hadn’t seen any water yet—except in the bottles in Wally World.
The excitement grew as we all headed 75 miles to the south to reach the lake we had chosen, but we actually stopped 25 miles later because we found a better deal—a closer lake with a great shade tree.

After fishing for only thirty minutes it looked like Don Sean would be the fishing champ. He had caught a perch. As we approached an hour both boys caught another perch. Don Matthew was busy soaking his diaper and other things that 1½ year olds do.

Then it happened. There’s never been a moment before like this one and there will not likely be another anytime soon. Don Andrew’s bobber (West Texan for cork) went under. Of course, Don Andrew was off down the shore throwing rocks into the lake. But, the fish wouldn’t give up. It just stayed on the hook and after a great struggle, Don Andrew got that channel cat reeled in. What a feat!

The fish had to be a record. Surely no one has ever caught a channel catfish so small. This little booger was just bigger than the wormie Don Andrew had on his hook. It must have been a very hungry little catfish.

An hour and a half and that fun was all anyone wanted. It was probably one of the hottest days on record this year for central Texas. We did not cook that great catch of fish. We released every one of them so they could go off and grow up a bit before our next fishing trip. We went to town for a much needed hamburger and lemonade.

Grandpa Sancho surely has fun with his grandsons. Incidentally, Don Matthew holds the record for eating the most french-fries.

THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE IN!

2005-07-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

Don Andrew and Don Matthew came west for a wedding—of course, with the Duke and Duchess. Everyone had a joyous time the evening they arrived, and Don Andrew and Grandpa Sancho made plans for high adventure the following day.

Morning came and here came Don Andrew to pile in bed with Grandpa Sancho and Grandma Sancha. We had a wonderful time watching Jo Jo and eating breakfast in bed. Don Andrew ate half of Grandpa Sancho’s bacon. Thinking he could meet any adventure on three little strips of bacon, Don Andrew could not quite sneak by the grasp of the Duke who had him eat some cereal just for good measure.

We were there in the bedroom and Don Andrew found one of those souvenir bats from a Texas Ranger’s baseball game. Grandpa, was this your father’s bat? Our brave little knight was in really deep thought. No, I think that was your mother’s bat she got on one of those trips to Arlington. To this he said, Grandpa, I brought my ball and glove, let’s play baseball.

Now, Don Andrew and Don Matthew each have a real major league baseball from a recent Texas Ranger’s game. Two ladies had each retrieved brand new balls during batting practice and were quite taken with Grandpa Sancho’s two very cute grandsons. The ladies gave each of them a ball.

So, we were off to play ball. We did this for a long time. For a four year old, Don Andrew hits extremely well when Grandpa Sancho gets it near his spot. We played a long time there with him taking time out to swing on his tree chain that he likes so well. Then every one else came outside.

Now, when Don Andrew hits one and it is on the ground and Don Matthew is the first to reach it with his big chubby plastic bat, he starts attacking the ball and plays baseball a lot like Happy Gilmore played golf. If you haven’t seen that movie, you haven’t missed too much.

Anyway, this old sharecropper got kind of tired and started pitching rather badly. Don Andrew said, Grandpa, you know that guy that has the funny looking mask on and says ‘Out?’ I explained all that to him. The umpire is the one who calls strikes and balls and calls the runner safe or out. His old squire showed him how the umpire can put his thumb up and says, You’re out! Then I explained how the batter is out when he gets three strikes on him.

After awhile Don Andrew swung at three in a row and missed and just kept on batting. At this he exclaimed quite loudly for everyone outside to hear, Guess what? At Grandpa’s house you get three strikes and you’re in! Now, that is optimism, don't you think?

Here came a 1½ Happy Gilmore wide open attacking the ball all over the front yard. Don Andrew decided it was time to be Tarzan and began to swing in the tree. We’ll await another opportunity to play baseball. It’s too hot anyway.

A STONE TURNED OVER

2005-06-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time when Don Andrew was only 3½, this brave young knight and his faithful sidekick Grandpa Sancho were at the park and Don Andrew found a gold mine of sword sticks. He carefully gathered them all up because we could not make the long trip home with all those swords. A knight really needs only one sword. You might just recall that Don Andrew, on that occasion had told his ancient squire that he wanted to take that tree stick home. This writer remembers telling his faithful readers that a tree stick is something that only grandpas and grandsons would really fully understand.

At this point in our journey through life it seems a quite appropriate time to reveal what a tree stick really is, for you have been with us on this journey through life for such a long time. This writer does not like to leave stones unturned. You see a tree stick in 3½ year old language is a limb. Yes, it is just as simple as that. Don Andrew wanted to bring a limb home with him. His old squire did not see any harm in bringing an old dead limb home from the park. At least the park men would not have to pick it up. They look so tired sometimes, standing over there in the shade.

Don Andrew called his old Grandpa this morning and said, Hello, Sancho Panza! Guess what I am doing? This old writer of tales has learned that when a question like that is asked by a 4 year old, the listener must answer with a question. What are you doing, Don Quixote? I’m watching Tarzan, replied our young knight. This old grandpa was immediately glad his grandson did not say, I am Tarzan, Grandpa. You can be Cheeta.

You see, I just read where Cheeta is now 71 years of age and is claimed to be the world’s oldest chimp. Where would that leave Grandpa Sancho?

Don Andrew, I found the perfect tree sword for you. When you come down we can cut it down for you to use. To this the little brave knight replied, That’s great Grandpa. Is my swing still in the tree? Yes, Don Andrew. My swing is still in my tree here, Grandpa. He has a neat rope in a tree there and an even neater chain in the tree here. One could tell that his thoughts were returning to Tarzan swinging through the trees. I am really glad he said, Bye Grandpa, I love you. I was afraid the words would come, You are Cheeta, Grandpa.

Don’t misunderstand, this old sharecropper doesn’t mind being Cheeta, the chimp. It’s the 71 that’s the problem.

DON ANDREW GRADUATIONED

2005-06-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

Grandma Sancha couldn’t stand it much longer so we loaded up the wagon and headed east. Actually, as Don Andrew said it, Grandma had to get her heart fixed and then came to see me. She had some tests run a couple of weeks prior to this visit so we went by the specialist’s office for the great results.

We finally got to our destination. Don Andrew talked to us on the phone to tell us where to go. We were to meet them at Joe’s Pizza, which Don Andrew said would be easy to find because there was a real big Bob the Tomato sign on the front of the pizza place.

We had not been at Joe’s Pizza very long when Don Andrew said, Grandpa! Our young knight was just trying to get his old squire’s attention. He was really excited. Grandpa, I graduationed last night. I graduationed all the way to the church building. That last statement left this old laborer in a world of befuddlement. How can anyone graduate all the way to the church building. That must have been quite a graduation ceremony for a bunch of 4 & 5 year olds.

It was actually sometime later when we learned that Don Andrew had graduated from one of those Day Care holding facilities, which was in a house, to move on next year to another Day Care holding facility which will be housed in a church building. That really makes good sense. Grandpa Sancho knew Don Andrew knew what he was saying. This old sharecropper was just a little slow; perhaps due to the many miles on the trail and the lack of food.

We had to celebrate Don Andrew’s graduation, so Don Andrew, Grandpa Sancho and Uncle Jeff went fishing in the local lake. Boy, was that a hoot! We did get to see one turtle try to get on Don Andrew’s line. This might just be the only fish-less lake anywhere. Anyway, Don Andrew enjoyed throwing rocks into the lake much more that fishing, he chased the ducks, and even had fun cleaning off the poor old worms and throwing them in the lake. We still didn’t see any fish but Uncle Jeff got Don Andrew to kiss one of the wormies goodbye. And then the rains came.

WOOKIES FOR GRANDCHILREN?

2005-05-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

It really doesn’t matter how old a child is, he or she generally falls into the latest craze. Our gallant knight and hero of these stories is no exception. At three years of age he was into the Credibles, as he called them. Remember, he didn’t much like this movie at first but the high pressure exerted on him at that Day Care holding facility for kids not old enough to attend regular schools took its toll and he became a huge Credible fan.

Recently Grandma Sancha was talking with our young knight on the phone when Don Andrew announced. Guess what Grandma, we are going to have a little sister and her name is going to be Chewbacca. Grandma Sancha was taken by surprise but not as much as Doña Duchess who obviously did not know where all this information came from.

Of course, Grandpa Sancho had to get into some of this action. This old sharecropper asked Don Andrew. What will we call you new baby sister Chewie or Chubbie? Her name is going to be Chewbacca, he replied. But, did you know that Chewbacca is a boy. Then Don Andrew had to think about that one for a time. I guess we will just call her Chewbacca’s wife. Well, think we had better change subjects before we get in over our heads.

A few days later Don Andrew had to talk to his old Grandpa. Grandpa , did you know that you have to be a teenager before you can go see Starwars? I will have to wait until I am 9 or 10 before I can go to see Starwars. He did not seem particularly upset about the whole thing but he had to tell his old grandpa three or four times about him having to wait until he is 9 or 10 before he can see the movie as a teenager.

Wouldn’t it be really great to have a four year old’s concept of time and space and lots of other things. Us Older Folks wouldn’t worry nearly so much about lots of trivial things we tend to worry about. Lot’s of things would just pass without us even thinking about them. And, while we are on the subject, wouldn’t it be great to have the innocence of one of those little ones? Think how many heartaches we could have avoided by just thinking like a small child. Jesus was surely right about that!

DON ANDREW AND THE GRAPE TREE

2005-05-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

Not everyone can enjoy life as much as we do. Don’t you feel that way today? That would be a great way to begin each new day. What a terrific attitude. Recently Don Andrew had a few bad days. He came down with a terrible case of the Cat Scratch Fever. That is a terrible disease caused by those slinky animals that are not nearly as much fun as puppy dogs.

Just before that happened, everyone that was in the east and nearly everyone that was in the west loaded all the wagons and headed for that city that claims to be the Key City of West Texas, but it really isn’t even in West Texas. It’s square in the central part of Texas, but that is not what I want to tell you about today.

Don Andrew already felt a little bad due to the Cat Scratch Fever, but it wasn’t hurting him all that badly at this point. When he piled out of the wagon he was ready for some real adventure with his old Grandpa Sancho. As our good fortune would have it, Don Sean was also along for this little adventure. So these two brave warriors were ready to take on anything that didn’t move too fast.

Compete with stick swords they attacked the apricot tree in the back yard. This went on for a good while until suddenly; there was a change in plans. Grandpa, let’s climb the tree. That sounded like a terrific idea to this old sharecropper. So, we helped both these brave warriors up into the tree. They twisted around and got good footholds and were having such a good time until Don Andrew saw something in the tree. In fact, there were probably thousands of tiny apricots about half an inch wide.

Don Andrew exclaimed in a very loud and excited manner, Look Grandpa, grapes. Now this befuddled old laborer nearly got on the ground over that one but he can’t do that because he might not ever get up again because of the half leg plague. This is not the same as the Black Leg. It’s more like the metal leg.

Back to the subject: Grandpa Sancho had to do some swift explaining to keep our young warrior from eating one of the grapes he had found. But, when he understood what they were and that they were fun to sword fight against and to throw out into the pasture, everything was once again great on our adventure to the Key City of West Texas which is really in central Texas. Those young knights had a blast but perhaps never more than this old squire who got a chance to once again get to be with his grandsons.

I nearly forgot about Don Matthew. He is still too little for the size of adventures Don Andrew and Don Sean are enjoying when they get together with their old Grandpa.

THE PLOT THICKENS!

2005-04-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

It must have been yesterday when Doña Duchess called on that marvel called the cell phone you can talk on while you proceed down the road in the wagon. This old man wishes he had thought of that idea. It is sad to be so poor but Grandma Sancha and Grandpa Sancho have not been reduced to begging yet. In fact, we kind of enjoy our lives. Oh well, we would like to be closer to our grandkids, and don’t forget our kids as well. But, one cannot make them live in the same place and this is a really big world. If Grandpa Sancho had invented the cell phone we would all be rich. We could fly everywhere. These wagons are so slow. Everyone you see has one of those cell phones sticking out of their ear; which, incidentally, brings this old share cropper to today’s tale.

Doña Duchess called to discuss plans to meet in the Key City of West Texas, which is not really in West Texas. This old Grandma and Grandpa are really in West Texas. We plan to go to Abilene this weekend for an overnighter for us and a one day adventure for them.

This old knight’s squire heard Don Andrew from the back seat of the Suburban wagon, I need to talk to my Grandpa! So, going down the road, and I don’t know how she does it, Doña Duchess gave the cell phone to Don Andrew. Hi Grandpa! Two more days and Abilene. We are going to play with swords and have fun. We can be Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Hey Grandpa, do you know my teacher? I really never quite understood why Don Andrew wanted to know about whether or not I knew his teacher. I do know that he is constantly learning. He takes after his ancient Grandpa for he is a child prodigy at the very least. Isn’t that what most grandparents think? We have a right to think that too.

Great Grandma Floy has been really sick with an upper respiratory infection. Grandpa Sancho talked to her today. She was very ill last evening but with the prospect of three boys coming to see her, she has perked up quite nicely and feels much better after her medicine kicked in and the thought of missing those Great Grandkids helped as well. At 93 she is even older than Grandpa Sancho.

We look forward to a great time. Just think three grandsons will be there. That’s more than this old man can think about at this late hour. I’m just like Don Andrew. Just think, two more days and Abilene! Now, that makes this old man happy.

THE PLAN

2005-04-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

Don Andrew always has a plan for his old Grandpa Sancho. Three times this week he has gotten on the telephone and told his ancient squire how Grandpa Sancho can come see him tomorrow. The best this old sharecropper can figure is that tomorrow is 4-year old talk for pretty soon. This boy wants to be with his old Grandpa so we can play Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Do you suppose he was humoring this old man?

One night last week Doña Duchess was preparing to read Don Andrew his bedtime story when he began to pucker up. Don Andrew has the best pucker up of nearly any kid you have ever seen. You know he means business. He did not want to read a story but he wanted the Duchess to tell him a story. What story would you like to hear, Andrew? Tell me a story about Grandpa’s scar. Don Andrew is worried about his old squire’s leg and if it will allow him to play with Don Andrew.

This evening Don Andrew called. Grandpa, we are going to the Key City of West Texas (which isn’t even really in West Texas) to visit Great Grandma Floy and we can go to the park and play Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Now really, who knows what we will play. But, we will play and we will have a barrel of fun just because we can be together. He can be with his old Grandpa.

This ancient one knows there will come a time when there will be other interests for this young knight than his old squire Grandpa Sancho. Don Andrew will go on to bigger and better things. We go through that time with our kids and we must go through the same time with our grandchildren. But, isn’t it great while it lasts? And, other times are just as good. We might cease to be the center of attention and we might not be allowed to make them the center of our attention in the same way, but those times will be good too.

Being a grandparent brings tears to the eye every now and then. It’s tough, but somebody has to do it. This old Grandpa loves it.

THE OBSERVATIONS OF DON ANDREW IN THE ABSENSE OF GRANDPA SANCHO

2005-04-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine how this ancient knight’s squire misses getting to see all his grand kids? Grandma Sancha shares those feelings. It’s really tough really living in west Texas—not Where the West Begins nor The Key City of West Texas, but really in west Texas 250-450 miles west of those cities that brag so much. And, there is 225 miles of Texas west of us. Figure that one out.

Stories help us a lot. Grandpa Sancho hears quite a few Don Andrew stories. His family is so fortunate to have Bluebonnets in their yard. This old Texan recently told Don Andrew the Bluebonnet was Texas’ state flower and we could not cut them. You live in Texas, Andrew. No Grandpa, I live in Granbury. But Andrew. . .Grandpa, I. . .live. . .in. . .Granbury. Okay!

One day the family went for a walk. Don Andrew was heard to say. Look at the pink bonnets. Look at the yellow bonnets.

Recently Don Andrew must have had a sore throat and he couldn’t whistle anymore. Doña Duchess was reading our young knight his nightly story when the little fellow puckered up and said, Mommy, do you think someone stole my whistle? A few days later this old sharecropper was talking to his daughter. He told the duchess to ask Don Andrew to whistle for grandpa. He replied, No Grandpa, I’ve already done that.

Yesterday Don Andrew ran into that day care holding facility which is for kids who aren’t old enough to attend elementary schools or institutions of higher learning. He approached his teacher with one of his very deep and challenging questions, What makes a tree stand up straight? They all had to go out and dig up a small tree just to see. Doña Duchess said, Guess what we have in our backpack today? A tree root.

Don Andrew told his old Grandpa the other day, Grandpa, we are going to have go get us some real suits and real swords and go fight some real windmills. Do you suppose he is attempting to humor his ancient squire? There is no end to the contemplations of the mind of a four year old boy. The sky is the limit.

ONE MORE THING

2005-03-26T22:23:00.000-07:00

Doña Duchess called this old knight’s squire one day this week. She simply said, I have someone who wants to talk to you. Immediately Don Andrew began by saying, Hello Grandpa. From that point he started off on what seemed like a never-ending story.

When Don Andrew gets through talking, he is through! Trust me! Well, that’s usually the case. On this particular day he said, and it is always this way, very rapidly, I love you Grandpa, Goodbye. Of course, this ancient one couldn’t understand some of what he said but he got most of it and enjoyed the message.

Then came a big surprise. Wait a minute, Grandpa, I have one more thing to tell you. He told his old Grandpa about special rocks he had saved and we could share when the two of us could get together, when his Grandpa came to seem him. Grandpa could have them just as soon as he came. Then he said, I love you Grandpa, Goodbye.

That was really neat, but wait a minute! He still wasn’t through with his old Grandpa. Wait a minute, Grandpa, I have one more thing to tell you. If you ask my Mommy and Daddy if you can come see me on Sunday and you can stay with us and we’ll hunt Easter eggs. I’ll see you Sunday, Grandpa. I love you Grandpa, Goodbye. This time he was gone!

The very next day this old share cropper got a call from Doña Duchess again. Usually Don Andrew is too busy to talk to his old Grandpa. Since Grandpa Sancho wasn’t born yesterday, he had a very special plan. Before hanging up he told Doña Duchess, Tell Don Andrew his old Grandpa has one more thing to tell him. It was not expected that Don Andrew would be too excited.

I’ve got to find out what my Grandpa has to tell me. Now, of course, this befuddled one had to come up with an answer. A man had mowed the grass and found our two special sticks we use for swords to fight all the enemy trees and bushes and fences, and weeds, and sometimes even cars.

After we discussed all that Grandpa Sancho told this brave knight that his Grandpa would probably be on his walker only one more week. Don Andrew had a four year old plan. Grandpa, we can get you a stick cane and we can go to the park and . . .One cannot top Don Andrew. Grandchildren are so neat.

LONG DISTANCE POSTAL ADVENTURE

2005-03-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

The Duke and Duchess of East, TX., loaded the wagon, complete with Don Andrew and Don Matthew. Their destination was Houston and a visit with friends from the City of Angels on the West Coast. After a nice visit with old friends they reloaded the wagon to return to East, TX.

They decided to take a small detour to visit the Duke and Duchess of Waxland along with Don Sean. It was at this point the discovery was made. Doña Duchess discovered she had left her purse in the hotel lobby in Houston.

Quickly Doña Duchess called both the hotel and her friend and some very nice, honest person had turned in the purse to authorities. All the friend had to do after positive I.D. had been established, was mail the purse to Doña Duchess

Several days later the Duchess called and visited this befuddled old laborer on her way to the United States Post Office to secure her purse. In a few minutes, while they were in that Post Office, Grandpa Sancho got this phone call: Grandpa, where is my grabber? Now, for you who might not know what a grabber is, it is a device used by those who have had hip surgery and other surgeries. These devices are very handy in fetching many things the patient can’t reach. Grandpa Sancho has three such grabbers since he has had three hip surgeries. Don Andrew thought that a grabber made a fine Don Quixote Adventure device to do all sorts of things. He claimed one of the grabbers as his own, which his old Grandpa was happy to oblige.

Andrew, I have your grabber and I will bring it to the Key City of West Texas for you to use this weekend. In the background this sharecropper heard someone ask, Are you really talking on the phone. Who are you talking to? Don Andrew replied, My Grandpa!

This ancient one was a bit confused so he asked, Is that your Dad? It did sound a bit like him. Don Andrew replied, in a kind of authoritative voice, No, Grandpa, I’m at the post office. Grandpa, I need to tell you some secrets. That was okay. I was good with that idea. Grandpa and grandson secrets can be pretty neat and enlightening.

So, Don Andrew, went around the corner, perhaps being a bit embarrassed at the postal person asking such questions. Then Don Andrew ran into a woman and, being the chivalrous knight that he is, offered to help the damsel in distress. He offered to help open her Post Office box to get her mail. She assured Don Andrew she could do the job but I could tell she proceeded immediately to let him help her.

After this ordeal, Grandpa Sancho was inquisitive. Andrew, tell your old Grandpa the secrets. Don Andrew got really low in his speech but at the same time being quite bold. He said, Grandpa, you are a stinker! Was that it? Probably so! Grandpa Sancho replied, No, Andrew, you are the stinker. You are the one who began with the Benny the Jet stance and rand and jumped feet first into the creek.

No, Grandpa, you jumped into the creek. Was Don Andrew in denial? Could he be projecting his behavior on poor old Grandpa Sancho? I think he was having fun with his old Grandpa. Don’t believe he doesn’t enjoy that! What a neat kid to have for a grandson. And, we are blessed with three others just as neat. How about that!

BUNGLING IN THE JUNGLE

2005-03-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Just before Don Andrew hit the ball over the creek and ended up in it, thankfully feet-first, he experienced another frightening adventure. There are very few adventures that would cause fear in such a fearless knight as Don Andrew. Of course, it was Grandpa Sancho who was the frightened one. You see, Grandpa Sancho is just like his 16th Century counterpart from la Mancha. His goal in life when there are adventures is to protect Don (whether 16th Century or today) from his external environment and so often from himself. That’s been a particularly difficult thing to do for 500 years for the various Don Quixotes who have come along. This old knight’s squire is sure there have been plenty through the years.

Now the day began right. Grandpa Sancho and Don Andrew watched a little bit of a semi-violent cartoon which this old sharecropper abruptly changed. This did not meet with our hero’s approval, upon which he did the usual number like say, Mommie would let me watch it! Grandpa, please! and finally running around the room saying, I don’t want to watch Jo Jo! Grandpa Sancho stood his ground, or tiles as was the case. Grandpa Sancho would rather have an angry hero than have one of those little ones watch such nonsense on the TV. He did get over it all and put in a video we could share.

Finally the temperature was perfect. It was not too cold and not too hot. It was time to go to the backyard and fight some enemies or something. Grandpa, let’s play baseball. Nothing could make this befuddled old laborer happier unless Don Andrew changed his favorite color green to Dodger Blue.

Everything began just fine. Don Andrew went down toward the creek and set up his tee and put the ball on it and knocked it clear up to the house a few times. That was awesome. Well, there was just one problem. Don Andrew easily gets sidetracked into many adventures. The Duke had sawed many limbs from the Oak Forest in the backyard and piled them up against the house. It was a jungle of very dead limbs.

As fate would have it, one of the balls, the green one to be exact, landed right in the middle of that jungle. It’s fortunate that Don Quixote and Sancho Panza did not have to encounter jungles. Windmills are quite sufficient for adventures.

Don Andrew took his bat and declared it a sword and began to attack the jungle from the outside. This resulted in no progress whatever. There was just one thing to do. This boy has the spirit of Benny the Jet Rodriquez written all over him. Again he squared off at one end of that probably 20 ft. pile of limbs, the jungle, and started working out his strategy.

Very gingerly Don Andrew began to make his way through what had now become The Jungle. Bungling along, he attacked the limbs in front of him with his sword-bat. Do you want to hold my hand? Another of Don Andrew's favorite expressions is: What are you talking about? He does not say it disrespectfully but it was time to say it when the old knight's squire asked that question that met with such disapproval since Don Andrew is now 4 and needs little help for anything: What are you talking about, Grandpa? I can do this myself. And, do it he did. From one end to the other and he emerged with bat in one hand and ball in the other. I might add that he had many scratches on his legs for he is perhaps the first famous knight to wear shorts on adventures. We would no suggest such Bungling in the Jungle adventures for those under 4.

What a marvelous day was had and too many adventures to recount at this time. Grandpa Sancho is tired.

GREAT!

2005-02-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

Don Andrew finally turned four years of age on Sunday. On Saturday the entire group, along with lots of friends, had a birthday party that couldn’t be beat. Grandma Sancha and this old laborer didn’t arrive until Sunday evening very late.

That wonderful grandma and I had a marvelous idea. We would keep Don Andrew and Don Matthew (he’ll be one year old on Friday) home from that daycare holding facility for children who aren’t old enough to attend institutions of formal learning. Boy, were we in for a treat.

Don Andrew has developed a few new expressions. One is to exclaim, Great! He’ll do that quite loudly at times. We went to Grumps for lunch. It was quite exciting but Grandma Sancha forgot the diaper bag with Don Matthew's baby food. Don Andrew heard about that and said, Great! Of course, that was a bit sarcastic at best.

We were ready to leave Grumps and Grandma Sancha was driving and in a bind. Cars were coming down the highway we had to get that Suburban Wagon out on to return home. She got the left front wheel in a hole and kind of squealed the tires getting out and on the highway when there was a break in traffic. Upon hearing the squealing tires, Don Andrew said, Great!

Something else happened earlier that morning that was quite funny but at the same time designed from the beginning to get this old knight’s squire in trouble. Don Andrew and his faithful squire were playing baseball and our young jouster swung the bat and knocked the ball clear out of the yard, which, of course, he wasn’t supposed to even be hitting the ball in that particular direction.

There is a very small creek behind their yard and the ball went right over that creek. Don Andrew squared off, wearing his Sketchers. He prepared to make his very best Benny the Jet run, then ran down the hill, and jumped right over that creek. Wow!

Don Andrew next retrieved the ball and tried to throw it side armed and it landed on the same side of the creek again. No progress. Once more he gave it his best try and it landed right in the middle of the creek. You can probably guess his next move. Once again he squared off in his Benny stance, ran down the hill and jumped right smack in the middle of that creek. Sketchers are much more expensive than P F Flyers used to be.

Of course, the minute he hit the middle of the creek, he looked up at his befuddled old grandpa and said, Great! What could this old crippled traveler say but, Great! I really don’t think Grandma Sancha and Doña Duchess found the situation all that great! Grandpa Sancho got a pretty big kick out of the whole thing.

NEARLY 4!

2005-02-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed as I pen this modern epic masterpiece from time-to-time that the main character is 3½ years of age? Are you getting tired of him being 3½? I’m not tired of it at all but as this old share cropper becomes older and older it becomes obvious that even 3½ year old kids must turn 4 sometime. That is a very important part of living on this planet.

Guess what? Don Andrew turns 4 this month. What are the ancient one’s fears as he grows older? Don’t they center on the loss of innocence or whatever it is that is so absolutely neat about 3½ year old kids? What if Don Andrew decides he is too big to fight windmills and bushes and lamp posts and trees with Grandpa Sancho? What if we must give all that up for bigger boy things?

He already likes Benny the Jet Rodriquez and baseball. But that’s not so bad because that fits right in with fighting windmills, etc., right now. That can still be little boy stuff. Of course, to be downright honest I must admit I want to still be around to watch him play baseball and whatever else he chooses. I want to do that for all my grandkids.

This befuddled old laborer has raised so many questions it makes his head swim. I think everything is going to be okay for awhile. This laborer was talking with Doña Duchess just the other day and was told that Don Andrew was drinky or drinkie. How do you spell that? What does it mean? Well, it seems that this is the modern day kid word for being thirsty. Then on another day I was talking with the Duchess when something else happened. Don Andrew was picking Don Matthew’s nose. He didn’t stop right away. I told Doña Duchess, There must be only one thing nearly as good as a kid picking his own nose and that would be picking his little brother’s nose.

What else could be said at a time like that? And I ceased to be so befuddled. With those last two incidents, Don Andrew will probably be ready to take sword in hand and fight windmills, bushes, trees, and lamp posts for some time to come. What do you think? I will rest this old brain for awhile.

EARLY MORNING JO JO AND A STRIPPED ZEBRA

2005-01-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

While he was on vacation at the Fort in the West our noble young knight came into Grandpa Sanchos’ bedroom early nearly every morning except when Santa Claus came. Grandpa Sancho was still almost bedridden following surgery on the injury received in the much earlier jousting event. Don Andrew would always peer around the door as he opened it and give Grandpa Sancho a really big grin. Then he broke into a run to climb up on the bed with his old sidekick. In the meantime, this old share cropper had to hurry to get Jo Jo, the Disney clown, tuned onto the television as Don Andrew nestled beside this old man.

On one morning these two were intently watching Jo Jo and The Wiggles and Don Andrew was ready for breakfast. He always wanted grapes but the Duke and Duchess had him eat something a little more nutritional before he could have grapes. As he left for breakfast, he looked straight at this knight’s squire and said, Sancho Panza, we need a donkey. Then he ran off for breakfast.

Befuddled and confused this old grandpa laid on the bed wondering how he was going to come up with a donkey for his small grandson. As he set his gaze on the clutter of the bedroom shelves, Sancho Grandpa had a great thought as he saw the face of a small stuffed zebra staring at him. Why not have a striped donkey?

Grandpa Sancho loves zebras more than most animals in the wild. Zebras are strong, graceful and yet very open to becoming the prey of predators. In a recent university class, the professor asked each member of the group to choose a symbol that each member thought best reflected his or her qualities. Of course, this studious squire chose the zebra. At the conclusion
of the semester each group member shared a gift with each other member. A very nice lady who is Grandpa Sancho’s good friend gave him that zebra inside a black and white stripped ceramic holder.

Now this university student believes in education. It is quite an extraordinary discovery to find out this old laborer could launch a new career with a new and different Master’s Degree. Riding on donkeys and in wagons is getting the best of this old traveler. It’s time to slow down a bit and live the rest of the time on this planet continuing to serve others in a different capacity.

After all these thoughts it was time to call for Don Andrew and try to present the zebra as a donkey with stripes. Well, our young knight is far too sharp for that. Grandpa, that’s a zebra and he has too much hair. The zebra did have a big fuzzy mane. But Andrew, we could get Grandma Sancha to cut the mane.

At that point Don Andrew would have nothing to do with Grandpa Sancho’s nonsense. The zebra was returned to its holder. A couple of days later after the wagon was loaded to head east Don Andrew came running in and asked, Where’s my stripped donkey? Who knows about the imagination of a 3½ year old boy? As he headed east for his home, Don Andrew had that little zebra securely tucked in his hand. It was a gift from his old Grandpa. He would make do with the best donkey he could get. What a neat kid!

BENNY THE JET

2005-01-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

While Don Andrew was in the Fort of the West for his holiday vacation he enjoyed a great time with Sancho Grandpa and the rest of the family. Don Andrew had a most enjoyable time until he jumped out of the wagon and raised up under it, on only the third day, and received a very nasty wound on the back of the head. It was as though he had been attacked by one of those windmills.

The remainder of his vacation was more fun and exciting as he began the day with his faithful squire watching such notable works of art as Jo Jo and The Wiggles. The two would also close the evening talking and playing something together. During the day he very busily played and jousted with his cousin from Waxland, Don Sean and his own brother Don Matthew.

It was the night before his entire family loaded the wagon to head east. Our young knight came in and asked this befuddled old laborer, Grandpa, could we watch ‘Sandlot?’ Of course we could. As a matter of fact, the young knight and his trusty squire had to watch it again the next morning. This preempted Jo Jo and The Wiggles. As we watched this marvelous work of art, Don Andrew found a new hero. Isn’t it great little boys can have good heroes? There aren’t too many left to be had anymore.

Benny the Jet Rodriquez was the hero of eight other boys as they played baseball together in some town on the West Coast. Don Andrew was a little afraid of the baseball nabbing beast, Hercules. The more he watched, the more he warmed up the big old dog. Smalls, who narrarated the story, lost his step father’s baseball when he hit his only homerun of the movie into the yard with the beast. That same baseball had been autographed by Babe Ruth. Boy, was Smalls in trouble!

After trying every conceivable way to get the ball out of the yard with the beast, Benny finally had a dream that involved a discussion with the Great Bambino, the Sultan of Swat, etc. The Babe told him something about heroes being one thing but legends never die. Bennie knew he had only one destiny, at least for the near future. He must go into the territory of the Beast and meet him on his own ground. To do this he must put on his brand new PF Flyers. Of course, he did just that and Hercules came after him, broke the chain, and proceeded to chase Benny all over town. Lots of things happened but to make a long story a little shorter, Benny got the ball, Smalls got grounded for a week, and Hercules became the team mascot after those events.

Well, that’s a tiny bit of the story. That part really impressed our young knight, so much so, he has now decided he must plant his feet and move his arms before he can run anywhere, just like Benny the Jet. Benny ended up playing for the Los Angles Dodgers; Grandpa Sancho’s all time favorite team. Guess what team is the favorite for Don Andrew? He and Grandpa Sancho have been to Dodger Stadium to see our team, the Dodgers play. This faithful squire will keep the Dodger Blue always before Don Andrew, even though green is his favorite color.

Sancho Grandpa had an old Grandpa a long, long time ago.x He dealt this old share cropper misery. You see, he was a New York Yankee fan. Perhaps that is why Grandpa Sancho loves the Dodgers. They played nearly every year in the World Series. That old Grandpa lived long enough to see the Dodgers beat the Yankees four games straight and claim the World Title in 1963. Grandpa Sancho loved his old Grandpa so much but after so many years of losing to him, that one did this old laborer really GOOD!

POP

2005-01-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

Anciano Grandpa Pop Journey, great-grandpa to our young knight Don Andrew, was a grand old fellow who lived by himself in San Diego by the Sea. We loaded the wagons, complete with Don Andrew, and went to San Diego to see Anciano Grandpa Pop. This was a couple of years ago. This befuddled old laborer had a great time with Don Andrew in Pop’s backyard playing shovel. Could that have been were Don Andrew developed his first love for digging wormies? Who knows! It really would have been nice for Don Andrew to have his great grandpa’s shovel. Don Andrew enjoyed being with his Great Grandpa.

I am so glad our young knight got to see his great-grandpa when he did because shortly after that Anciano Grandpa Pop died. His daughter lives in a city by the Golden Gate Bridge, along with her husband. They are neat people and provide Don Andrew and Don Matthew with a great pair of grandparents.

Don Andrew is very close to both his old grandpas, as well as his grandmas. But, he has three grandmas. Grandma Sancha’s mother is still quite alive at 93 in the Key City of West, TX, which isn’t really in West Texas at all.

Now, just a little while back it occurred to our 3½ year old knight that he was a little out of balance in life. If he had three grandmas why did he only have two grandpas? He took this question to his mother Doña Duchess. His mom explained all about Anciano Grandpa Pop Journey. This information left even our young knight a bit befuddled and quite troubled in spirit.

At this point, Don Andrew was a bit sleepy and was in need of a nap so he fell asleep (Don’t believe that for a minute—he had to be told to take a nap). Anyway, in a matter of a couple of hours, our young knight awakened from his nap, came into his mother and, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, announced what he must do. Was it a dream? You must draw your own conclusions.

Don Andrew told Doña Duchess he would just dig his grandpa up out of the ground and wipe all the dirt off his face. This way he reasoned he would be back in balance in the grandparent department. Doña Duchess doesn’t dare tell Don Andrew about anymore of his deceased grandparents quite yet. There will be another day.

TRADIN' PLACES (2)

2005-01-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

We awaited the final approval of the Chief Medical Practitioner, but alas, it never came. Finally one of his assistants approved us leaving that Dallas Presbyterian medical facility. The wagon rolled south and then a little west and we arrived at the Inn by the River. Doña Duchess was there to help Grandma Sancha, and this befuddled old laborer, get settled in for a good nights sleep.

Grandma Sancha and Doña Duchess then went to get Don Andrew and Don Matthew at that daycare holding facility for those too young to attend the more specialized institutions of learning. Grandpa Sancho rested up from that journey from Never, Never Land.

Finally they all arrived back at the Inn by the River. Don Andrew approached this ancient one and gave him a big hug. Then he just nestled up beside Grandpa Sancho and said very little as he checked the seriousness of the situation. The last time he had seen his faithful squire was when Grandpa Sancho was lying in that medical facility bed in pretty pitiful condition.

Then Don Andrew slowly started, I like you Grandpa. Then our young knight got into motion. I’m going home with you to the Fort of the West. We’ll have fun then. Was he just trying to humor his old squire or was he in denial as to the seriousness of the medical situation? At 3½ what can you expect?

Then it happened. He jumped off the bed, ran and looked behind every door and under everything. Don Andrew, what are doing you? he was asked. I’m looking for our swords, Grandpa. Then he climbed back on the bed beside his old Grandpa and said, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza! He assumed the former position sitting against his ailing old squire. It wasn’t long before Don Andrew said, Grandpa, let’s be Spiderman today! That was a good idea. That way he could be what he wanted and this old squire could enjoy watching him do it.

Don Matthew is just big enough to begin to walk a little. He seems to have a single aim to his movement and that is to approach Don Andrew with hands wide open ready to pull all his hair out. Don Matthew must think this is a formal way to express he love for his brother because he certainly loves him.

A good time was had by all. Then Grandpa Sancho was pooped. There will be a tomorrow. We must return to the Fort in the West. How grateful Grandpa Sancho and Grandma Sancha are every day for all their family.

TRADIN' PLACES

2004-12-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

Grandma Sancha is down loading the wagon. We will be leaving Never, Never Land before long. This befuddled old laborer is sitting here in a chair trying to remember all the rules. It is very difficult to imagine a knight’s squire in such a predicament. Due to a jousting injury suffered at a very early age, it was necessary to remove most of Grandpa Sancho’s upper leg and replace it with metal parts. Having seen A Knight’s Tale, this befuddled old laborer understands the need to sometimes tie parts of the body back together with metal, etc. He didn’t understand about putting the metal inside the body.

The Bible, that ancient book of extremely important religious and moral teachings and values, says somewhere . . .and a little child will lead them. Now this old man has been around a long time and realizes this was a much earlier prediction of the coming of the Christ Child who would be born in Bethlehem of Judea, a little over 20 centuries ago. Sancho Grandpa and Don Andrew both love Jesus. Right now this old laborer is awaiting a picture our young knight has prepared for his loyal squire. Grandpa Sancho feels the picture will help him understand the Bible story much better from a child’s eyes.

What this ancient one has not figured out is how to break the news to Don Andrew that it will be some time before we can crusade against the enemies we know about, those that lurk in bushes, trees, poles and, last but not least, windmills. We must keep this old laborer together because these trips to Never, Never Land get worse with the aging process. The medical practitioners must also need more boats and planes as we look at the expenses of this two week journey.
The befuddled one must be very careful not to alarm our young knight. Don Andrew has many purposes in life and such great talent and ability, we must not trouble this 3½ year old warrior with many worries and problems. At the same time Grandpa Sancho cannot turn his foot to the left or to the right, or move his foot to the left or to the right, or inflect his body past 80º, nor can he have over 50% weight-bearing on the newly pieced together leg.

The medical practitioner pronounced a life sentence on Grandpa Sancho just yesterday. This befuddled one became almost distressed when the medical practitioner was asked how long most of these restrictions to perfect squire hood would last. As he looked at this old man he simple said, For life! Then he turned to leave. There was one more question, but he just spoke as he rode out of sight, along with his entourage of fellow practitioners of that field, For life! How can this knight’s squire break such untimely news to Don Andrew, and hope Don Andrew doesn’t run over his old squire’s foot for at least several months. We must break the news very gently because this young knight is a very sensitive individual and cannot easily see his ancient old squire in pain. It’s just that simple, or should I say, bewildering.

ON THE TRAIL EAST-ONE MORE TIME!

2004-11-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

We are rather looking forward to loading up the wagon and heading east this time—Grandma Sancha and this befuddled old laborer. We believe so many good things are going to happen. We have always been an optimistic duo.

This old share cropper has three sisters. Two of them and their families will be in Further East, TX., for Thanksgiving festivities. That is always fun because we all get along so well and have a big and marvelous time together.

But that is not all; there is another knight in this family. He just isn’t into fighting windmills yet. I think that will come along one of these days when this befuddled old laborer gets his leg screwed on straight. The Duke and Duchess of Wax Land have this other young knight whose name is Don Sean. The Duke and Duchess are into rhyming pretty well, aren’t they? Right now Don Sean is into the Veggie Generation and other exciting adventures. One of these days he and Sancho Grandpa will get out into some knightly pursuits and swordfight a tree, or windmill or snake or fire ant. Who knows? I think they have all those things down there in Wax Land.

We also have a princess who lives in Midessa Land. Of course her parents, the Duke and Duchess Bull are very proud of her as are we. She is mostly into “girl things” and has little time for knightly pursuits. But, she is not to be left out or slighted in any way because of her thoughts of the things that are so very important to her. The Duke and Duchess Bull are into several very important pursuits. The Duke is a little like this befuddled old laborer in a lot of ways. He too bites off more than he can chew and never gets everything done. That seems to run in the family.

We plan to all be together for a Thanksgiving Dinner that can’t be beat! But, not to be confusing, we don’t always follow the ways of the world. Ours will be on Friday. Then Sancho Grandpa has very little time to loose weight and get ready for the BIG EVENT at 5:00 a.m. on Monday morning when we continue on the trail east to Never, Never Land (Dallas) and the Medical Practitioner takes knives, saws, squares, nuts, bolts and other implements of destruction, (and I hope reconstruction) and overhauls Grandpa Sancho’s ole right leg. All these years of share cropping have left this befuddled old laborer in pretty shabby condition. (I am either Grandpa Sancho or vice versa. Just wanted to clear up that confusion).

Don’t forget how we started this little message. Grandpa Sancho and Grandma Sancha have always been an optimistic duo as well as a faith duo. We believe in better things to come. Come on and join us and let’s celebrate a great Thanksgiving together, but let’s all do it in our own homes. This befuddled old laborer might just be in a pile of trouble if everyone shows up in Further East, TX. Happy Holidays and we hope many great adventures follow.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE AN HOUR MAKES!

2004-11-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

Once again Grandma Sancha and this befuddled old laborer had to travel on the trail East to Never-Never Land (Dallas) to find out more about this old laborer’s leg. The surgeon and hospital together required “upfront money” in advance. The amount ($15,000) immediately threw this befuddled old laborer into shock. It’s difficult to raise that much money on a share cropper’s wages. It’s a good thing Grandma Sancha was along because she has a way of figuring all these things out. We also had very dear friends along which also helped us escape Never-Never Land alive.

Grandpa Sancho called our young knight Don Andrew who, along with his parents the Duke and Duchess and his little brother Don Matthew met us beside the trail to Never-Never Land for a hamburger. Our young knight had had another thing happen at Day Care Land. He caught some kind of hoof and mouth or hand and mouth disease. Day Care Land can often make a well person sick due to the variety of opportunities to catch new and exotic diseases.

This disease obviously affected our young knight’s thought world as well. All of a sudden he was Buzz and Grandpa Sancho was Woody once again. This sudden shift in characters can leave this befuddled old laborer’s head swimming.

Our young knight’s tongue and mouth were so sore from that exotic Day Care Land disease he couldn’t put catsup on Grandma Sancha’s french-fries, but he ate everyone of them anyway. Our young knight has a strong spirit as well as a great appetite most of the time.

All this occurred in the space of about an hour. Do you know how great that makes this befuddled old laborer’s heart feel to be able to hug and get a kiss or two from our young knight and hug his Dad and Mom? Don Matthew slept through the entire ordeal. Ain’t that a hoot!

NO SAVY AKA!

2004-11-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it last Thursday. Even to this day I cannot believe it. There is someone in the world that does not understand aka. Whoever it is hasn’t hung around prisons as much as this befuddled old laborer has over the last few years. But that is no excuse. This knight’s squire has visited many, many homes and each one has one thing in common—TV. Hardly anyone does not have a TV. Now, come on—if you don’t have a TV, write to me and I will send you the very next coupon I get in junk mail for a free TV. One does not of necessity have to hang around prisons to understand aka.

Don Andrew began last Saturday aka Tarzan, just as soon as I got him a rope in the tree. He swung back and forth, bumped his little bottom on the ground about 55 times, but had a genuinely good time. He was Tarzan all the way. He didn’t even have to beat his chest and let out the yell that Tarzan always does. Just because he was swinging back and forth through the trees (actually only one tree and one rope) he was Tarzan. That’s not too difficult to figure.

A little while later our little knight was Buzz; i.e., Don Andrew aka Buzz. That’s not too difficult to figure either. As Buzz, he went on a treasure hunt and found his mom Doña Duchess a beautiful blue rock. Still, I don’t see what would be so difficult to figure about that.

Then Don Andrew became aka Wormie Digger because we brought the “A” Shovel. You haven’t forgotten that have you? And, by gum, he found a bunch of wormies. Now, Wormie Digger is not too difficult to figure either.

Still later, the Duke began to trim the little trees in front of the house. Guess what Don Andrew found? You guessed it, if you keep up with the episodes of this continuing saga, he got two swords (sticks) out of the deal. He even gave one to Doña Grandma, a small 9 inch sword. Ladies need only small swords. Once again he was Don Quixote de la Mancha off to war against the terrors of the trees in the yard. (A special note: we have found two windmills in East, TX, so you may get a visual on this Blogspot before long).

Now, here’s the problem I have been building up to all this time. What does it take to work at a daycare? Surely anyone with a high school diploma knows what aka means! You’ve got to be kiddin’ if they don’t. On Thursday Don Andrew announced at daycare he was a Credible (how he pronounces The Incredible’s at this point). To this, one of the ill-informed employees replied, No you aren’t. You are Andrew. What is the matter with this female personage? Perhaps she needs aka training. Maybe she missed childhood. We will not make fun of her because that would not be fair to her because Don Andrew loves all his daycare people. Besides all that, we do not believe in making fun of anyone, anyway. We just needed material for this article and we found it and with that, this befuddled old laborer closes.

AN INCREDIBLES ADVENTURE!

2004-11-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

I really don’t rightly know where to begin this marvelous adventure but I will try anyway. As I’ve said on occasion, life today is confusing to this befuddled old laborer. The fact is that Doña Grandma and I had to go to never, never land (Dallas) to have Grandpa Sancho’s mangled up old right leg checked out for possible corrective surgery.

We came back from that horrific adventure and arrived in East, TX, to spend a couple of days with our young knight Don Andrew and his little brother Don Matthew and the Duke and Duchess. Everyday is an adventure with them but Saturday was very special, I think. The Duke was out raising vast sums of money for the Royal Chorale of the East. We were confronted with this most exciting opportunity.

It has been many years since this befuddled old laborer has been to a drive- in theater. In fact he hasn’t even seen one for many years. When we were much younger we always went to $1-a-carload night. We loaded up Don Andrew, and a Suburban full of the rest of us and proceeded to the drive-in theater where we saw the opening of The Incredibles—which was quite incredible indeed. To start with, What happened to $1-a-carload drive-in theaters? This thing was $18-a-carload whether there was one or 100. Everyone there had a tailgate party with plenty to eat and fun for all. There were about a jillion kids running around all over the place.

We nearly froze to death. Heading home our young knight said, Grandpa, let’s say some of The Incredibles was good and some of it was bad. To this befuddled old laborer that was about like saying, Let’s say we enjoyed the movie, but we really didn’t.

We did have a good time watching this little girl run around in circles and squares in the theater parking lot. Someone’s horn alarm went off for 3 minutes. An airplane or two took off and landed at a nearby airport. There was no Nina Moon because it was cloudy. We had a great picnic with lots of good food and popcorn. But, as for The Incredibles---someone at Pixar had a really bad nightmare on that one. The DSM-IV-TR probably does not hold enough categories to accommodate the members of this dysfunctional family of super heroes. Not all adventures can be perfect but to get to hold the young knight in my lap for a couple of hours was well worth the cold and all the other effort and money that went into it all for this befuddled old laborer.

GRANDPA SANCHO MISSES DON ANDREW!

2004-10-31T22:48:00.000-07:00

Now, be honest! How can I just go on and on about Don Andrew when I haven’t even seen him since August? It is difficult for this befuddled old laborer, squire as I am, to keep up this column of verbiage without new fodder with which to work.

You see, it gets to the point that all I have is memories and they are quite in the past. For example, on one occasion I picked this young knight up after school and we decided to go see the big bird. Now Fort Stockton has this big Road Runner, which I now find out is the second biggest Road Runner in the world. Once it was the biggest. My late friend Gene Cummings came up with the idea, originally.

Don Andrew and his faithful sidekick Sancho Grandpa got to the big bird just as a busload of tourists arrived. Now they all wanted to get their picture taken in front of the Road Runner. His name is Paisano Pete, which come to find out is a mistranslation of a Spanish word. That doesn’t matter anymore since it is only the second largest Road Runner in the world.

Don Andrew was a real trooper. He held cameras for the visitors and helped out in any way he could. He even had his picture made. But, our young knight’s mind was not on pictures. It wasn’t even on the Road Runner. You see, across the street there was a gigantic mud puddle. Guess where our young knight’s mind was focused. You guessed it: right on the mud puddle.

Don Andrew and Sancho Granpa threw everything in that mud puddle except the kitchen sink. It is amazing what will place a 3½ year old knight into the attack and fight mode. It is too far back for me to remember but there were bound to be dragons and perhaps even worse things in that mud puddle. By the time Don Andrew and his faithful sidekick Sancho Granpa were through there wasn’t much mud puddle left. It was full of rocks, sticks, and who knows—perhaps a kitchen sink.

Fond memories! They are many but just about all I have left. What’s wrong with that you might ask? Absolutely nothing! I would reply. This befuddled old laborer, squire to the great Don Andrew will take the memories and be proud of them. They are treasures stored in time. I have many more. Stay tuned.

P.S. If you think throwing rocks in a mud puddle is silly you might be suffering a little Fun Dementia. This disease can set in at any age. It hasn’t made the DSM-IV-TR yet but I plan to submit an article for The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. If it is published I will send you a copy; if not, oh well!

NINA MOONS AND OTHER PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES!

2004-10-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Don Andrew and his faithful squire, Sancho Grandpa must enter the think tank mode. That’s when Grandpas and grandsons inter into a realm that involves long times of uninterrupted thought and conversation about the very deep meanings of life. I’m not sure anyone else could handle such depth of meaning and understanding.

On one of these evenings we were bouncing a huge ball back and forth. This is when the much younger knight has an opportunity to learn wisdom of the ages from this ancient old befuddled laborer.

Look Grandpa, a Nina Moon. Although everyone should know exactly what a Nina Moon is, I’m wondering just how many have complete and unique understanding. Do, you see, Don Andrew can say banana quite well and, most anything else that needs saying—sometimes even things that might not need saying. He doesn’t say Nina in front of the Duke and Duchess because that would be improper speech.

When Grandpas and Grandsons get together it’s a Nina Moon simply because that is all it has ever been, a Nina Moon. Our discussion immediately takes a deeper turn into the realm of the unknown. Grandpa, what do mosquitoes do? Of course, this befuddled old labor tried to give a very scientific answer befitting a 3½ old. Grandpa, do mosquitoes ever go to school?

Now, a question like that one is far beyond the understanding of this befuddled old laborer. That’s a real stumper. I really need clarification to answer that question. But, I don’t dare bother the young knight with trivial questions. He is too deeply entrenched in thought at the moment. Seriously, what is one to do? Does this young knight want to know if mosquitoes go to school to learn or is he inquiring whether or not he should be concerned about the mosquitoes either biting him or otherwise bothering him while he is at school? This question was too complex for this aging squire. But, young knights are capable of such questions.

This period of deep and thoughtful meditation, and sharing of great philosophical wisdom was interrupted by the dinner bell. There were of course even deeper issues to be discussed and solved that very evening but the ordinary person wouldn’t understand—not to say you are ordinary in any other sense than to say you are a normal person. You would fully understand only if you are the grandparent of a very highly imaginative 3½ old.

Incidentally, just this week Don Andrew got on the phone and said, Hello Woody, this is Buzz. Grandpa, guess what. I got a big mosquito bite. To this I really don’t know how to reply. I could try to explain how sorry I am Don Andrew Buzz, that the Duke and Duchess had to take you away from the paradise of West, TX and take you to that terrible wasteland infested with trees, green grass, water, fish, golf and otherwise, beautiful scenery—and mosquitoes. But, I must admit, Don Andrew, We have mosquitoes, too, here in this West, TX paradise. So there! What else can a befuddled old laborer say?

DAZED AND EVEN MORE BEFUDDLED!

2004-10-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about you but sometimes life presents itself with problems that are absolutely too perplexing to even contemplate. I mean, you go to bed and you know the world is okay and all, and you wake up and everything about your world has just turned over. This is really a problem I may need help with in the long run. I am glad I have a great psychology professor that could even help me if I get in too far over my head.

Let me try to explain my dilemma. Here I am, just a befuddled old laborer who is going through life having this most exciting chivalrous adventure and all of a sudden I wake up and I am Woody. I went to bed a knight’s squire, ready to go to the ends of the earth to protect and defend the honor of my knight. This befuddled old laborer, squire to Don Quixote de la Mancha, 21st century edition, is now much more befuddled than before. How can one go from being Sancho Panza to being Woody?

The answer to that question lies in the very creative mind of a 3½ old who can transform himself from being Don Quixote back to being Buzz Lightyear about as quickly as he changed from Buzz to Don Andrew. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to do that at this ancient age? But, you see, I can, because I can be anyone he wants me to be. That’s the magic of Grandpas and Grandsons and only they know that.

Of course, he did reveal some rather enlightening information to his mother, Doña Duchess. This befuddled old laborer was quite taken back with this bit of information. I can hear him now, Guess what Mommie, I am Buzz. Grandpa is Woody. You are Zurg. Daddy is the Prospector. Grandma is Jessie. Matthew is Bulls Eye. Jeff is Mr. Potato Head. Stephanie is Little Bo Peep. Bad buzz Light year is Kobe Gage. Sean is Rex and Summer is Barbie. It’s really enough to leave this befuddled old laborer bedazzled and confused.

Here is my issue. What will happen the next time we find a stick? What will we do when a tree needs attacking? How can Buzz and Woody possibly handle all that? My guess is that we will have to enter the World of Reciprocallity. It’s a dimension not even the dictionary has caught up with yet. Only Grandpas and Grandsons understand this World. Some might call it the World of Transition but they are a little less informed. I mean, this little guy is 3½. He understands all those things. How do you think he went from being Buzz to being Don Andrew and then back to being Buzz? Along the way he wanted to be Pirate Larry for Halloween but decided on some Prince Philip of Disney (with a sword, of course). Ah ha! Sounds to this befuddled old laborer that Don Andrew will return for many more adventures. What do you think?

Hello, Sancho Panza

2004-10-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Don Andrew just skips the Grandpa (on the phone) anymore and goes straight to, Hello, Sancho Panza. He called sometime back to tell me about this very special rock he had found for me. He had to tell me every little detail.

When we arrived in East, TX (Somewhere in the vicinity of Lipan—wherever that is—and, don’t believe that Fort Worth is really Where the West Begins! That’s nearly as absurd as Abilene being the Key City of West Texas! Boy I got off—anyway, I think Lipan is even west of Fort Worth but East of Abilene, which is still not in West Texas.

After arriving in East, TX, we played around a little, ate, and otherwise enjoyed family fellowship together. I finally asked Don Andrew where this special rock he had for me was hiding. You guessed it! He had hidden it very close to some sticks. He ran out into the backyard. Now, in this backyard there are at least 1 kazillion rocks, some are quite beautiful I might add, as is the backyard.

You should have seen this little very special rock he had found for me. The only identifiable thing was that it was sort-of flat. Given a good tank (some folks say stock tanks while people up north of the Red River call them ponds; people down south call them pools. Can you imagine any on that? Anyway, I can’t wait to show Don Andrew how to skip rocks in a tank or lake someday.

Look, Grandpa, sticks! With one in each hand we were off on another adventure. There are many trees back there that must be attacked. This befuddled old laborer has yet to find Don Andrew a windmill. But, you just wait. Now that Don Andrew has seen that cartoon, he will end up having to fight one. He is extremely inventive and quite a brilliant little man. It’s easy to tell he took after his befuddled old sidekick.

We started this number with a phone call, didn’t we? Generally we talk for only a short time because he gets distracted by something else (something else he got from this befuddled old laborer), whereupon he will say, Do you want to talk to your daughter? I love you too Grandpa!

That’s the way he ends every message anymore. I can tell you it surely makes this befuddled old laborer a happy man to talk to Don Andrew.

LET'S DIG WORMIES!

2004-10-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

One day, Don Andrew said, Let’s go dig wormies, Grandpa. We get a very special kick out of doing that together. He’s not quite like his mom Doña Duchess who used to take the worms out of the worm box and clean them off, stretch them out and put them back in the box to watch them descend into the peat, only to start all over with another worm. She did that while youngest son and I fished and older son was trying to figure out a way to fall in, wherever we were fishing. I really think old Chad liked to swim instead of fish. Brett would fish for hours. Doña Grandma Sanchette (to Don Andrew) would mostly endure the glorious moments of this family outing. She would really rather camp out at the Holiday Inn.

I was telling a story, wasn’t I? After Don Andrew asks to dig wormies, this befuddled old laborer Don Sancho, gets one of Don Andrew’s shovels. You see, grandsons get more than one shovel. His first was from Home Depot and was in this little plastic plaything kit that has the lawnmower, rake, and shovel. Did you ever try to dig West of the Pecos dirt with a plastic shovel?

So, we broke out the A shovel. Why is it an A shovel, you might ask? Well, logically it’s because this befuddled old laborer went back to Home Depot and bought Don Andrew a real shovel just big enough to fit him. A little white tape to make an A on it and you have an A Shovel. Of course, you understand that. When we recently traveled the long distance to East, TX, Don Andrew called this befuddled old laborer and said, Grandpa, bring my A shovel. We can dig wormies at my house.

I was telling you a story, so be sure to reread the first line and we will get back on track. That particular day this befuddled old laborer and Don Andrew took the A shovel and went out under the tree. I sunk the shovel in the ground and told him, Andrew, you can turn it over, dump it, and see if there are any wormies. To this he grabbed the shovel and propelled the dirt straight up into the air, whereupon it landed on our heads. He often does this. It is very funny to Don Andrew.

Guess what was next? Look Grandpa, there’s a stick. Once again we were off into the world of chivalry. He told me he really wants one of those fighter things (a sword). Well that’s better than a light saber. So, here we are off again, Don Quixote and his faithful sidekick Sancho Panza.

I remember my second time through World Lit, one of the things I learned was that all Sancho was for was to protect Don Quixote from himself. The third time through, I discovered real meaning. So, Don Andrew goes forth to slay whatever is in the way, whether a sage bush or a big tree. He is afraid of nothing. But, whatever happened to the wormies?

Be looking forward to even bigger and better adventures. I really don’t know how it could get any better unless it could involve all my grandkids. I hope it can one of these days really soon.

THE EMERGENCE OF THE NEXT DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA!

2004-09-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

Grandpa, let’s ride in the wagon. I guess that’s how a lot of it began. We walked and we talked. There isn’t much that we have not discussed, at least for the capabilities of a 3 year old. Look Grandpa, a rock! Look Grandpa, an acorn! Now, an acorn is anything from a pecan to a pine cone. Grandpas and Grandsons understand these things.

Look Grandpa, a digger thingie! Guess what that is? It’s a railroad spike. Everyone should know that. We travel along the same railroad I traveled with his mom Doña Duchess. It’s out of the wagon and acquiring the digger thingie to dig up a half sunken brick. There is very little we can’t do. We don’t play with red ants. We chase butterflies. We pick flowers right out of Doña Sanchette Grandma’s flower garden.

We finally arrive at the park. Don Andrew begins to swing. If there were 25 swings he would try them all. He does the little slides but that’s never enough. He must go down the slide of slides. Only shortly does he ride the merry-go-round. He’s already attuned to bigger and better things.

I remember a song that goes like this: Sittin’ in the morning sun, I’ll be sittin’ when the evening comes. Watchin’ the ships come in, Then I watch ‘em roll away again. Yea! I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay watchin’ the time roll away. Ooh! I have a son who says this just has to be the most boring song of all time; seems like the dude hasn’t got much to do. But, we both love the song.

As Otis Redding sings on we see why he is there: he left Georgia to go to Firsco Bay because he got tired of trying to do what 10 people were telling him to do. 2000 miles he’s traveled just to be alone. Pretty drastic, wouldn’t you say? Some folks I know are a little more ingenious than that. Bill will be going fishing for a week on October 1. I really wouldn’t mind being there or Frisco Bay or San Diego on one of these hot West Texas afternoons. People have their way to figure out how to find a little peace and solitude a little closer to home than the song portrays. Perhaps they don’t sell as many records as O. R. does, but they are still ingenious.

I guess you’ve figured that I’ve found my own way of handling all that. I don’t like to be alone completely. In those days after he turned 3 I would pick Don Andrew up. Finally we went straight to the park. There were slides, swings, merry-go-rounds and everything else that should grab any kid’s attention. Guess what? We began a new era.

All that stuff to play on and Don Andrew looked over there on the ground and said, Look, Grandpa! A stick. About 50 sticks later and we file them all away in a safe place and go home. Of course, he had to take a tree stick with him. That’s a special kind of stick only Grandpas and Grandsons know about.

What did he do with those sticks while we were there? Well, he put one in each hand and began attacking trees, fences, and shrubs. If there had been a windmill there, it would have been in trouble. Thus was born Don Andrew, alias Don Quixote de la Mancha or vice versa.

Once he saw a cartoon to the effect, he was now Don Quixote and I was Sancho Panza. And that is not the end of the story. There are many adventures left to tell.

LITTLE DUCHESS GROWS UP, ETC.

2004-09-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Baseball was a family experience. Little Duchess began by being the batgirl on our Pee-Wee baseball team. She sat on Sancho Grandpa’s (To Don Andrew) knee a lot and sometimes even retrieved a bat. Mostly she played with the boys or the other batgirl. She got her coke at the end of the game and her trophy at the end of the season just like the boys.

At age 12 something shocking happened. Perhaps this befuddled laborer was not ready for this shocking occurrence. Perhaps he wasn’t really meant to understand everything but one day he made a discovery. Little Duchess wanted to play baseball, not girl’s softball, but baseball with the boys. And she did just that. She could hit with the boys—one night she got our only hit. She could field with the boys. Nothing could be hit past her. But, alas, she threw like a girl. I guess this befuddled old laborer couldn’t have everything. She held her own until mono wrecked her baseball career.

Little Duchess wasn’t so little anymore and she became quite feminine. She did play girls volleyball, was head cheerleader two years and feature twirler the last of those two years. She excelled academically.

And then, just about as quickly as she had arrived, she departed. It was of to university. Two of those years were spent here in Texas but, perhaps this befuddled old laborer cramped her style a little so she was ready to get on to bigger and better things. And, she did just that.

But, I really don’t think it was the cramping of style that drove her to the West Coast to attend Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. No, it was a guy. The Duchess had met her Duke. Now, this befuddled old laborer might suggest the Duke is one of the most brilliant men on the planet. The Duke proved his brilliance by marrying Little (now all grown up) Duchess, after, I might add most appropriately proposing to her on opening day at Dodger Stadium.

The Duke further demonstrated his superior intelligence by leaving that wasteland called the West Coast and moving to West, Texas. After a moderate length of time, together the duet decided to do the family thing. They did not talk that matter over with this befuddled old laborer, but that was all right too, and what could I expect since I had been watching from the sidelines now for about six years. After nine long months Don Andrew was born. From that point the entire world changed.

The somewhat befuddled laborer Sancho Grandpa and his faithful companion Doña Grandma were elated. As I write this we now have four of these new experiences called grandchildren. It’s a great day to be alive!

Don Andrew grew. At two I began to pick him up from his daycare. Unlike Little Duchess, his mother, he readily went to daycare but he was quite eager to see Sancho Grandpa when he arrived. He would run and fling himself at the befuddled old laborer. That began an altogether new adventure. To begin with he was Buzz. Don Andrew was almost obsessed with Buzz. He hasn’t changed a lot. So, he carried Buzz with him all the time—everywhere he went.

As he grew he never lost his attachment to Buzz but he graduated to Tarzan. This befuddled old laborer put a chain in the tree and Don Andrew did swing on that chain many, many times, busting his rear occasionally but never giving up. All of this would lead to bigger and better things that are yet to come.

THE LITTLE DUCHESS!

2004-09-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

The Duchess is almost another story. With three children and this somewhat befuddled laborer Sancho Grandpa, Sanchette had to go to work to secure enough money to raise three children. It was very hard times. We sometimes had to take the weevils out of the beans to have something to eat. We ate the beans, by the way.

Sanchette had never been anything but a great wife, companion, and super mom. She wanted to stay home with little Duchess as she had with the boys, but it became impossible.

Little Duchess was almost totally defiant when it came to going to daycare. Wow! Crying, dragging, hanging on to your leg with all fours, she finally let go each day and stayed- under complete duress. This went on for weeks.

All of this only further befuddled the otherwise already befuddled laborer Sancho Grandpa (to Don Andrew). Sancho could hardly stand it. He developed an even more compassionate heart. So, every afternoon that the befuddling labor wasn’t so great, Sancho would go pick up Little Duchess early from daycare.

What happened on all these days? It began with a kiss and a hug and a trip to the Jiffy Stop Grocery for a Pushup, when we could scrape a few pennies together. We did this as often as we could and, as time progressed, we added a very, very important activity to our list of daily activities.

This new activity was an absolute inspiration for this poor befuddled laborer Sancho Grandpa (To Don Andrew). The little Duchess and I began to walk. We walked alongside the railroad track. We crossed the track and went into the pasture. We found 100’s of treasures. Some of these we had to bring home with us. A significant amount of these treasurers were hidden all over the place. But, we always marked the way to the hiding place with arrows made with rocks. What an ingenious idea Little Duchess had.

What was more important than everything else that has been said so far? Relationship! That’s right! That’s really what this little Libra is all about. It’s a very one-sided perspective of one simple, somewhat befuddled man named Sancho Grandpa (To Don Andrew) who developed some marvelous relationships with his children and is now developing those same relationships with his grandchildren.

It’s a great day to be alive!

THE BEGINNINGS!

2004-09-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

You thought it all ended somewhat near where it all began, somewhere near La Mancha in central Spain. Not so! There are so many more stories; so many adventures. You can only imagine where this might lead.

I guess it all began years ago. There was this little girl named Duchess. Having enjoyed a marvelous relationship with two older sons, Duchess was quite a surprise. She was unplanned. This was not the beginning of Unplanned Parenthood, which is in no way related to Planned Parenthood. We couldn’t afford the two we had, but there’s another. But, you can’t send them back.

Of course, I didn’t want to send her back and I’ll be very honest about it all. I wanted a daughter so badly because when I was 17 years of age my mom had my third little sister. I’m quite surprised she is worth anything at all, but she is extremely successful with a wonderful little family.

My little sister could have been rotten-to-the-core since she was the apple of my eye and I had lots of friends. They too thought she was their little sister and we all played with her at 2 and 3 years of age. She went places with us. She was super-entertained and super-loved.

Perhaps that’s where this part of my adventure begins. That was 45 years ago. I guess I need to introduce myself in light of all this. I’m Sancho; just simple Sancho. I will never be anyone else. I’m the somewhat befuddled laborer Don Andrew got for a Grandpa.

And, who’s Don Andrew? You will find out in due time. This is a story about the Adventures of Don Andrew and his faithful squire Sancho Grandpa. That will come later and will continue since it is a marvelous adventure that is presently in progress, even though Don Andrew has moved from West, TX to East, TX.

There are several ways you can approach all this. I think to ignore it would be your loss. To criticize it is okay; that’s your privilege. I always have something to share and to check all this out and try to unravel it all will indeed be an adventure for you. Don’t forget, I’m just a befuddled laborer Don Andrew got for a Grandpa. I have lots of great stuff to share with you, but remember, it’s my perspective you will be receiving—just plain old Sancho Grandpa

2004-02-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Don & Sancho Ride Again