Tuesday I asked the kids to pick one fun thing to do: (1) go the Como pool (my first choice), (2) go to the MN Zoo and look at the butterfly exhibit again (my second choice) and (3) go to the “pond” and collect pinecones (Harper, Grandma and I did this in the early spring and H loved it—we still have a bowl full of pinecones on display from that adventure). H&G chose … the pond.

I didn’t pout much and we all had a blast. The kids meet a new friend, Annabelle, who lives right by the pond. Grandma showed H how to make interlocking rings out of white pine needles, so she worked diligently at it until she got it—and then she even managed to teach this big-fingered Grandpa how to do it! Amazing! Us old ones sat in the shade of a tree, talking with Annabelle’s mom, watching the three kids run around and around the large pine trees and along the pond, collecting pinecones, needles and assorted other treasures. A perfect summer afternoon. Ain’t retirement grand?!