Grandpa finished up his 60's with style. We toasted him with champagne.
He opened presents.
Grandma made him a cake. Candles were not considered prudent because the cake was not thought to be structurally sound. But it tasted good.
Grandpa got some quality time with Spud. Here he's teaching him the fine art of couch chillin'. By the time he is a teenager he will have perfected this skill.
Grandma got some quality time too.
Mountain Lake is where the movie 'Dirty Dancing' was filmed. Claire has seen this movie about 200 times. While we were there, Claire met a handsome and brooding dance instructor with a propensity for shirtlessness. Their love was doomed because he was from the wrong side of the tracks and because that puffy-haired girl got there first.
So we had to settle for visits to all of the movie-related locations on the hotel grounds, helpfully marked by signs.
Patrick Swayze stepped over this chain in the movie. I'm not sure if he was shirtless at the time or not.
The best part of the weekend for the rest of us was the delicious buffet food in the hotel. During one 24 hour period, I consumed no less that 5 pieces of pie and cake. I will star in a new sequel: 'Chubby Dancing'. Spud semed a little disgusted at the gluttony, but he put away a considerable amount of food himself.
There was a giant checker board. He played it using Spud rules, which involves pushing all of the pieces into one another and then off the board entirely. He also got to swim in the pool and got to swing on a real swing for the first time ever.
And even though "Nobody puts Baby in the corner", we did in fact put the baby in the corner.
GREAT post, John. I was really happy to have the "best present ever" - my whole family there as I wandered into my eighth decade on the planet. My gym trainer noted that my legs were a little tender from walking up and down the hill at Mountain Lake, to/from meals, etc. Downhill, it was only 1/2 mile. Back uphill, it was easily 2 miles - with a headwind and 20 below zero...no wait, that's my "school kid story." But, it did give us a workout and no doubt helped us shed maybe 0.002% of the calories we consumed. (The food was good..does that mean fewer calories?)
ReplyDeleteGrandpa Chadwick
Happy birthday to Grandpa Chadwick from the Grimms.
ReplyDeleteAs to Jim's concern about calories, Erma Bombeck once advised that all calories consumed while standing (e.g. at the kitchen counter during meal preps) do not count in one's totals, weighing against targeted limits. So, stand up and chow down!
Many happy returns, Jim.
That's the way the cake was SUPPOSED to look...it's the HAV...(high altitude version)...check out the photo in Gourmet magazine...looks almost the same exactly...
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It was a fabulous weekend..Jim loved his gift..and having everyone share...we need to do this again soon.
Thanks to everyone for the birthday best wishes. One thing for sure: having a grandson sure does't make you feel older....just the opposite!
ReplyDeleteJim/Grandpa C.