West Meets East

Last Friday evening while at my Dad's, he mentioned that his great-grand sons (my great nephews) will be having lunch with him on Saturday. 

He hasn't seen them in a few years. Since I will there anyway, I thought it would give me another opportunity to photograph kids. I don't get the chance too often, so this would be fun!

My sister, Violet, I mean Jo-Ann, planned to bring lunch in for the boys.....aged 8, 6.5, and 5. So dad and I decided to eat before they came.......would make more room for them at the table. Their mother and grandmother will be eating too.

These brothers are from California. My nephew, after he got his degree, headed west to a job at a great company.....where he met his wife who just so happened to be from Nova Scotia as well!

We don't get a chance to see these guys too often, so I wanted to get some really good photos of them.

When they arrived they were full of energy but also very focused on what I had asked.....that is if they minded that I take some pictures of them. Their Mom was OK with it, so away I went.....snap, snap, snapping all over the place! 

At first they wanted to pose but I nixed that and suggested to them that they should try and pretend I wasn't there. It worked for the two younger ones. The 'older boy' was more aware of the camera.

After lunch, the 'older boy' challenged Dad to a game of 'crib'. He had just learned to play and was anxious to try out his skills with Dad. He was confident that he could beat his great-grandfather.

Let the game begin! 

All three boys couldn't 'get over' the fact that Dad was 95 years old! Dad of course 'played' on this for their entertainment. Dad is very good with kids.....should be, he had nine of his own!

The 'youngest boy' stood by Dad the whole game....mostly just staring at him! And laughing at Dad's antics.

The 'older boy' was very focused and would try to ignore Dad's taunts and distractions. The 'on-lookers' were having a hoot just watching the interactions between Dad and the boys.

The game progressed at a steady pace and the 'older boy' was in the lead for much of the game....until they were"neck 'n neck" on the home stretch. And it was then that he got the hand he needed to win! And he did.

And the 'winner' is below on the right!

The 'loser' is below my himself!

Dad of course pretended that he was very upset and had told them that he would cry if he lost.

They were thrilled by all his 'acting'. And I asked Dad how old he was when he learned to play crib. He said that he was 10 years old.......only two years older than his great-grandson.

The 'quote of the day', as there is bound to be with this mixture of individuals in one place, was by the 'youngest boy' when he tried to console Dad for his loss. He said: "You can play my brother again in five years when you will be 1000 years old!" We all laughed our heads off! What's an extra zero anyway!

It was so much fun to spend time with these kids. They reminded me of their father when he was young.....just in the little gestures they had that they obviously 'learned' from him.

It was a joy for me to see them and to watch them interact with Dad........who completely mesmerized them with his appearance (that of a very old man) and his antics.

I think everyone who doesn't have children should try to spend some time in their presence. Now I can just hear you parents out there!