Sunday, July 10, 2011

Dominic Time

Feeling a bit low - and, spending time with my grandson, Dominic, is a time proven pick me up. It has been a while since Dom and I spent alone time together. I invited Dominic for a ride and a picnic in the park.

Dom and I have spent a lot of time driving and doing various activities on Hines Drive - part of the Wayne County Park system. We have done this since he was a baby.

First the food - Dom ordered pizza and salad (antipasto)with Italian bread from DeLuca's. They make the best! Picked up a bottle of Cherry Coke and a few plums at Kroger's; then picked up the take out.

Dom insisted on paying for the pop - something he learned from his Dad Mike - "to always offer to pay and do your part." Excellent lesson to learn!!!

We entered Hines Drive through the Inkster Road entrance. Proceeded to scout for picnic location - we didn't want to be around a lot of people.
We continued driving until we arrived at one of our favorite spots in Plymouth. Dom literally played in this area as a young child.

We shared stories - Dom is into cars and anxious to drive, except that Dad Mike has not been encouraging so far. Dom is fascinated by car speed and car make. Dom would like to learn how to fly. He is thinking of becoming a policeman or a lawyer or a computer hacker??? He talked about a concert he attended with friends at Comerica Park - saw some jets flying very close to the buildings in Detroit??? He wants to get a job!!! His parents are hypocrites - everyone his age thought that about parents including myself -Dom looked at me with surprise.

I talked about Mommy Flor - he asked lots of questions about her. Sometimes it is difficult for the children and the younger folks to understand,that I had this whole other life, peopled with folks that they never knew and will never get to know, except from my sharing of memories.

Shared with him the influence and significance Mommy Flor played in my formative years. The lessons of inclusiveness and never giving up (persistence)- she taught me lot more. She is one of the wonderful folks in Catmon who parented me when my parents were not around - with lots of acceptance, affirmations and encouragement. Told him a couple of stories about her. I am very blessed and very grateful to have known her when I did.

We talked about family - the good and the bad; dignity and hypocrisy! Explained to him that families are made up of human beings who makes mistakes then we forgive and love anyway.

Dom and I,love Northville and miss living there. When I win the lotto, that is where I will live. After driving through downtown Northville, we proceeded to our favorite ice cream place for dessert - Guernsey's in Novi. One scoop of Swiss Chocolate Almond for me in a plain cone and Moose Tracks for Dom in a waffle cone. We ate our ice cream by the rocks surrounding an huge oak tree on Novi Road.

It occured to me that something is needed to make Catmon a destination place, like Guernsey's - cars with families, boy friends and girl friends, young and old - coming and going, eating ice cream among the huge boulders, outdoors - laughing and talking. Families from Novi and Northville apartment complexes and subdivisions walking to get ice cream, bakery and dairy products.

Watched Dom - marveled on how he towers over the rocks,not so long ago I had to lift him to get on top. Where did the time go?

"It was hard work to get on top of those rocks but the feeling was so good when I finally made it on top of each of them by myself, Grandma." That's the feeling of success -it always takes hard work and lots of effort.

How did he get so grown up? Always on his cell phone, texting his girlfriend.

Leaning against one of the rocks, we watched a blue heron heading home and the half moon high in the darkening sky. Time to head for home!

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