Flat Rock

For almost 20 years whatever auto we were in would stop at the sight of flat rocks.  We hauled rocks from all over southwest Missouri into our back yard.  Those rocks stayed at 3871 having assumed different locations through the years.  They might serve as stepping stones or be laid in retaining walls.  You see, the yard was never really declared to be finished.  I was always coming up with some sort of improvement.  Or maybe the rock would tell me it was not happy where I had placed it.  That is all in my rear view mirror these days.

I still spot flat rocks.  In this area at the edge of Texas Hill Country there are lots of flat rocks.  We do not stop to pick them up these days.  There are no walls to build nor paths to pave.  There are 3 grandsons to watch play soccer and lacrosse.  Friday night in Round Rock we watched Oldest play lacrosse.  Saturday morning was a soccer game for him in Pflugerville.  That game ended and fifteen minutes and 16 miles away Youngest grandson had a game beginning.  Son was the coach so he left Oldest's game with instructions for us to take Oldest for food and meet at Youngest's game.

The mission of feeding and transporting was accomplished and there were 5 minutes left in the game when we arrived.  Youngest was splayed across the bench just goofing off the last few minutes of the game.  He has played all he would in the game.  Game over, equipment gathered and returned.  Out to autos to rejoin 31 miles away for a lacrosse makeup game.  There were two hours before we needed to be in place for the lacrosse game.  We arrived in plenty of time so decided to stop for a shake.  Sugared up we cheered Oldest to a loss.  Now it was time to go to the last game of the day.  This one was back 32 miles across town.  Middle grandson gave his all in the 0-3 defeat.  Had he not blocked 4 or 5 goal attempts the loss would have been greater.

We spent 10 hours on the road and on the sidelines supporting our son and grandsons.  We were tired when we arrived home at about 7:30 PM.  Son was in the airport awaiting his departure to Australia.  I do not know how the families keep up this pace of games for all the children and full time work.  We showered after a simple meal of fried egg sandwiches and settled into the familiar lounge chairs.

Yes, we were tired and not a single rock had been loaded.  No pictures of flower covered fields had been taken.  All we had done was loved our grandsons enough to drive almost 100 miles to watch them play games.  We wanted nothing more that to get up on Sunday and drive another 50 miles round trip to watch Middle play goalie in the  last game of this weekend.  The game was a tie and Middle did his signature flip at the end of the game.  Grandpa thinks it is like Ozzie of Cardinals fame.  Life is good.