Feeling old
Grandad July 31st, 2008
Bugger me, but I’m getting old.
I woke this morning at seven [that's part of old age - waking early].
I was pottering around the kitchen, when the door handle to the lobby started rattling. The door can be a tad stiff at times, so I opened it. There was Puppychild, looking all fresh and perky.
“Good morning, Grandad” she said with a cheeky little grin.
“Good morning,” I replied [my mother taught me to be polite], “and how are you?”
“I’m fine,” she said, “are you OK?”
“I’m grand,” says I, but I felt old.
So we had a fine conversation about the weather and the state of the world.
Later she asked if she could watch cartoons on television. I tried not to be old and narkey, so I let her.
Those cartoons drove me to the pits of despair. It is no wonder that modern children all talk with American accents and use the most appalling slang. The characters were saying things like “awesome” and “todally radigal” every two seconds. The advertisements were even worse. I felt as old as the hills.
Later, Puppychild spotted a pack of sweets high on a shelf and demanded them. I don’t know how she spotted them, as the shelf was in the lobby where it is dark, and even I had difficulty seeing them, and I’m over twice her height. I refused her the sweets, as it was too early in the day, and I felt very old.
She is a forgiving child though. I made her some toast instead, and she is now on the floor at my feet doing a jigsaw puzzle.
She is disapproving of cameras.
I like being a Grandad.
In fact, I like being old.
- Getting old
- Comments(43)
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As the saying does, “If I had know how much fun grandchildren were, I would have had them first”.
Ahhh isn’t she beautiful! I am not blessed with grandchildren yet but how good to be able to give them back! Enjoy your day Grandad!
Jim – “and I would have stopped there”.
Kate – She is a little beauty. She is great fun and very good natured, except when she reverts to being a puppy. She has a very high pitched yap that goes right through my head!
Bet she gets round you with one look from those pretty eyes though!!!
It’s not just the eyes. She has a winning nature, but I’m toughening. Mind you – I’m still going to spoil her something rotten, just to annoy her mother!
Thats what they are for! Can’t wait.
I’m hoping to put off grandchildren for as long as humanly possible. So in about 8 years time I’ll need a shotgun and a big dog to greet any ‘gentleman’ callers for my eldest.
She has a look of fear in her eyes, I think she preferred cartoons to jigsaw.
I see you also have Wouldye for the day too!
You certainly have your hands full!!
She is adorable.
That black cushion on the couch doesn’t look too comfy mind.
Thrifty – You’ll need more than a shotgun. Myself and Twenty offer services in that department.
King Bob – She doesn’t know fear. She was the one who asked for the jigsaw. She really hates cameras though, hence the look.
Robert – Yes. Wouldye again. *sigh* But I do need more golfballs…..
Lottie – I know all our geese are swans, but yes – she is adorable. I love her to bits.
Hey, Narocroc – Welcome!! You got stuck in Moderation!! That black cusion is the infamous Wouldye [as in "Wouldye get off the fucking couch"], provider of golfballs and shifter of rocks. He has less brain cells per ounce than a politician.
I see her look is not fear but disdain for the old man with the camera who won’t let her get on with her busy life without insisting on taking photos.
lovely girl – looks like she sees Jack Nicholson axing his way out of the bathroom. Getting old is the best. Believe it or not, I know the daily timetables of both Disney and Nick jnr. Dont ask.
She relies on you for sweets, staying up late, not eating brocoli, big presents – everything in fact you did not do for your own kids! Go on, spoil her rotten. Who are you to judge? That’s what her parents are for. Do they pay babysitting fees? Does the pope shit in the woods.
Getting old means I can now sign off and go to the Office. During the afternoon.
Lovely post and comments today. Unfortunately I am off to the docs for the annual finger up the bum.
King Bob – I only took one. Any more than that and I would have been scared. There are some things even I am afraid of!
Kerryview – The only rule in this house is that Grandad and Herself are not irritated. Outside that, anything goes. I love filling her full of Coke and sweets just before they leave for home, so they can experience the full sugar-rush.
TT – Enjoy!!
Thanks for the welcome Grandad, and for the Wouldye headsup. Looks like a fine golfball-providing beast! What happens when ya fill Wouldye full of coke and sweets?!?
NaRocRoc – You’re welcome for the welcome. Wouldye’s idea of a fun afternoon is bringing boulders into the house for us to throw for him. If he has no access to boulders, he spits bits of paper onto my lap. He is a very strange and very big beast. I must try Coke just before he leaves next time. They are all gone now….
“The characters were saying things like “awesome” and “todally radigal” every two seconds. The advertisements were even worse.”
What was she watching?
I remember my grandparents being the quiet un frustratable type.
Then I found her secret stash and his hidden grot. That was in interesting day for all!!!
TheChrisD – I have no idea. It was one of the children’s channels, but I don’t know which one. I think the programme [?] was Scooby Doo.
Maxi – If it weren’t for our hidden stashe we’d be royally fucked. We are always nice and ‘relaxed’ when they arrive. If Puppychild ever found our hidden stash, she’d be in trouble!
She is a beautiful little girl! I bet you’ve already got her spoiled rotten.
she looks like she was caught pilfering something! my son is about that age (almost 5), and I wouldn’t trade him for the world.
well, maybe.
right now, he’s arguing with his 2-year-old (tomorrow) sister about the merits of the alternative Doctor Who theme compilation on youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_ZxldeB43M
Danny – Of course she is spoiled rotten. That’s what Grandads are for!
Kae – She is coming up to four [in October]. Dr Who isn’t cartoony or scary enough for her. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY for tomorrow.
Scooby Doo is ‘da bomb!
I am sorry for anyone that has to endure “Dora the Explorer”, especially yuz non-’Merkans. 
Two seconds of “Backpack..backpack” and I’m ready to shoot the TV! 
Oh god, don’t start Jeff! You’re getting that little piece of crap stuck in my head!
Graaah! Must kill it!
Well, I was going to take inspiration from fight club (rubber band and a sharp knife), but maybe I’ll outsource.
JD – Sadly, Dora the Explorer is one of her favourites, along with Spongebob. They all drive me up the wall.
TheChrisD – You hold it down, and I’ll apply the electrodes.
Thrifty – Everyone seems to outsource these days. It is apparently the accepted business model?
eh?
speak up, i can’t hear you, man!
I am totally paranoid about the prospect of becoming a grandparent . . .never liked toddlers much, not even my own so perish the thought . . hopefully I’ll warm to the idea by the time mine start to breed! She’s cute tho, looks like her mum! I’m all for the spoiling tho, that’s a grandparent’s responsibility . . .then send ‘em home bouncing off the walls thanks to a sugar rush!
Lovely post. I really need to do something about becoming a Dad first!
Aww so you are actually an old softie, full of toffee and fluff. I bet you are just the sweetest grandpa… hee hee. How far did you say you can fling a crap?
Doc – Who said that?
Baino – You have done the hard bit. Grandkids are a doddle. Sit back and enjoy ‘em when the time comes. And fill ‘em full of sugar!
Le Craic – Don’t bother with that. Just skip that phase altogether and go straight to grandchildren. It’s cheaper and a lot less trouble.
Michelle – Never believe a word I write. The reason she is putting on that face in the photograph is because I just fed her doll’s head to the dog.
What a sweetie! I’ll bet she’s afraid you caught her at something and plan to give the photo to her mother… and yes, the crap on television would fry anyone’s brain… honestly, at least the stuff we watched as kids was half-aimed at adults, too… I wouldn’t be able to sit through this stuff for anyone, no matter how small and cute! And kids have built-in radar for sweets – they do not need to see them. They know if they are in the next room, somehow… enjoy spoiling her… my grandfather taught me to swear in Gaelic – I hope you’ll give some thought to her education at some point….
How gorgeous is she?!
Great expression too
Grandad, that’s a great post. She’s beautiful.
Aw she’s gorgeous. My Grandparents were the same – we used to stay for the weekend and snuggle up in bed with my Gram and a huge bar of chocolate. We had cans of coke, crisps and biscuits on tap too. No matter us poor parents get such a hard time!!! Shame on you Grandad!!
Cathy – I don’t know how parents can aloow their children to watch that stuff day in and day out. I only put it on as a ‘treat’ for her as she doesn’t have television at home. She showed her intelligence though, as she quickly got bored with it. I must look up some of my old Irish words!!
Annie – That is her sour disapproving expression. She doesn’t trust cameras and usually looks away. I was lucky to capture that moment.
Darren – She is. We’re crazy about each other!
E Mum – The greatest joy of being a grandparent is being able to put on an expression of complete innocence when there is anything to be done. We just hand her back to her mother!!
A few thoughts in no specific order…
Looks a bit like her mother now doesn’t she? And I agree, spoil her silly and be glad for the opportunity. When it comes to your now grown children, vengeance is always best applied through the grandchildren I always say.
Doesn’t sound like the old Warner Brothers cartoons I watched when I was a single digit midget. I’m not much impressed with anything they have on the television these days. Must be why I haven’t had any (cable, satellite, whatever) hookups in 15 or so years. Pay a lot of money for 143 channels of crap.
So that’s why I keep waking up at 5:00 AM every morning and finally getting up at 7:00 AM out of sheer exasperation.
And never feel bad about withholding sweets. It’s just self preservation guiding you.
Sure and it sounds like Puppychild is very lucky little lady to have such a fine grandad.
AW – look at those great big big puppydog eyes! How irrisistably adorable is she?!!! What a lucky Grandad you are!
Enjoy!
They are her Rottweiler eyes ["Put that fucking camera down NOW!!"]