Fall Break in Batesville

Ben was so excited about our visit to Batesville for Fall Break that I don't think he truly slept for an entire week! The day before we left, he wanted to pack his suitcase in the morning before school. He settled for doing it immediately after school. Packing up our family for two nights at my parents' is a CHORE. Nonetheless, we made it out the door by 10 a.m. on Thursday morning. The minute my dad walked in the door after our arrival, Ben said, "Grandpa, I'm ready to go fishing!" (Didn't even give my poor dad a chance to change out of his business clothes before he attacked him.) Dad was Grandpa-on-the-Go all weekend. He took the kids fishing twice, on a long wagon ride to the post office, out to some soccer fields and a park, and to the farm to "hunt" for hickory nuts. When they came home from the nut-hunt, Maggie was so proud to show us the full ear of feed-corn she found in the field (which she put out for the squirrels), and Ben had a ball smashing the nuts with a hammer.

Daddy, Grandpa, & Ben fishing on Crosstie Lane

Java managed to take a swim too. She was SO excited about the fish! She has never done this before, despite all the coaxing from us. Wouldn't you know it, she chose the weekend at my parents' to dive into the mud and water. Brian had to bathe her before she could set foot (paw) back in their house. She smelled like my mom's shampoo for the rest of the weekend, which wasn't a bad thing!

Ben told me that Grandpa used "plizers" to remove the hook from the fish.

Ben's expression here is too good to pass by. I wish I had gotten more pictures of Maggie.

After their second fishing excursion, Ben came home w/ a bluegill in a bucket. He wanted to keep it as a pet. He named it "Blue" (creative, huh?). Grandpa allowed him to keep the fish for the remainder of the day. Java did not leave her post next to the bucket the entire time. She kept a good eye on that fish. At one point, Ben went outside to check on Blue, and he found the fish had flopped out of the bucket and into a pile of dry leaves. Grandpa put the poor, still-gasping thing back in the bucket, and it seemed to spring back to life. My dad said the fish swam away happily as soon as they returned it to the pond and its freedom. I heard Grandpa teaching Ben a lesson about how all life is precious.