My Little Monkeys

My granddaughter Annabella, 6 in August, graduates the end of this month... from kindergarten. I'm not sure if this will involve a robe and cap-with-tassel, but there was never any doubt in my mind that it would require a graduation present.

So. What to get a kid that has everything? If not two or three of everything. Her parents don't leave many blanks for us to fill in, but I do know that if something is either (a) big enough or (b) noisy enough, chances are her parents won't buy it for her.

So we bought her a Monkey Bar Set.

Thankfully, one of my sons and daughters-in-law came over and helped assemble it. Completed, it stands nearly 6' high, and its diameter is 10' -- which sounds obtrusive, except that we have a large yard and there is a stand of trees toward the back of the property, that pretty much hides the bright red and blue barred dome from sight -- until you cross over a little foot bridge we built, that leads through shrubbery to a hidden area we call "The Special Secret Playground Place."

Until today there was only a swing set there, with additional slide, teeter totter and so on. Oh yes and, of course, a rocking (jumping) horse and a little tent. Now, with the Monkey Bar Set, we're stopping -- before the the neighbors turn us in for operating a playground without a license.

When Annabella and her sister visited this afternoon, we announced we were giving her her graduation present early, and that it was something intended for her sister as well. We played "Hot and Cold" while she tried hunting for it, finally figuring out that she had to go through the back door before my clues went from "Warm, warmer," to "Hot." She then went straight to the vegetable garden, looking somewhat dejected. Maybe she was expecting zucchini. But I turned her toward the swimming pool and she raised her gaze, looked past it to the little footbridge, and past that to notice a hint of red and blue bars in the shape of a dome.

OMG. I don't think her feet hit the ground all the way to the new contraption, little sister Evelyn hot on her heels. Their grins could not have been any wider, and the squealing was delightful. They climbed -- upward, downward, sideways, in and out, and swung (swang?) by hands, arms, and knees. Over it, through it, all around it... without even stopping for breath. My little monkeys. Aside from lots of laughter and "Look-at-me"s, Annabella managed several "This is AWESOME!"s and "THANK you Gramma and Grampa!"s. I think we made a wise choice.

Underneath and around the Monkey Bar Set we've spread homemade mulch that took us weeks of arduous labor to produce in our chipper, gathering tree clippings and twigs and dried leaves from the yard. The mulch rests now like a mattress beneath the dome, about six inches deep. If the girls topple, I'm sure they'll bounce.

As for Gramma and Grampa, all I can say is, "Thank goodness for hugs and kisses, Epsom Salt, Ben Gay, Ibuprofren, a good night's sleep and sweet dreams filled with grandkids." I think her next graduation will be from 6th grade. By the time that rolls around, I'm sure she'll be thrilled with something as simple as a card with a check in it.