March 23, 2021 at 4:38 p.m.

Skateboarding dino is good for soul

As I See It

Sometimes all a person needs is to watch a video of a dinosaur on a skateboard speeding down the middle of a dead end street. It puts everything into perspective.

Earlier in the week I had called to tell grandson, Jacob, happy birthday. Instead of hearing Jacob’s voice, our daughter, Beth picked up the phone. They were on the way to the doctor’s to get Jacob checked out. He had been feeling tired and lethargic lately. It is unusual for him to not have enough energy to do what he wants to.

When Beth called me back she said that he had tested positive for COVID-19. That has to be the most unwanted birthday present ever. In addition to the usual fears about what the virus could do, there was the business of having to keep both boys at home for the next two weeks.

The restrictions in Texas are different from what they are in Indiana. The grandchildren have been going to school for most of the school year. Remote learning is an option if needed. None of them like remote learning. Plus, someone has to babysit while the parents are at work. Beth’s step-sister, Rachel and her new baby, Astrid, were called on to help out. There was one small thing nobody knew about before Rachel and her baby moved in for an extended visit. Rachel had asymptomatic COVID-19. If they had known ahead of time, they wouldn’t have asked her to babysit. If she had known ahead of time, she wouldn’t have accepted the job.

As of the last time I talked to them, Rachel and baby were sequestered upstairs as much as possible. It seems a little like closing the barn doors after the horses got out. We are hoping that is enough to keep Nicholas from getting the virus.

Granddaughter, Emma, is stuck at her dad’s house for the next two weeks. There are no guarantees that this will keep her from getting the virus, but it should help lessen her chances of getting sick.

I check to see if the skateboarding dinosaur is still where I last saw him. Apparently the dinosaur is now playing basketball with Jacob. This tells me two things, one, a dinosaur costume doesn’t slow down my youngest grandson, Nicholas, and two, Jacob has enough energy to beat him at basketball. This is good news for both of them.

The costume itself makes it look like a stuffed dinosaur ate Nicholas. The boy’s face looks out from the costume’s neck. You’ve heard of getting a frog stuck in your throat? Well, this is Nicholas stuck in a dinosaur’s throat. 

It reminds me of when they were little and we would go down for a visit. For a while, none of the kids wore regular clothes. They lived in superhero costumes. Nicholas would hand me whichever costume he wanted and demand that I put it on him. I thought they had outgrown that until I saw Nicholas playing in the street. I doubt if either of his siblings wear costumes any more. 

With all the gloom and doom we are surrounded with these days a little sunshine is always welcome. What better way of defeating all the negatives than to watch a dinosaur skateboarding in the middle of the street or playing basketball with his brother? 
PORTLAND WEATHER

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