bigwavedave
By David Powdrell
Here’s the deal…my favorite day of the week is Wednesdays. Fridays are pretty sweet, and I like Thursdays a lot, but on Wednesdays my wife and I get to spend the day with my best friend, our grandson Henry.
Special Wednesdays started 29 years ago when our second child, Madison, started elementary school. It was a way to give my wife a break during the week.
Candidly, Special Wednesdays were a challenge at first…I wasn’t aware of the time, energy, and laser focused attention it took to care for two children for more than a few hours at a time. I’m just an accountant.
But I grew into Special Wednesdays. The days gave me an opportunity to introduce our children to the magic of our community through the eyes of a goofball father. We would visit the beach when the waves got huge, sitting in quiet awe. We would spend time analyzing and discussing major works of art at the museum. We would crack each other up watching the penguins and the meerkats at the zoo. Bookstores, libraries, hiking trails, and Amtrak adventures were randomly added to the schedule as the weeks went by.
But children grow up too fast. When high school hit, Special Wednesdays sadly went to the wayside. Girlfriends and boyfriends, sports, peers, and computers took over. It was hard letting go.
But just recently something incredible happened! Our grandson, Henry, was born! Henry lives only seventeen miles away! Special Wednesdays are BACK BABY!
He’s only three now, but with Grammy as a fellow conspirator, Henry makes pies, paints incessantly, spends lots of time at the beach, gardens, looks for worms and lizards, rides the train, loves visiting the firehouse, singing and playing the piano, and so much more!
I’m confident that Pop Pop gets more out of it than anyone.
The thrill of Special Wednesdays is back. I just thought it’d be fun to share a rather random life experience that continues to have a fun and positive impact on my life.
