Olive is Fourteen!

 

by Pa Rock

Proud Grandfather

My oldest granddaughter, Olive Noel Macy, is fourteen today.   She is a freshman in high school where she stays busy playing volleyball, attending ballgames, going to dances, and, oh yes, working hard at her studies.  In addition to being very socially oriented and active, Olive also finds time to be a good student.  

Olive is a surprisingly good chess player, a skill she learned from her father.

A special memory of mine is when Olive and I went to see a professional stage production of "Hamilton" in Kansas City on my 75th birthday.  She was eleven - and we both enjoyed the show and the evening immensely.

Olive is growing up very fast, but when Rosie and I are at home we still refer to her as "Baby Olive."   She was only two years old (almost three) when Rosie, who was six weeks old, came to live at my house.  I told Olive about Rosie over the phone and asked her if she had any ideas for a name for my very tiny puppy, and Olive, without hesitating, said "Rosie," and so Rosie it was!  From that day to the present whenever we are about to head north to visit Olive and her family, I tell Rosie that we are going to see "Baby Olive," and she immediately begins to wag her tail and do her happy dance!

We both love our trips to see Baby Olive, and her parents, Tim and Erin, and her little brother, Sully.  They always make us feel welcome, and Olive, in particular, greets me with a big hug and makes a special effort to spend some time with her old grandfather during each of his visits.  Our next trip up that way will probably be in December when Olive and her family and I will attend an annual stage production of "A Christmas Carol" at the KC Rep, a tradition which we began when Olive was four-years-old.  She's growing up fast, but so far she hasn't outgrown the magic of Mr. Scrooge navigating the streets of Victorian London while dealing with his troublesome ghosts - and I hope she never does!

Happy birthday, Olive.  Study hard, and enjoy being fourteen!