Ten years ago, I never would have imagined myself in this situation.
“I won!” he says to me now. “Come on, can’t you do better?”
I grit my teeth. I’ve never been good at this kind of thing. Even as a young girl I never attempted it.
But now, I stand at the top of my second story loft, holding my arm as far back as I can and then releasing the object in my hand as hard as possible toward the open space below. I aim away from the living room’s high ceiling and down to areas full of fragile glass objects, candles, framed photos, and a three-foot-long delicate wooden ship carved in a tropical island and shipped painstakingly to New England.
I try my best to miss these tender objects and hit my intended target – the deck glass doors all the way across the living room.
“You missed!” my cohort chortles. “I won again!”
“No!” I blurt out, suddenly getting fiercely competitive. “Three times out of five. This was only my second attempt.”
My 7-year-old grandson hands me my injured paper plane. “I think you need to make a new one first, Madre.”
Not a chance, I mutter to myself. It took me half an hour to make this one, while Clark made three perfect ones in 10 minutes.
I smooth out the nose of my plane and mumble, “This will be fine.” We climb the stairs back to the loft and the balcony.
“You fly yours first, Madre,” Clark says, a true gentleman.
I grit my teeth and let ‘er fly.
Uh oh, the wooden ship begins to teeter…
Haha! Made me smile first thing this morning! 🙂
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And I bet you have a beautiful smile! 😁
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Aww! Thanks!
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🙂
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Perfectly crafted bit of flash fiction here, Pam. It evoked genuine curiosity from the get-go.
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Some things are better left to seven year olds. I used to love folding papers into hats, boats and airplanes. I can still do the hat that turns into a boat but I forgot about the airplanes.Have fun and enjoy your cute grandson.
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You’re way of head of me on paper plane making! I’m impressed that you used to be able to do all that-and can still make a boat out of paper. It’s all a miracle to me! 🤔
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One of the few things I remember.
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🙂
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Loved it. I can see that wooden ship teetering…
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It was a rocky ride, for sure. 😲 Fortunately the “seafaring vessel” righted itself.
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The things we do for our grandchildren! It sounds like fun and what could possibly go wrong. I´m sure the ship was OK. How much damage could a paper airplane do?? You are one cool Madre!
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The way I make and throw paper airplanes-I could have done quite a bit of damage actually. But my grandson helped me out. 😏 I love how much patience he has with me. 😝
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They do have a lot of patience with us, don´t they? Bless them!
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That’s a fun story, Pam. I was pleased when I finally found out that it was a paper plane competition. My mind didn’t know where to go before that. What a fun competition with your grandson!
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I love starting a story with a hook, Norah. I wonder where everyone’s imaginations went before they figured out I was talking about a paper airplane. 😏
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I was thinking of a scene from the War of the Roses maybe – great destruction!
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Ah, yes, that could get nasty, for sure. ;-0
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What a fun post. You had me really wondering in the beginning. Time spent with grandchildren is the best.
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I will admit I prefer playing checkers or Uno with this 7-year-old rather than flying paper planes. At least I have a chance of winning then. 😳 😝
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Love making airplanes with my grandkids, great story! Love smiling first thing on Friday morning too!
Have a great weekend!
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I’m so happy that my story gave you a Friday morning smile, Sharon. Thinking of you with a huge hug. ✈️
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Thank you! Hugs back at you!
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XOXOXO
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It’s sounds like you have so much fun with your grandson. I remember you writing another post about a competition playing a game. 🙂
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We do have a good time together, Merril. I think because we both have a competitive streak, but also a good sense of humor. My daughter thinks her son and I get along well because I’m willing to sit and play the War card game with him for two hours straight. 😇
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You deserve that halo! 🙂
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Ha ha – at times, absolutely. 🙂
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With all of the obsession over electronic video games, how sweet to know a child can get so excited playing with a paper airplane. Your the best Grammy, Pammie! xo
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Why thank you, Jill. I make sure no electronic devices are on when each grandkid comes and visits. I mean, otherwise, how’d I ever get my paper plane lesson in? 🙂
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What a delightful story to awaken to this morning!
I love flying paper airplanes — though I must admit, I generally do it outside to avoid internal damage! 🙂
Thanks for the smile this morning Pam.
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Ha ha. In New England, not enough ‘nice’ days from November through March to fly anything outside. Thus, we get creative with the loft. I’ll admit, when my guy and I bought this place, we never imagined the many uses our grands would devise for it. :–0
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You start out mysteriously as usual and end up with a delightful punch line. As always, you’ve picked a clever Grandma name: In retrospect, Madre or Mimsy sounds more whimsical to me than NaNa, the one I picked. But never mind!
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I love your sense of humor, Marian. My daughter spent a college year abroad in Florence, Italy, and when she came home, I was forever more called Madre by her. Thus, when she began to have children…guess what we selected for my ‘grand’ name? I love it, and for some reason, it’s never been difficult for them to pronounce. Now . . Mimsy??? I think NaNa is much better. 🙂
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Sounds like so much better. I know it’s more fun if you win but not for your grandson!
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At 7, my grandson is much better than I am in all things, it seems, particularly paper plane flying and card playing. Thus, he rarely loses. :–0
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So majestic and fun! I love how it goes from serious to lighthearted. An enjoyable read!
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Delightful to have you here, Sarahn. Thank for enjoying my light-hearted story 🙂
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I love how close you two are. Wonderful that you have such fun together. Great memories for both of you!
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So right you are, Carrie. My grandson will definitely have good memories, since he seems to beat me in everything! And believe me, I’m NOT trying to lose!!! 🙂
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Ha ha, sometimes it is better to just withdraw gracefully!
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I have yet to learn that lesson, but perhaps after I break a few more ‘tender objects,’ that will happen. 🙂
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Oh! What fun! It is hard to defeat our grandkids for two reasons – first, they don’t like it, (everyday I tell my grandkid that she can’t always win) second, we can hardly compete their skills of flying planes 🙂 Lovely post Pam!
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Exactly, Balroop. I’m TRYING to teach them the lesson about losing, but my grandkids keep beating me in all our games. I better practice a bit more when they’re not here, I think!! 🙂 🙂
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So cute. What a fun game to play with your grandson. We have a little loft too and will be sure to follow in your footsteps. 😀
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Oh, Diana, that loft of yours will become quite a “play” room in your near future. ENJOY! 🙂
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We have graduated from the stage of random things getting tossed over the edge (shoes, balls, stuffed animals). Paper planes sounds like a great idea. 😀
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Well, your ‘tender objects’ will actually be safer with paper planes!!! ;-0
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That’s a different kind of competition! 🙂
You sound like a fun grandmother!
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I’m a ‘full of surprises’ grandmother, Joanne. I like to keep ’em guessing. Next up? I just bought a ‘classic’ Scrabble game. Finally, I might have a chance to win in a game…. 🙂
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ooo – unfair advantage 😉
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We grandmoms need every advantage we can get!! 🙂 🙂
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… and it will only get worse 😉
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The things grandmas are expected to do!
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Who knew? If I’d had any idea, I would have tried paper plane flying when I was a ….KID. 🙂
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Teachers in my childhood days were always so against paper airplanes flying around. I guess it was all about time and place.
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My paper airplane making ain’t what it used to be, but my grandsons think I do okay–or maybe they’re just being nice.
Lovely story, Pam. 🙂
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I think grandsons like to be nice to us ‘grands,’ Which is absolutely lovely. Plus, if you’re like me, they get an extra chocolate chip cookie with their hugs…. 🙂
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Maybe two extra cookies. 🙂
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Of course!! ❤
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Such fun and told so wonderfully as always! A few years ago, as a stocking filler, I bought my son a book that had tear-out sheets of paper with lines drawn and fold instructions on each sheet to make a whole range of different paper airplanes, and he became quite the expert. Once he’d mastered each plane type with the lines drawn on, he could then do them with just plain paper, I would go into his room and there would be piles of paper airplanes all over the place! Like someone else commented, it’s really nice these days when kids find great pleasure in these more simple games that don’t involve staring at a screen!
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Those plane diagram books are fabulous. You obviously have a son who may become an engineer in his future… or an architect. I gave this book to another grandson (6 ish) and he looked at me as if I was crazy and then expected ME to follow those directions. We went outside and played with his Frisbee instead. 🙂 🙂
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Well I always used to think my son might go the engineer or scientist route, but for the last 3 years or so he’s been set on becoming a police dog handler. He’s still only 15, so he could of course still change his mind, but the police one is sticking!
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Wow! What a wonderful career that would be. And think about it; part of his dog training could entail fetching …. his paper airplanes!
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Nothing like a “friendly” inter-generational competition . . . with some stair-stepping thrown in for good measure. Go Pam!
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Thanks, Nancy! I actually most liked the stair stepping part – good for my exercise regime. And believe me, I had to run up and down the stairs to retrieve my bent plane a LOT.
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Lovely story, I was imaging all sorts of things until I got to the paper planes.
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That’s what I was hoping, Hilary, when I started this post with a type of ‘hook.’ I’d love to know what things you were imagining!!!!!
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I enjoyed reading this piece! Such a nice way to describe your time together. I love the image of the fragile object, since life and relationships are fragile in so many ways.
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Yes, Yes, Carla. Thank you for ‘getting’ the metaphor of the title of my post. Tender Objects – literally and figuratively. ❤
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Relationships are tender indeed! 🙂
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I love all of your stories, Pam — especially the ones with you and your Grandson!
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Thanks for your encouragement, Donna. Sometimes I think readers might be a bit ‘bored’ with my grandkid stores, but I hope they offer a bit of humor and ‘life lesson’ for us all. xo
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That sounds like fun! The ship did survive though, didn’t it?? xx
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The ship survived! My aim may be off, but it’s rather weak as well. ;-0
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What a gorgeous story, Pam! I can ‘see’ it taking place. Haaaa, you’re awesome xxxx
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I keep hoping my ‘kids’ will think I’m awesome, Dianne. They’re not that impressed with my ‘athletic endeavors’ (like flying paper planes), but my baking efforts are rewarded with smiles. 🙂
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Cool grandma! This is something my grandmother “Nanny” would have done, and she’d have been a hoot! Really hope that ship is ok!!
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I’ve discovered lately that ‘being a hoot’ is a good thing in the life of a grandmother. 🙂 Yes, the ship survived. Thank goodness!!
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This brought back some very good memories of when I was a child.. making paper airplanes my brother was an expert at.. And we would have races to see how far each could be thrown… And since having a 6 yr old granddaughter.. 🙂 I put some of my brothers skills to work.. Yet for some reason lol they still nose dive.. 🙂 Guess I never really got the knack He would turn up the tips of the wings
Keep Flying…. 🙂 ( with no mishaps ) 🙂
Love and Blessings
And thank you for your wonderful visit the other day..
Sue
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Sue, I think you and I need to keep practicing. I also think the act of keeping the plane in the air may be connected with how it’s made. We need to find the secret, somehow! I’m working on my grandson to divulge that secret, but he just gives me one of his wicked-fun looks. He just enjoys beating me at his game. ;-0
May we both keep on flying high with our grandkids – it’s quite a ride. 🙂
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It is… 🙂 and what a beautiful journey we are having.. 🙂
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Your timing on this is superb. My son and I had a similar competition just the other day.
I am pleased to report that Age and Experience soundly trumped Youth and Enthusiasm. As it should.
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As it should, indeed. But may I ask, were any tender objects…de-tenderized?
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Breakage, you mean? Oh, dearie no.
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😝
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Just when you thought you’ve conquered everything, you can add one more to your bucket list, lol. 🙂
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So true, Debby. Who knew? And who knows how many ‘objects/events’ I’ll be adding to that bucket. 🙂
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I have a feeling there’ll be many to come Pam. 🙂
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Hehe! A fun scene, and maybe the youngster is the one who reigns when it comes to paper airplanes 😉
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Pam, oh, I’ve been there with my son…being so competitive, having such fun and of course, it would be me who knocked ornaments off the mantlepiece during indoor baseball (it was a very wet winter!!) 😀Maybe back to basics on aeroplane design…just take a few days off from writing to perfect the most amazing flying machine! Lovely post that has me smiling – life is just perfect at moments like this!❤️
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Perfect tender moments indeed. 💚
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Practise makes perfect 🙂 🙂
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I think my grandkids are amazed how I don’t let any one of them beat me every game. (Except the baby who is not two yet!) 😊 I let them know that I am fair and just but they have to work to win!
This was fun and I was chuckling before I realized we were talking about paper airplanes, Pam. What a “tease” you are! 😉
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I AM a tease – and a practical joker. :-0 I think if our grandkids can learn how to lose graciously with us, we’ve prepared them for how to lose in the cold cruel word.
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I can see you flying your paper plane with ease… I’m guessing the 3rd time was NOT the charm? 🙂
I can make a pretty good paper plane but I haven’t done it in a while. What a fun way to spend time with your grandson! 😉
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