Many times I have been heard to say, we do this for the next generation.  This past week I was blessed enough to have our 9 yr old grandson for a whirlwind week of epic knifing.

First stop for Dakota was Blade Show.  Last time he was here he was in a stroller and asleep.  This time he was a little more active.

He was able to appreciate what being gifted a knife was like.

And understood what it was like to get some new reading material

A few days at home and it is off again!

Next stop?  The knife shop with the big blue roof! 

That’s right Smokey Mountain Knife Works !   I think I should have been afraid of the face we got as we entered the man cave  

When your 9 yrs old a polar bear reminds you of a coca cola commercial I think.  But you can count on the words come on PawPaw! to get some attention every time.  At the end of 3 hours he and Case the Wonder dog were as still as the porcupine.

But he is a trooper.  At 730am he was right back outside SMKW waiting for the doors to open and getting a few early bird presents.

Before too long I hear “hey there is my new friend Mr. Tony” 

And sure enough Tony Bose had arrived!  Bringing with him a young lady that had not experienced SMKW before either!  Ms. Hanna, Tony’s grand daughter and a true joy to spend some time with.  She was even kind enough to let my heavy basket spend a few moments in here chair.  It was so much fun to have 2 sets of eyes that had never been there before.

At the end of the day we stopped to do a little fishing

The last hour home was much the same as the return from Blade Show.  One very asleep young man in the backseat with a large smile on his face.  The first week with Nana and Papa comes to an end.  The new adventure is starting with a holler as he ran up the stairs this morning yelling “papa says I can have the old forge and use his old anvil too!”

Well I guess that is one way for a 9 yr old to begin week 2 in the mountains