Christmas: Drones and Brothers

Christmas was fabulous fun. We were all together at my daughter’s and we ate great food, shared funny and imaginative presents and we laughed and laughed, but when you get right down to it, it was all about the drones.

Every grandson—that’s four—got a drone. Two received smallish ones and my two older grandsons, ages 28 and 25, received UdiR/C, quad rote, six-axis gyro, mini R/C UFOs. (Don’t ask me what any of that means. I copied the info off one of the boxes.)

When my oldest grandson, Chris, got his set up, out we all went—thank God for fair weather—and watched him fly it. Then another grandson came out with his and up it went while we all gasped and cheered in amazement.

Up and over the roof

Up, up and away!

These were not the very expensive drones that you have to register with the FAA, not that big and fancy, but spectacular enough to enthrall us all on Christmas day, that is until one got caught high in the tree tops and there was nothing to do but stare.

A recovery plan was developed. This is how it went.

Chris, whose drone it was, and Alex and Zach each got balls: two footballs and one rubber ball—it was decided that a baseball thrown hard enough to get that high might damage the drone—and they began taking turns firing up at the drone. Mind you, it was way up there.

Mike cheered them on: his team of sons. “So close, Chris. You almost had it!” A little far left, Alex!”  Good arm, Zach, you hit the tree branch!” and on and on it went.

I thought the boys’ arms were going to give out. A dislocated shoulder perhaps? It was never going to happen; I didn't see how they could reach it. They must have been at it non-stop for fifteen minutes at least, these three brothers with one common goal. All youth and muscle and determination. Suddenly Chris fired up a direct hit and that drone fell out of the tree and dropped like a stone.

I raised my fists in the air, “Yay!!” And the whole family began to shout and chant, “Cloop! Cloop! Cloop!” (Chris’ podcast nickname.)

 Laughing, Chris took a bow.

Later, when we were all back in the family room, I heard Chris say to Alex, “I never would have hit it if you hadn’t fired that shot before that moved it further along the branch,”

Alex ran his hand though his hair and grinned, “Yeah, I guess I was the set up.”

“Yeah,” Chis agreed and he flopped down on the chair near his brother.

My heart smiled.