Normal's sad......

Last week, Demetrius told me he talked to G-ma up in Ohio on the phone. I asked what they talked about and his reply, "Well, you know that little lady that lives with G-ma? I think her name is Normal. Well, G-ma said she is really sad." I thought I knew why but I asked Demetrius, "Yeah, why is she sad?" His reply, "Well, she's sad cause she can't find her son." "Wait, what do you mean, 'she can't find her son'?" "G-ma told me she lost her son and she's sad. I guess she's sad cause she can't find him. Isn't that awful?" Well, it hit me like a ton of bricks: her only son, Gary, died on July 28 during a "routine" heart catherization. I guess "losing" someone has a whole different meaning to a 6 year old.......

I'm Puerto Rican, you know!

We're in Ohio for a visit with relatives and we meet up with Cousin Di and hubby G-man Bill along with others at a nice comfy restaurant called Berwick Party House. We were just sitting around talking before dinner when Diane asked when Demetrius's birthday was. I told her once you know it, you'll never forget it as it's 3/3/3. And she said, "Well, that's my birthday, March 3. Of course, not 03 but still March 3." So, we went on about our business of visiting and eating, eating and visiting and then it was time to leave. She told Demetrius what a wonderful little person he was and that she wouldn't forget his birthday - maybe they should get together and celebrate. She said he got right up close to her and looked her in the eyes and said, "I'm Puerto Rican, you know." We're not sure why he said that but he did. Diane is French Canadian and in her coloring, looks like an older version of his mother, with the dark olive skin and hair. I don't know if he picked up on that and thought he should tell her or what. But he felt the need to let her know and she was impressed by that.

Bones in the Pancakes

Today's story starts with a trip to McDonald's for breakfast as I had many errands to run in preparation for our big trip to Ohio. I picked Demetrius up at the beauty school and we started on our way. We had to deliver a flash drive to our Friendship Force friends in Jackson so they could use it on their vacation and so we decided to stop at a McDonald's on the way - one we don't usually go to. We each got our "usual": pancakes for Demetrius and a bacon and egg bagel for me. It's McDonald's for heaven's sake - what could go wrong??? Demetrius was eating his pancakes when he looked at me with a horrified look on his face and said, "Grandma, these pancakes have bones in them." I thought, "what in the world? What could be in the pancakes that he thought they were bones?" So I said, "Well, just spit out what's in your mouth and let me check them." He said, "That's OK, I think it was just one bone. The rest are OK." and proceeds to eat them. Well, it wasn't long before he found another "bone" and this time I made him give me the fork to see what it was. One of the pancakes (the one on the bottom) must have been made in the last century as it was as hard as a rock. I couldn't even get the fork in it. I said I was going to take them back and he said, "It's OK. I wasn't that hungry anyway." So I made him save all the parts that weren't edible and on our way out the door, I asked to speak to the manager. Who, I might add, was handling some sort of crisis/outburst with one of the workers in the back. She (the employee) was screaming and yelling and I couldn't tell if it was happy, mad, sad or glad. All I node was thiff: "Thass nuf a dat shit. Yude bee qweye-ed-ed down now oar Eye bee leddin ewe bee dun gawn owt de dore!!!!" And that was the manager. Needless to say, when I told her what the child had said about the pancakes her only comment was, "He be cute but he don't be right. Whut chall want? Moor dem pancakes?" I figured it was time to cut my losses and leave never to grace this lovely establishment with our presence ever again. N dat bee foe troo. Dee en.

Adventuresome!

Luke, Jamie and the kids went to New Mexico to visit Mark and Stacey - the first real vacation they've ever taken. I got a phone call one day from Demetrius and I asked him if he was having a good time. He hesitated and then said, "Yeah, I guess." We talked a little more and he asked if I wanted to talk to his daddy. Luke then proceeds to tell me that they have been touring around New Mexico going to Sky City/Acoma Pueblo, Old Town, Jackalope, and up the top of Sandia Crest. He said Demetrius told him he was ready to come home. Luke asked him why and he said, "I like going on trips with Grandma. She's more adventuresome than you guys." You go, kid! I like your style!

PawPaw lives on a boat

I forgot to tell you about the other funny incident today:
We were at the grocery store checking out and it wasn't busy so there was one lady checking, and two ladies bagging. Demetrius starts talking to them and says something to the effect that 'PawPaw lives on a boat now. He doesn't stay with grandma anymore.' The one lady looks up from the checking and gives me this, Oh, I'm so sorry look. And it finally dawns on me that they are all thinking my husband has left me and with this little grandson to raise -- oh, poor lady. I said, 'Oh no, he works in New Orleans and someone offered him their boat to live on so he wouldn't have to commute everyday.' They all said, 'Yeah', like they really didn't mean it. I said, 'No,really, we been married close to 40 years and neither one of us wants to train a new one.' But I don't think any of them believed me. They each offered Demetrius something = he got two rings, a lollipop and some gum. Keep up the good work kid!

"Those boys of yours"

Demetrius and I were having lunch when he looked at me and said slyly, "You know those boys of yours?" I said, "Yeah, who?".
D: "Those brothers. While you were gone, they were throwing a ball back and forth in your house and it almost hit the clock."
Me: "You mean Luke and Ben???"
D: "Yeah, them. And PawPaw too! They were all messing around and trying to keep the ball away from the dog."
Me: "What were you doing? Why didn't you stop them?"
D: "They wouldn't listen to me."
Me: "Why are you telling on them?"
D: "Cause they were being bad."
Me: "Where was your Mom and the girls?"
D: "Home."
Me: "So there wasn't anybody to tell them to stop?"
D: "No."
Me: "I'm surprised they didn't try to play to play basketball or skateboard thru the house."
D: "I tried to stop them. But they wouldn't listen and I didn't know how to call you."
Me: "Well, I'm sure glad you told me."
D: "I don't want you to tell them I told you cause they'll be mad at me."
Me: "I would never tell!"

So enjoy and please keep this conversation to yourselves. It's really better if you hear me tell it.

Today's story features Demetrius and soccer camp. He was excited to go but very apprehensive once he got there. And subsequently started crying when it was time to take the field. He was immobile, hiding behind his hands, for a short while and then he got into the swing of things and started having fun. They took a water break and the same thing happened when they had to go back - twice. He rode with me on the way home and I said to him, "Demetrius, it looked like you were crying out there? Was everything OK? Or did you get hurt or something?" "No, Grandma. It's just that my eyes kept getting water in them. I didn't want anybody to see them so I put my hands over them. Then the water dried up and it was OK. I could see again." As smart as he is, I don't think he really associated the water getting in his eyes with crying. Or maybe he's so smart that that was his cover story!