Tag: grandkids

Three Fact Friday

I didn’t know what to write today, so I copied a blogger I follow on Facebook, who on Fridays lists three facts about her week and then invites her readers to post three facts about theirs. So here goes:

1. I had my first ever physical therapy session today on my frozen shoulder and it’s so sore. I took the pain meds my doctor prescribed and now I’m as dizzy as a drunk frog.

2. I love my grandkids more than they will ever realize. I love them so much it hurts sometimes.

3. I’m craving Italian for dinner, but Studly is exhausted and doesn’t want to go out. I’d call in an order and bring our favorite meals home, but I still have that drunk frog thing going on.

Okay, it’s your turn. Hit me with your three facts.

More to Love

See these three? They are my Illinois grandkids. That’s our oldest grandson, G, our middle grandchild, M, and our youngest grandchild, H. The older two are in high school where G is in his junior year, and M is a freshman.

G has a part time job working at a local movie theater, and he’s active in Quiz Bowl. He is also the lighting director for the school’s theatre productions. Occasionally he has been persuaded to take a speaking role, and he’s quite good. He’s also in the band where he plays oboe and tenor sax (like me!)

M is a cheerleader (totally unlike her klutzy Nana) and takes tumbling classes. She’s also assisted her big brother in the theatre’s lighting department. He wanted someone smart to take over the reins after he graduates next year, and she’s the first one he thought about. Oh, she can write, too, and she’s a strategic genius. I think she’s beaten me in every game requiring strategy that we’ve ever played.

Honestly, I thought these two were all the children my daughter would ever have. When she announced that she and her husband were thinking about having another child I wasn’t all that encouraging. In fact, I might have asked, “Are you out of your freaking mind?”

What I lack in diplomacy, I make up for in crudity.

I brought up all my concerns about the cost of raising three children: Putting them through college, providing for them, etc., never mind the emotional energy a third child would require. I did my best to discourage her.

Then along came H. Bright, funny, honest, adorable H. From the first day we held her all my concerns went out the window. She would be loved, and loving, and nothing else really mattered.

She’s a second grader now, and is taking tumbling lessons like her big sister. She’s a movie buff and likes the music her daddy does, namely the Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin. She thinks her big brother is the bomb, and she keeps her Mama hopping. She loves to read, like I do. I can’t imagine a world without her or any of my grands.

It’s funny how there’s always enough love to go around, isn’t it. And how many times in my life I’ve been absolutely wrong. It’s a reminder to keep my mouth shut and my negative thoughts to myself.

Peace, and love, people!

Old is Relative

My youngest granddaughter has for several years done this hilarious impression of me in which the only words uttered in her shaky approximation of an elderly woman are, “I’m a little old lady.”

She also does impressions of her dad and her Poppa (aka Studly Doright) in which one says, “Hey man, you want a beard?” And the other answers, “No man. I’ve already got a beard.”

By “beard” she means “beer” and that cracks me up. I feel very lucky and loved to be portrayed as a little old lady.

Today, I’m 63 for real. A true little old lady.

Peace, people.

On the Horizon

Months can pass at Doright Manor with nothing of interest happening. Okay, so occasionally I set my underwear on fire and once I sent a green bath rug to a total stranger because I thought she needed it…

https://nananoyz5forme.com/2019/09/24/beware-the-green-rug-or-be-careful-what-you-ask-for/

Sometimes, though, I have lots of good stuff on the horizon. This weekend I’m flying to Illinois to see my daughter and her family. We chose this weekend because all three of the Illinois grandkids have stuff going on: Grandson Garrett will be marching in the high school band playing saxophone just like his Nana (that’s me!) did. Granddaughter McKayla is a high school cheerleader, so I’ll get to see her in action, while the youngest grandchild, Harper, will be cheering before the game. I’m almost too excited to sleep!

But that’s not all, folks! In late October, I’m meeting a group of friends in Nashville for a weekend of shenanigans. Of course we’re all in our late 50’s to mid 60’s, so the shenanigans will be kept to a quiet minimum, but still, it will be fun.

I love having stuff on the horizon.

Peace, people!

Universal Happiness

Our oldest grandson and I spent a day at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando last Wednesday. A single day to do both parks justice didn’t seem feasible, but we made it work by purchasing express pass tickets and hitting all the rides we knew we wanted to ride.

The day began with rain! Such a bummer! But we got in the express pass line for the Minions ride and got out of the weather quickly. It wasn’t one of our “must” rides, but it served the purpose of keeping us dry and warm. The same was true for the Jimmy Kimmel ride. They were both fun, but not really what grandson Garrett was looking forward to on his first visit to Universal.

The rain slacked off somewhat, but the day was much colder than we’d expected. We stopped in a shop and I bought a hooded sweatshirt and we both got lanyards to keep our tickets and passes safe from the elements before heading into Diagon Alley.

Here’s Garrett outside the unassuming entrance to the magical world of Harry Potter:

Much to his embarrassment I asked complete strangers to take a photo of us in the middle of Diagon Alley. I told him he was going to get used to me being an extrovert. I’m not sure he ever embraced it, though.

He sort of thinks I’m nuts. He’s not wrong.

We stopped into Gringotts,

and we rode the Hogwarts Express:

We drank butterbeer once we arrived at Hogsmeade:

We rode spectacularly produced rides in the World of Harry Potter. They’re such a great mix of roller coaster action and film that reality gets all contorted by fantasy and you feel you really are dashing about a Quidditch field or escaping from Gringotts. One’s senses are confused and delighted in so many ways. I giggled and screamed in the same breath.

Hogwarts Castle was an amazing sight.

We ventured to many other parts of Universal and Islands of Adventure, taking on mummies and assisting Spiderman, but The Magical World of Harry Potter was the highlight.

Garrett and I had a blast. Okay, I had a blast, and I’m fairly sure he did–he’s not quite as extroverted as I am. (Note the Slytherin hat.)

Peace, people!

Too Excited to Sleep

There’s no doubt I’ve had a weird week running from one medical related appointment to another, fasting for a procedure every day, and then sleeping off anesthesia most of today.

Tomorrow, though, life takes a turn for the better because my Illinois grandkids are finally going to be here! It’s a good thing I got my sleep in earlier today, because I’m pretty sure I’m going to be too excited to sleep tonight, kind of like these kids in this old Disney commercial:

https://youtu.be/b95oyhSd5ls

Peace, people!

My Great-Hedgehog

Bandit is the beloved pet of our oldest grandchild, Dominique, so I suppose that makes Bandit my great-hedgehog.

Above, Dominique with Bandit.

Aren’t they adorable?

Bandit even allowed me to cuddle her. I’m kind of smitten by this prickly baby.

I had to say goodbye to the Texas bunch today, and I’ve stopped for the night in Meridian, Mississippi. I’m about halfway home. My body sure doesn’t travel as well as it once did!

Peace, people!

More Pictures from the Road

On Saturday Studly and I traveled the second leg of our Christmas journey, driving from Clarksville, Tennessee, to Port Byron, Illinois. We made good time and soon were hugging our daughter and three of our five grandkids.

This is how the youngest one dressed to greet us in 33° weather:

After getting the grandkids all riled up we headed to a pizza place across the river in LeClaire, Iowa, where we played pinball and Pac-Man, tried our luck with the claw game and the fortune telling machine while the pizza was being cooked. I was too busy playing to take any pictures, but I took this one of the granddaughters posing as the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who in front of a shop in LeClaire.

There wasn’t nearly as much NASCAR style driving going on today, so my sanity isn’t in question as it was last night. I didn’t take many photos from the passenger seat today either, but we did pass a truck carrying its payload in an unorthodox manner:

Studly called my attention to this odd sight as we approached the truck north of Springfield, Illinois. We pondered for many miles how this little car was loaded onto the bed of the truck.

Other than these two pictures I only snapped a few others:

Studly got a bit excited when he saw snow on the side of the road. I hope that’s the ONLY snow we see this week; although, the forecast is calling for a white Christmas.

That’s part of the Peoria, Illinois, skyline, above. Not a great photo, but Peoria is kind of a cool river town.

As I type this, Studly and I are unwinding in our cozy hotel room with a view of the Mississippi River outside our window. We’re watching the Kansas Jayhawks play basketball while recharging our batteries for tomorrow’s activities with the grandkids. We’re going to need all the energy we can muster. Wish us luck.

Peace, people.

Geek Heaven

On Saturday I was able to attend a Scholastic Bowl tournament that my eldest grandson competed in. Needless to say, I was in heaven; although, it was hell not to be able to blurt out answers.

In the first match I had to sit on my hands to keep from raising them to signal I had the answer.

For subsequent rounds I sat at the back of the room and scribbled answers on a piece of scrap paper. The act of writing kept me from doing something stupid like embarrassing my grandson.

His team didn’t win today. Maybe next time they’ll put me in the lineup. Surely I could pass for a 15-year-old geek. Well, at least the geek part.

Peace, people.

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