I'm Still Sticking with Crackhead.

M: “Okay. THAT girl really does look like a crackhead.”
C: “She’s not. She’s always looked that way.”
M: “Oooooooooh. I see. You know the crackhead.”
C: “She looks just like her mother. But she isn’t a crackhead...she’s inbred.”

(repost)

Fingerless Gloves

I made a pair of these for my co-worker's daughter a few weeks ago. She let me borrow the last book of the "Twilight" series and this was my gift of thanks. The pair I made her were solid gray...but they turned out really well for my first attempt. (The character, Alice wore these in the first movie.) She squealed with delight when she opened them.

I then made my best friend, Christina's daughter a pair "just because". Because she's AWESOME and I love her to death. (She's 12, btw.) They looked completely ADORABLE on her and I'm totally addicted to making these for all of my preteen / teenage friends. Incredibly fast and so easy...with great results.

Now, that's my kind of project. :)

Words of the Wise

"I was running a little late this morning. I was having a bad fake hair day"

--Christina.

Oh, The Secrets that You Keep

I've talked in my sleep from the day I could speak. It's been something that has haunted me horribly throughout life. People (family members and people that like to call themselves my "friends", mind you) have sat beside my bed many-a-time talked to me while I slept because I would talk back to them. Because, you know, not only do I talk in my sleep, but occasionally I carry on full-out conversations while totally asleep.

This lovely skill of mine continues to show it's ugly head to this day. Granted, it's not so much of a problem today as it was when I was trying desperately to keep a secret boyfriend from my parents, but annoying nonetheless. (This little "talent" can come in very handy to parents, it turns out.)

I no longer have to worry about what kind of information I'm going to spill, so nowadays it's more of a form of entertainment that my friends (and husband) use for kicks.

"Let's see what kind of weird wacked-out story Melinda will tell us in her sleep."

Yeah...great fun...good times.

Continue to talk to me when you know I've drifted off into dreamland--get your giggles, that's ok. I'll get mine, I tell you. Remember:  I have the goods on each and every one of you...and I'm not as sweet as I used to be!! Mwahaha.

Long Shawl

I made this shawl about two years ago for a friend of mine. I'm thinking of making another--one of my friends would just love this. I bought the pattern online from ebay. I'll have to surf my computer to see if it carried over from my old one. These are super easy and make great gifts! Perfect for the climate here in Georgia. It gets pretty chilly occasionally, but for us "Northerners" this is just the right amount of cover to keep us warm for most of the year.

When it's finished I'll post pics of it. I may even talk her into modeling it for me. :)

3rd Anniversary

These are pics from our yearly Anniversary Party. In July. So I'm a little behind. The party was late too, as our actual anniversary is June 3rd. It's been a crazy year! But the point of the party is to celebrate EVERYONE'S anniversary, so that was acceptable.

I wish that I would have taken better pictures...but I do love the ones I did get. I especially love the one of the "Grandma's". (And the one of Daisy smiling. She does love her family!)

Corey's Grandmother is 94 years old and as firey as one can get. She thought she was the only one who got a present that day. Everyone got present. But I'm glad she thought she was special. She is special to us.

I should have taken a picture of the food uncovered. It was gorgeous and tasted amazing too! I can't wait until next year. Next year we are going to go all out and I'm super excited. Not to mention...we should have a kiddo or two. That can't do anything but make it better. :)

Earthlust Stainless Steel Water Bottles

I'm home until 12:30 today. Work has been slow (typical for this time of year) and I'm forced to have some "me" time. Of course, I'm not complaining. It's given me some time to catch up on my blogging (reading and writing) and by the time this week is over, I'll have the Twilight series completely finished. Life is good.

Surfing this morning, I ran across these gorgeous water bottles from Earthlust. I've seen the stainless steel bottles here, there, and everywhere...but none compare as far as design.

Great design and no plastic taste? Saving the earth one less plastic bottle at a time?
It's a very great thing. :)

The Ditch

"You can do it if we can do it."
"I can't do it because I'm a girl...you are boys."
"You said girls can do the same things boys can do."
"We can."
"Then try it, Mindy. Come on. Just do it and then you won't be ascared anymore."
"It's afraid, Matt. 'Ascared' isn't a word. Who said I was afraid, anyway?"

He tilted his head and smiled and I heard everything he wasn't saying to me. I was terrified. Nevertheless, there was no way these boys were going to see how afraid I was...I had to do it now. My eyes cut over to my little brother--now standing with his bike on the opposite side of the ditch with three neighborhood boys. Younger and smaller in size, he was still my strength. As tiny as he was, there was little he was afraid of--my pillar of courage.

Looking at him, I knew that I had no reason not to try. If he was able to do this, so was I. Somewhere inside I just had find an ounce of that faith he had in me. Closing my eyes I took a quick, deep breath and my fingertips brushed against the orange and white tassels as I grasped the handlebars of my bicycle. Time itself seemed to slow. Still unsure of myself (but being stubborn to a fault), I had now made up my mind and there was no turning back.

My heart began to beat like a bass drum and a cold sweat broke out around my neck as my right foot left the ground. Hearing the whispers and snickers of the boys on the other side of the ditch, I began to peddle as fast as I could. They failed to realize that their mockery was all of the encouragement I needed. I approached the bank and knew that there was no turning back now. It was now or never.

Concentrating fully on keeping my balance, I didn't seem to notice when the bicycle wheels sped down into the trickle of water in the ditch below. "Just keep going. You can't fall in front of them. It's almost over," I thought to myself as I started to roll up the other side. At that moment, I somehow lost my footing and a panic whirled over me as I did a quick search-and-find for the pedals below.

Regaining my composure and realizing that I was back on flat ground again, my head whirled around to the group of boys now only feet away. A smile spread broadly across my sun kissed cheeks. Beaming with pride and tossing my long chestnut ponytails over my shoulders, I turned to ride back home down the long country road. I felt the cool mud drying on my thighs against the wind and I heard nothing but the clackers on my spokes as my head bobbed with their rhythm like a metronome. It wasn't long before I heard my brothers' voice calling from behind me.

"Hey."
"Ya?"
"Hold on." Dragging my foot in the stones, I stopped along side of the road's shoulder to wait for him."I knew you could do it," he said, as he whirled around and headed back to the creek.

Really, I knew I could too.

Are These a Great Excuse to Have a Girl, or What?!

I ran across this shop today at esty.com. The designer is Courtney Chu and she has her own site that actually has better pictures of her creations. The "lookbook" on her site has some amazing photographs. I LOVE the originality of her designs and she also recycles old pieces of clothing to "upcycle" them into new pieces. They are gorgeous!

Check out her site. You shall not be disappointed!!!

Fried Eggs, Bacon, Biscuits, Moth Balls and Cigarettes.

Upon settling into our desks yesterday at work, one of my co-workers pulled out this beautiful blanket she's making for her daughter. She went on to explain how the blanket she made for her daughter as a baby is now used as a doll blanket. She outgrew that blanket long ago and it's time for a new one for her "big bed".

This brought up a discussion on baby blankets. Everyone had stories to tell about "blankies, binkies and dinkies". It was so endearing to hear how almost every one of us had such fond memories of these little bits of fabric or yarn barely held together by some miracle. (My grandmother used to say that the only thing holding my blankie together was years of spit and love.)

I had my blankie until I was five-and-a-half. I had gone "down south" from Ohio to Kentucky for a long summer trip to my grandparents' house. Two months can seem like an eternity for a child to be away from home, but to me it was one of the greatest times I've ever had. I didn't get to spend that much time with "Gramma and Grampa" as a child, with them living so far away and all. I was absolutely thrilled at being able to be there for this long in just one trip. Of course, I took "blankie" with me.

I have many memories of that summer. It was a summer of "firsts". I learned how to catch crawdads in the creek, make homemade playdough, found my first four-leaf clover, and had my first crush. It was the first time I remember hearing my grandfather tell me that he loved me. It was the first time I ever heard Grampa play the banjo and the first time I'd seen him and Gramma dance together. I have many, many memories of those two months, but not one of them includes that blanket.

I don't have one single memory of ever carrying that blanket around or sleeping with it at night. For years, I didn't even know that it existed. Once when I was in high school, my father made a brief comment about "the blankie". He announced that I had always went from one sort of material attachment to another. He went on to say that I went from the blanket to the bear...and the bear to the pillow...and the pillow to yet another blanket. Apparently, I've always had security issues.

When I was well into adulthood, my grandparents moved from Kentucky to Ohio to be closer to the family. My grandfather had become quite ill and it was necessary for them to be around family to help take care of them. Oh, how I wished they would have moved when I was younger...but my grandfather had always lived in the mountains and couldn't bear the thought of leaving them.

At the time of their move, I was working close to where they lived and I spent many a morning visiting them after work. I loved those visits. I think this is when I really got to know who my grandparents were. Who they were as people, that is...not just as "Gramma and Grampa". And I came to love both of them more than I could ever express in words.

Grampa was typically a man of few words (as is my father) and he mostly sat and listened to Gramma and I talk. He'd laugh on cue and mumble comments under his breath every now and then. I loved being within ear-shot of Grampa. He was actually one of the funniest people I've ever known. Not many really appreciated this as not many sat close enough to hear.

As the years went on, he started to talk more and more. I've learned all kinds of things from that man. I could have easily missed this in him as my family was quite estranged at the time. I'm grateful every day that I had the opportunity to listen.

One morning I arrived to the house, doughnuts in hand, to find my grandmother sorting through a huge box of old photographs. I asked her what she was getting into so early in the morning. She smiled and proceeded to share with me the contents of that tattered box. I didn't have any pictures of my childhood but I left that day with stacks in hand. This was by far the fondest memory I have of her. Sifting through the photos hearing stories of her childhood and stories of mine...it doesn't get much better than that.

As we were going through the box, she suddenly shot up from the chair and went into back bedroom. I sat down by my grandfather and talked to him for a while. I could hear my grandmother rummaging through things in the other room and was anxiously waiting to see what all of the commotion was about. She returned with a package rolled up inside of an old quilting fiber-fill bag.

"I found it," she proudly announced. She was gleaming.

"You haven't seen this in a while." I am sure I looked nothing but completely puzzled as she laughed aloud and urged me to open the package.

I quickly unraveled the bag and pulled out a tiny little yellow quilt with tattered edges and transparent backing. Instantly I smelled my grandmother's house "back home" in Kentucky. The scent alone brought tears to my eyes. It smelled of fried eggs, bacon and biscuits, along with the faint odor of moth balls and cigarettes.

I'm sure that turns the stomach of many; however, to me it was simply intoxicating. Memories of that little house nestled so cozily in the hills, that creek, family get-togethers--it all came flooding back. I don't think I realized how much I had missed that old home until that very moment.

I still don't remember having that blanket as a child. Gramma had quilted it for me when I was born and apparently we were completely inseparable for five-and-a-half years, that blanket and me. It was left in Kentucky after the summer I spent with them. My parents thought it "was time" for me to depart with my old friend. My grandmother had held onto it all of these years.

I still have that blanket tucked safely in a box in the closet in my bedroom. It's absolutely golden to me. It holds within it all of the love in the world. Every now and then I pull it out to breathe in that smell. To my surprise, it still smells exactly the same--fried eggs, bacon and biscuits...moth balls and cigarettes. That's what real love smells like, folks...at least to me.

Too Much Tequila en Las Margaritas.

Overheard today: "I wore teal to work yesterday and I'm wearing it again today. I was too hungover this morning to think about picking out different shoes."

There's a reason she's my best friend.

Maybe We Should Rip Out the Oaks in our Backyard and Plant Bamboo.

The previous owners of this house had five boys. Five boys that completely ruined the flooring in the house as best they could. Needlesstosay, it's the first thing on our list of things to do after buying this house. It probably will be our spring project next year. In the meantime, I've been thinking...

(snickers)

Of course this is driving my poor husband batty because (as those of you that know me well know) I am not the most decisive person in the world. And I'm a little particular. I'm really not materialistic, truly I'm not. I'm just picky. I don't like to buy cheap things "for now" and have to replace them in a few years because they are so broken down. If we are going to buy something such as furniture, appliances, or flooring...it's going to be what we want because we are going to have to live with it for a long, long, long, long time. :)

I've completely fallen in love with bamboo flooring and we know this is what we want in our living room and down the hall. I'm not sure about the kitchen yet, but we will probably have that done as well. We'll see what it looks like against our cabinets...

I love it. Not only is it one of the most environmentally products you can use for flooring, it's relatively inexpensive compared to the alternatives AND it's crazy durable. We have two cats and a dog and are in the process of adoption. You see the issue.

BUT BUTTER MY BUTT AND CALL ME BISCUIT--THEY ARE GORGEOUS.

Now to just choose the color...and carpeting for the bedrooms...and flooring for the baths...

Pray for my husband. :)

Beach Glass Vases

Two days ago, I received my newest West Elm catalog via postal mail and fell in LOVE--once again, as always. Truly, this is my favorite edition ever. (I know I say that often, but seriously!) Go visit their site if you don't already regularly do so. They have some AMAZING new things.

I seriously squealed aloud when I saw it waiting for me on our sofa table when I walked in after work. From the front cover to the back, it's chock full of inspiration. I have always loved the cottage-beach feel to any home and these vases are a perfect example of why. The colors are just gorgeous and the milky aqua ones...well...just make me drool. :)

I'm sure there will be a few more posts coming, but right now....I'm off to watch a movie with my adorable husband.

Richard Scarry Goes PC.

I ran across this link today from a friend's posting on another site. The man that originally posted this to Flickr took his 1963 version of Richard Scarry's "Best Word Book Ever" and compared it to the more politically correct 1991 version. 'Tis very interesting...to say the least. Be sure to read some of the comments. Quite entertaining. However,this was printed in 1991. Another updated version is probably in the works as we speak. Check it out. :)
(Thx again, Elise!)

This is a Sad, Sad Day.

Sigh.

domino shall be no more....

Words of the Wise

"I was having an amazing day until the assassin stole my pants and tried to kill me"
---Chuck Bartowski, Chuck 2.2.2009

Kaboodle is officially my newest addiction. I found these while browsing there today but they are originally from West Elm. I know, I know...shocker. (I LOVE WEST ELM!) I simply had to add this to the blog when I saw them. I've always loved embroidered things...pillowcases, sheets, blankets, even embroidered handkerchiefs framed are gorgeous to me. Perhaps it's from fond memories of embroidered "pretties" at my grandmother's house, or from my addiction to antique malls and thrift store finds. I'm not sure. But there is just something about thread woven into beautiful patterns on linens that makes me...well...giddy.

I am surprisingly particular about the pattern type, however. I'm not really fond of the "froofy frilly" type of embroidery (or anything for that matter), but this Morrocan style is absolutely beautiful. The colors are stunning and the pattern just lovely. I adore Morrocan things anyway for their color and perfection in pattern. I don't know that I'd do my entire home in this style, but I don't think I'd design my entire house in one particular style anyway. I'm not that kinda girl. IMO, a touch of several different styles blending into one palate in a home is interesting and inviting. Of course, I've seen homes that went completely overboard, but you get the picture. :)

I just have to have these. If I could only decide on which color. You know, it's not entirely crazy to design an entire bedroom around a set of sheets. No matter what you say.

Wood Slice Mirror

I found this today at Room Service Home. The frame is made from thin slices of bamboo and mango wood placed to make this pattern. I love the style of it and it's the perfect size wall space between the two windows in my living room. It would actually look great on any "lone" wall. It's not a bad price either, considering the size. Definitely different...definitely a great way to add a natural element into a room and still keep a contemporary style.

Pink Glass Pendant

I found this today on Etsy at Leslee6's shop. She has several really great pendants and earrings (and a few other things as well). I think this would be so great on a long, graceful chain. I love the originality of them and the colors are brillant. Very versatile and elegant.

She's definitely added to my faves. :)

Words of the Wise

(This quote is from a phone conversation between me and my friend, Ivy. Conclusion of the conversation goes as follows. Keep in mind that fifteen minutes before she was trying to convince me that her friends and family were not rednecks. :D)

"Well, I suppose I should go. I'm with my friend--she's getting her hair done to go to the monster truck rally tonight."

Recycled Mirror

I found this today at Urban Outfitters. I have a trash can in my living room that my husband made when he was a kid that is made from recycled magazines. You'd think it wouldn't hold up well but it's still in great shape after all of these years--those pages are incredibly sturdy when folded or rolled and stacked like this. I think it's really interesting and such a cool way to reuse old mags! I'd bet though, that I could make this for less than $52.00.

They also have a recycled vase and recycled vinyl records / coasters. They have several very cool things on their site. I'm impressed.

Daycare / Kids' Rooms--from Ikea. (Ikea Post #1)

I've decided to split the Ikea post into two segments. One is for the kids' room / daycare room ideas from Ikea and the other is for general awesomeness found via their website. Again, this is only a small portion of what the store has to offer. Looking at all of this online today REALLY made me miss having my daycare. Perhaps someday...

Here are some of my faves:

These high chairs are great not only because they are simple and easy to clean, but because they are also STACKABLE. Which, as anyone who has ever worked in daycare will know, is essential. High chairs really take up a lot of floor space.

This would be a must for a daycare but really great for your own kids as well. They have several different options on these and combinations of styles and colors for the baskets. Even toddlers really learn how to put toys away quickly when they have an easily accessible place to do so.

These are aprons for craft projects WITH SLEEVES. How often I wished I had THESE when I was working in daycare! I'll definitely be buying a few of these soon...if not only just for my own children. They really save clothing and the mess.

These curtains are very busy, but perfect! Kids love patterns and color and how cheery are these? Of course, you couldn't have much more going on in the room as far as patterns go with this knock-out design, but why would you need it? I don't know that I'd use them in my own child's room but definitely for a daycare room. They are so fun!

They have SO much more for kids and some great sample rooms available there also. You can also access a link for a free catalog. I love the catalogs for room layouts / ideas. Check it out!

Small Spaces

I'm always looking for ideas for small spaces. My husband and I have had to come up with some pretty ingenious things in order to survive in small spaces, if I do say so myself. We lived in a 900 square foot cabin for the first year of our marriage. It was beautiful but very cramped. When you live in a space that small, you really have no choice but to get creative.

Our new house is much larger than the cabin, at 1700 square feet. Much larger indeed, but not a huge house by any means. Although most of the living area is spacious and open, there are a couple of rooms that we have had to make into "combo" rooms to make way for the little ones to come.

Our first multi-purpose room is our living room / office area. I love the idea of keeping your family computer in a public area of the house--especially when you have (or are planning for) children. This actually has been working well for us and when I get pics I'll show the before and after once it's completely finished.

The other is a guest bedroom / workout / crafting room. I've been searching the internet to find some great ideas as this room has given me the most difficulty considering the layout of the room. If I ever go back into daycare, this will become the kids' play room--and then I'll have to reinvent the room again. But that's another story for another day...

I've been finding all KINDS of great ideas online. With some creativity and a good layout, I believe combo rooms and small spaces can work efficiently and still look great. Most homes could use more storage. Decorating for small spaces can give you the extra room for the storage you need. Here are some great ideas I found online this morning:

I love the simplicity of this room and it's remarkably small yet doesn't look it. Keeping everything within the same color scheme helps to make small rooms look bigger--this is a perfect example.

I can't even begin to tell you how much we could use something like this if we had a spare wall without windows. I would love to be able to store all of our books like this--taking full advantage of the height of our ceilings. Many times, small spaces can be maximized by using any height that you have when lacking floor space. It's crazy how many books Corey and I have between us. When we were first married, we had more books than all of our other possessions put together. They are still a bit of a storage issue for us, but hopefully with a few built-ins, this should take care of the dilemma soon.

I chose this one because I love the idea of those glass storage jars in the open cabinets. I have some overhead cabinets above my bar that I've been contemplating doing this with. Either this or ripping that out all together...I can't decide. They are high enough that they do not block the view passing through to the dining room. This would be a great idea to do on either side for the openness and yet keep this as a usable space.

Some of the design elements here I don't really love, but I do love the raised sleeping area for a living room that must double as a bedroom. I know many friends that have studios / lofts that could do this and it would look GREAT and double as tons of storage under the platform.
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Ikea also has a lot of really great ideas for storage and small spaces. I absolutely LOVE Ikea and it's definitely worth a trip to the store even if you have to drive a few miles to get there. But Ikea deserves a post of its own. I'll be working on that tomorrow. You can see a good selection online, but the store has MUCH more to offer. You can get so much for so little--take a minivan or a SUV if you go...you'll need the cargo space. :)

xo

A Side Note..

Daisy has a real identity crisis.

When she was 4 months old (shortly after these pictures were taken) she began to really "play" with the cats and soon started taking on their habits and behaviors. She stalks like a cat and pounces. She once used the litter box (which just absolutely thrilled the cats) and is known to clean herself habitually as if she were a cat.

She is now just over one year old and today she started using the cats' scratch pad. When told, "Daisy, no. That is not for you," she looked at me as if I were completely insane, whimpered and buried her face into the carpet.

*sigh*

The day she "meows" she's going to doggy daycare for some culture.

Bird's Nest Photo

Surfing through Etsy this morning, I ran across this stunning picture on f2images' shop. She has several other items listed from prints to photography and infrared images. She has some great bamboo prints that are simply gorgeous. I love the natural color of the paper with the black ink. The texture is amazing.

I love the mystery and suspense of the egg and nest photo. I love the touch of color with the black and white. It reminds me of some of the old photos that my mom has of her family as children when they would "paint in" color. Divine, I tell you. Of course, I also have a perfect spot for it just outside of my dining room.

Small Memo Pocket Book

A few years ago I had small red pocket book that I carried in my handbag. It held everything "paper" that just floats around in your handbag getting crinkled and stained with crushed eyeshadow particles. I loved it. But eventually (like all good things) it fell to pieces.

This is somewhat similar and I love the design. The owner (Paperama) has several styles available but this was my favorite for sure. They are priced very well also--perhaps I can talk my LOVELY husband into a little gift. :)

Ebay Finds

Wall Pillows

How awesome are these? I was so excited when I stumbled across these on Etsy's homepage today. These are simply divine. They look amazing in a grouping (there are pics on the store's homepage) and are so unique and SPEC.TAC.U.LAR.

I'm so envious of the talent of this one. You can find these wall pillows and other great items at: Stepanka Ceramics. Trust me...it's worth the hour you'll spend there.

Grandma--Final Post.

My grandma (my mother’s mother) passed away in November. This is in fact, the same “crazy” grandmother that I have written about several times and told many, many stories of elsewhere. I haven’t written about this until now for several reasons; however, the largest being that I thought it best for some time to pass before I wrote anything sarcastic or perhaps distasteful about my deceased grandmother. I don’t know how well the rest of the family would have taken me cracking on grandma when the wound was fresh. Some time has passed and I now feel it’s alright to talk about her in my own obnoxious, honest, heartfelt way.

Keep in mind that I never met her until I was 18 years old. Talk about awkward—I don’t know that I said five words to her that day. It was so surreal for me to meet this woman that I had envisioned in my head my entire life. We had one picture of her in the house I grew up in. It hung in our back hallway in a collage frame. This collage was always intriguing to me, to say the least. It contained pictures of people that I remembered only by name as most of them were just that. Names.

This side of the family has its issues, to be conservative with the judgments. I knew most of my cousins, aunts and uncles as a small child but one by one they all disappeared from my life. Eventually, I did end up regaining relationships with most of my cousins as an adult, but as a child I never knew them. I had a few treasured memories of them growing up that I held dear to my heart.

My mother and her mother stopped talking before I was even conceived. As with the other family members that we were “excommunicated” from, I may never know the reasoning behind why this happened. I suppose it doesn’t even matter now. However, I missed out on so much from the problems that they could never work out, as did my younger brother.

When people hurt you, you just act as if they don’t exist and you never talk about it and it alllll goes away. At least that’s what they do in my family. This is the exact reason why I am one of the black sheep in that family. (A title I wear proudly, btw.) I just could never seem to fit within that little mold. I no longer try. I’m much happier not trying to fit within someone else’s mold. I have a nice little mold of my own.

My grandma was not the best mother in the world. Some of the stories I’ve heard are quite horrifying. I can’t imagine what it was like growing up like that and I don’t know that I want to. I have my own issues about how I was raised; however, honestly it was a cakewalk compared to what some people had to live with.

When I first met her I didn’t know what to think. I had heard so many stories and didn’t know which ones were true and which ones were completely exaggerated. (This being another tendency my family tends to have.) I just looked at the experience as a blank slate. We took things as they came.

I didn’t really have a relationship with her for several years after this as well. It’s a long, twisted story…but here is the short version: I was kicked out of my house and not allowed to communicate with anyone in the family because I was dating a boy that was interracial. Even after I stopped dating him, the idea that I HAD was strong enough to keep everyone from wanting anything to do with me for thirteen years.

But this story isn’t about me…

The relationship between me and grandma didn’t really exist until I was going through my divorce and living back in my hometown with my parents on lockdown. We’d go to visit her occasionally, and she’d call me often at their house just to talk. She’d tell me some crazy story and it kept me blogging for days. And of course, every time you heard the story it was different and more dramatic. She was a basket case.

A dog walk gone wrong starts out as an, “I tripped over the leash and skinned my knee” story to, “I was lying facedown in a pool of blood--the police found me and took me home”. HA! Some people would get annoyed at her desperate cries for attention, but me…I found it comedic. True, I was never the target of any of her stories and / or exaggerations and it may have been different if I were, but usually they were about herself or things that didn’t really matter in the grand scale of things.

I would do anything I could to instigate the situation. I’d listen to her story and add little comments here and there to keep that party rollin’. This was also an excellent source of getting under my mother's skin. She’d get so upset at me for feeding into Grandma’s crazy world. What can I say? It was fun.

She was entertaining, to say the least. I called her my “Crazy Grandma” to everyone and some of my friends still lovingly refer to the stories of her and maintain this supreme title. It fit her well and knowing Grandma, she would have been happy to wear the crown (or anything with plastic jewels).

I don’t know the circumstances involved in her life before I knew her—I knew her as this person. I’m not blind to what she may have been and what she may have put others through. I’m not naïve either. But I have many stories of her to pass on that are good memories. I guess I can just leave it at that. She was old. She could get away with it. I know that when I’m old I’ll definitely use that excuse. It worked so well for Grandma.

She ended up in her final years struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. She eventually didn’t even know who I was when others’ spoke of me. I didn’t call her. It would have confused her even more, to be honest. I was in Georgia by then and she may have recognized my face, but she would never have known my voice. Some claim the craziness was due to the early-onset of the disease, but I know better. The craziness wasn’t loss of memory…it was her personality. She was like that long before the Alzheimer’s set in.

It was bitter-sweet, my relationship with her. I had a very short time with her even though she lived to be 96 years old. It may sound crazy, but I’d rather have had this than nothing at all.

I'm Knocked Up Announcement Card

If ever I got pregnant, this would be how I'd choose to spread the word. These are from 16 Sparrows and are also shown at elsewheres.com. I love the contrast of the pretty little picture and the quirky, sarcastic saying--that's hilarious, I don't care who you are.

Years ago, I remember my friend stating that she wanted to get a bulldog someday--the biggest, ugliest one she could find and name her, "Princess". I'm sure she'd love this card. They DO have a "You're Knocked Up" version as well. Maybe I'll buy this and save it for her.