"Eat dessert first"

Yesterday afternoon, upon getting home from Great Hang Ups, I immediately checked my Facebook page to see Lisa's posting about her new baby. She was going to be told the gender at her appointment that morning. Most of us in the family, them included, were hoping to add a little girl to their collection of adorable sons but the Lord, and Noah, had different plans. I rejoice for another great-nephew, whom they plan to name Angelo Cruz. I called Mom to let her know it was a boy, and she said, "We could easily change that name to Angela..." Yes, but that would not go over very well, he might take a bit of teasing for that!

*

Mom and I chatted a bit as she had some stray thoughts that a.m. before climbing out of bed, trying to remember which house we lived in during The Street of Dreams, in Eagle Harbor. Like I said to her, who knows where those thoughts come from? They just show up! We lived and ran our business from our home in Fiddlers Ridge, only a short way from the neighborhood where our entry was located. She remembered that our SOD House won some prizes, and, in fact, we won most of the prizes except the Best in the Show, which went to Steve Johnson's house, which had a pool. Thinking back now, we had to keep the price of the home at $250,000 and folks who bought those homes got amazing deals! I wanted to buy a beautiful dress at Added Dimensions but Mom talked me out of it, saying it was too much money, but I had fallen in love with it. Since the awards events was such a big deal, my spouse thought I should have the dress I wanted, and others agreed, except Mom, so I went back to get it. A gorgeous fuscia full-length gown with sequins and layers (I think....). My spouse wore a tux and we looked dashing!

*

As we talked, I mentioned that we would not be having a fireworks display along the river like we usually do since the Town cannot afford it. Every year the area Boy Scouts sponsor an event called "American Apple Pie" or something like that, culminating with the fireworks shot off not far from my building. There will be fireworks elsewhere along the river which I will be able to see and hear but.....Mom said that Festival Foods, a grocery store newer to the area in Manty, is sponsoring the fireworks there this year. She anticipates that some of the usual curmudgeons who regularly call in to the local radio station will complain about the fireworks display. She said she wonders if 'they' ever wake up and thank the Lord for giving them another day....to spread their vitriol?!

*

Mom said, "I bet they just get up on the wrong side of the bed" which brought to mind another 'Justinism'! I said to her, "Maybe they got up on the toy box side of bed"! which made Mom laugh. She remembers Justin using that as an excuse for having a bad day back in 1994 or so. We had moved into a new house, our first one in Eagle Harbor, which was again a new set-up of a bedroom for Justin. We waited to have Mom come down to FL until we were moved in already but the house sold. We moved once more after 7 weeks of living in the house! Anyway, Justin was cranky and out-of-sorts, and when asked if he got up on the wrong side of the bed, reported, "I got up on the toy box side"...which was the 'wrong side'! Oh, how we laughed! And we use that periodically to this day to express ourselves when having a day. Before you throw those covers off in the morning, make sure you are not getting up on the 'toy box side of the bed'!

*

It was at this same home that my in-laws also came for a visit when Mom was there. My spouse and I took them off on an outing in an attempt to entertain them while Mom and Justin remained at home. She had gotten some fresh strawberries when attending an LWMS Rally with some people from GS, and had cleaned them at the sink. When we got home late afternoon and were getting things ready for dinner, I noticed that Mom and Justin, who was about 6 or 7 at this time, had already enjoyed some ice cream and berries. I asked, "Oh, you guys ate dessert before supper?" or something like that and Mom, looking a tiny bit guilty told us, "Well, Justin said, 'Life is short, eat dessert first', so we did!" What a fun grandma!!