Something Crazy

When life gets too serious I have no choice...  I have to get a little crazy.

  No, that's not Suzanne Sommers hopping into her T-Bird to impress the American Graffiti guys...  it's only me a few years back touring Universal Studios Theme Park in Florida.  Oh yeaaaaa....

Well what do you know about that.  Even Gary took his eyes of of his problems briefly.

Antique shops.  The smell of stale furniture, dusty books.... and hats that make me look so retro.

Allowing the kids from church to dress me up like a hussy and drag me through Wal-Mart at midnight during their 'surprise/sleepover/wedding shower' for me years ago. 

Ok.  So that's not really Gary.  It's just a pillow case I decorated, stuffed, and placed in his chair when he was away so I wouldn't miss him so much.

I'm feeling the need to do something crazy again....

 And Gracie is feeling the need to hide from me...

"Gracie...  Come on baby.  Mommy got you a new outfit."

Life. Interrupted.

Why do movies and books about mental patients intrigue me?  Why does my heart hurt so much for those with lost minds who don't have a clue?  Why could I not stop sobbing after watching this movie tonight?  And Shutter Island.  Why couldn't I speak at the movies conclusion...?

Then I remembered.

She's the one circled.   Mom's Mom aka Grandma.  She wasn't your typical grandma... for she was driven to insanity early on in life.  Circumstances.  You know.

But every other Sunday my Mom and my Pappy visited her at the mental institution.   We stopped at the 7-Day Market to buy a pint of Sealtest chocolate ice cream and a bottle of Pepsi for her and a hoagie and Tab for Mom.  All of us would sit in the car and they ate while I opened my surprise...  things like a bobby pin, a stick of gum and an orange button...  wrapped in thick beige stocking and tied with a string... It was all she had to offer.   She'd ramble on about silly stuff as she gently scraped the melting ice cream from the sides of the cardboard container with the shiny silver spoon Mom brought along for her.  I didn't really understand her but I'd smile and nod and then she'd give me a big toothless smile from ear to ear and mutter unknown lingo.  Then the real treat!  Creamy chocolate ice cream melted to perfection and leaking from the containers soft seams.  She always saved some for me.  

I often wondered what it was like inside that mental institution where she lived.  But even more than that .... What was it like inside of herself?  

I was a kid then.  But my thoughts of her were pure.

My heart hurt that she was separated from the world in her thoughts...  but in a way I cherished her innocence.

Mom's Mom.  My Grandma.

Random-ness

Some days are random and unplanned and turn out to be a smorgasboard of moments that leave you saying...  huh?

Today was one of those days. 

It started out with a visit to a different church.  There was a guest speaker.  A Pastor from the Baptist Church I grew up in ... back in the day.  Now 78 years young, his sermon was just as dynamic as it was 45 years ago.

Brother Jim, visiting from Pa. with Bible in hand.

Afterwards.  Grandkids. 

I swear they were scheming....


  Because not long after this little meeting of theirs....

Lil' Jake locked us out of the house...
   

We found sidewalk chalk and tried to SOS for help.

And now for Gracie's good news.

I have deleted Gracie's good news...  at her request. 


She was embarassed.