During February break as a young womanI used to stay with my grandmas in Florida. They lived in Fort Lauderdalea mile apart. My sister Laura would join meand those were some of the best days I've ever had.
Laura and Iof coursehad nothing to do back then but get tanlaughand fight. And exercise. Another important fact: the grandmas -- called "Grandma," and "Mama" (why? because they were both named Esther. So we couldn't call one Grandma Estherbecause that was the other wonetoo!) -- were both a little competitive with each other.
Grandma was very protective. She held on tight. She poured her love all over mein buckets. In cake pans. She baked three cakes for me when I'd arrive there. She would sit with me and she would regale me with stories from 20-60 years ago of people who had done her wrong.
Mama on the other handspoiled us differently. She would prepare these amazing brunches for uswith every glorious fruit availablewith sturgeon and lox and whitefish. White linen napkins. And she would just beam at us and listen. She let Laura and me do whatever we wanted. She let us leave the condo. She let us go for runs without worrying about dangerous men. She let us go swimming without worrying about our drowning. She knew how to let go.
So there were strugglesneedless to say. How my heart breaks now to think of how fickle I washow spoiled. How I just ran off from Grandma's place to freedom at Mama's. And I remember Grandma once yelled"What does she got over therethe Brooklyn Bridge?" as I went running out of the house. This became part of our family loreneedless to say. But I remember it with a twinge of guilt and heartbreak because I wish that Grandma and Mama were still here. I also wished I could have been a nicer granddaughter but I was young and growing up and still learning...
This past weekend was like any other in our house. Nat came home from schooland we were all in and out of the house for the entire weekendmostly eating together. With mepouring my love down on Nat in bucketsspoiling him with a huge chocolate peanut butter heartwith a trip to StarbucksCVSStop&Shopwith buttered bagelshomecooked chiliand Sprite.
But when I dropped him back at The House yesterdayand asked him when he would like to come home next weekend -- before lunch or after lunch -- he said"Lunch at [The House.] Lunch at [The House!!!!]!!!!!"
I said"Natyou would rather eat lunch at The House than at home?" and Nat said"Lunch at The House!!!"
I got into the carsulking a little bit. Ned said"Ohsnap!" And todayafter I told Max the storyhe said"What do they got over therethe Brooklyn Bridge?"
Laura and Iof coursehad nothing to do back then but get tanlaughand fight. And exercise. Another important fact: the grandmas -- called "Grandma," and "Mama" (why? because they were both named Esther. So we couldn't call one Grandma Estherbecause that was the other wonetoo!) -- were both a little competitive with each other.
Grandma was very protective. She held on tight. She poured her love all over mein buckets. In cake pans. She baked three cakes for me when I'd arrive there. She would sit with me and she would regale me with stories from 20-60 years ago of people who had done her wrong.
Mama on the other handspoiled us differently. She would prepare these amazing brunches for uswith every glorious fruit availablewith sturgeon and lox and whitefish. White linen napkins. And she would just beam at us and listen. She let Laura and me do whatever we wanted. She let us leave the condo. She let us go for runs without worrying about dangerous men. She let us go swimming without worrying about our drowning. She knew how to let go.
So there were strugglesneedless to say. How my heart breaks now to think of how fickle I washow spoiled. How I just ran off from Grandma's place to freedom at Mama's. And I remember Grandma once yelled"What does she got over therethe Brooklyn Bridge?" as I went running out of the house. This became part of our family loreneedless to say. But I remember it with a twinge of guilt and heartbreak because I wish that Grandma and Mama were still here. I also wished I could have been a nicer granddaughter but I was young and growing up and still learning...
This past weekend was like any other in our house. Nat came home from schooland we were all in and out of the house for the entire weekendmostly eating together. With mepouring my love down on Nat in bucketsspoiling him with a huge chocolate peanut butter heartwith a trip to StarbucksCVSStop&Shopwith buttered bagelshomecooked chiliand Sprite.
But when I dropped him back at The House yesterdayand asked him when he would like to come home next weekend -- before lunch or after lunch -- he said"Lunch at [The House.] Lunch at [The House!!!!]!!!!!"
I said"Natyou would rather eat lunch at The House than at home?"
and Nat said"Lunch at The House!!!"
I got into the carsulking a little bit. Ned said"Ohsnap!" And todayafter I told Max the storyhe said"What do they got over therethe Brooklyn Bridge?"