Some of my best memories as a child are the summers I spent with my grandparents. As soon as school was out, I packed my bags and was ready to roll. There was no place else I wanted to be.
My grandparents lived about two hours away. We saw them often, but summer break was my time to have them all to myself and stay with them every moment possible. My sisters did not stay with them. It was just me. I got so excited as my mom drove away. I thought of all the adventures (and TV) I was getting ready to have.
It is a widely known fact in my family that I was my Granny’s favorite. My cousin Joe was probably my Pa’s favorite because he was the only boy and he helped on the farm. He is also just a great person. However, Joe lived in the same town as my grandparents. So, I was the one who came in and set up shop for the summer.
Much of my days were spent binging on TV. My grandparents had cable! We got three channels at home. In the morning I watched The Price is Right with Granny and that led straight into our stories. Days of our Lives was never missed. After the soaps were over, I carefully curated my afternoon and evening based on the airing of old TV shows on TBS. My non-stop viewing started with The Flintstones at 4:05 p.m. and went right up until dinner. After dinner, I rushed to catch The Carol Burnett Show, my favorite. Then it was game shows with my Granny followed by evening programming. Granny’s favorites were Murder She Wrote and Dallas. No one has ever cussed J.R. Ewing like my Granny.
I did not just live in front of the TV. I also laid around reading endless romance novels and kept the roads hot with my Granny and her sister (Nini). Granny and Nini would get the paper and map out who had the best deals on what that week. Then, the three of us would hit every store in town buying food by the case. When greens beans are on sale, you buy those fuckers! My Granny invented buying food in bulk. I wish she could have lived to see Costco. It would have brought her great joy.
These two old women wore me out. Their shopping stamina was epic. I’m pretty sure they trained for it. When we rolled in with all our groceries, my Pa would be waiting anxiously to see our score. The most my grandfather ever weighed was 130lbs, but he was always eating. He never wanted to miss out on any food that came into the house. In hindsight, I’m not sure that man didn’t have a tapeworm.
Granny would then cook a huge meal for the three of us and we would settle in for Wheel of Fortune. Granny was a Wheel of Fortune beast. She could solve those puzzles with just a couple letters showing. It drove my Pa crazy. I’m pretty sure he was convinced Granny and Pat Sajak were having an affair and Pat was slipping Granny puzzle answers.
My goal for most nights was to stay awake long enough to watch Johnny Carson with my Pa. He and I loved Carson. Granny hated him. We have no idea why. I would sit next to my Pa on the couch and we would laugh so hard at Johnny’s antics. Granny would cuss. Again, we do not know what her beef was with Johnny.
When I couldn’t take it any longer, I would finally kiss my grandparents, tell them I loved them and go to bed. I always kissed them and told them I loved them. I needed them to know how much they meant to me.
Every year as summer starts, I think of them and treasure every moment I spent at their house on the hill. It was my happiest of all places. There is very little I wouldn’t do for just one more summer feeling that loved and special.
Grandparents are the most magical of creatures.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
