THE DUST WILL WAIT

A few weeks ago 6+ year old Dinkum came home from school and handed me this photo. "I drew space for you grandma!" Grandma:  Can you tell me what everything is? Dinkum:  It's the planets. The one that is frowning is Pluto.  He's mad because he's the smallest! ***** Some recent 4+ year old Mizelle conversations: One day  I walked out to the garage by myself and picked up a sack which fell apart.  Two Butternut squash fell to  the floor which startled me.  I think I yelled "OH NO."  When I got back into the house  Mizelle was looking at the door. Mizelle: Gwamma... who did you say 'hi' to? Gwamma: No one. I was talking to myself. Mizelle: Can I say hello? ***** Mizelle: Gwamma.... Gwamma... sumptins wong with my foot."  Gwamma: Does it hurt? Mizelle: NO... it won't let me put my sock on! ***** I had to run some errands and I had my "list" in the front seat. When Mizelle and I hopped out of ...

(October) I took Squeak (17 mos) for a walk with his 9-year old sissy, Curlymop, and their  4-year old cousin Mizelle. Although there were plentiful leaves on the ground, the air was still and nothing falling at the moment. Out of the corner of my eye I detected a movement ahead and high above us.  It was one huge elm leaf on a slow dance descent. It landed right on top and completely covered Curlymop's head. She stopped, turned around, and looked and me with a questionable tilt on her eyebrows.  I smiled and pointed at the top of my head.  She reached up and discovered her adornment. She laughed, "Oh Grandma!  I though you patted me on the head." Later, I shared the moment with her auntie Karmyn.  S he laughed out loud and said,   "I think that old tree patted her on the head!" ***** (September) Mizelle: Let's play SPY, gwamma. Gwamma: Spy? How do we play that? Mizelle (with an exasperated sigh): Like we did before~! Gwamma, totally bewil...

Grandchildren Grandma: Dinkum -- let me give you a hug and a kiss Dinkum, 5 1/2: If you have Fifty-five bucks. *** Z-bub, 7 1/2, shares his brother's  belief that he’s too old to be kissing grandma. The other day I was showing him one of those cute videos on U-tube with dogs and cats. I was completely caught off guard when he leaned against my shoulder and put his fingers up my head and began to caress my hair.  I never said a word… just enjoyed the moment. *** Dinkum: "What does Hallelujah mean?" Mom:  Well, it’s like being thankful and full of praise.  A word for worship. Dinkum:  “Then why does that one song say it's raining men, hallelujah ?” *** Dinkum: "Grandma! We had chinese food." Grandma: Yum!  What food did you eat? Devo: I had chicken on a stick, pineapple chicken and spilled water. ***  Saw this picture on another forum recently and felt I had to post it in honor of Dinkum.  It speaks for itself. *** C...

Dinkum Devo: Grandma ..... Grandma....  Grandma walks from the kitchen into the family room where Dinkum is on his knees by the coffee table, elbow on coffee table, head on hand. Grandma: What sweetie? Dinkum: Can I take my hand off my head yet? Grandma: What?  Dinkum: Can I take my hand off my head yet? Grandma: Well of course... why do you have  your hand on your head ... is this some kind of game? Dinkum: Grandpa told me to hold my hand on my head. Grandma: Oh. Well, sure take your hand off your head. Later grandma asks grandpa if he told Dinkum to hold his hand on his head. Grandpa looked puzzled briefly, then he began to chuckle.  "No, when I walked through the room and he was making all those star war noises I told him that grandma had a headache and he needed to keep those noises inside his head for awhile." * * * * * * * Grandma is reading "How Do Dinosaur's say Goodnight" to Z-bub, Dinkum, and Mizelle. Dinkum Devo: Grandma, were ...

I've never worked harder for less money. But here are some of the paychecks I've received just in the last month. *** 6 1/2 year old Zbub: Grandma I want to go outside and build a snowman. Grandma:   There really isn't enough snow, sweety. But he convinced me -- grabbed his coat, boots, mittens, and shortly arrives back at the door with an I told you so  smile. *** Dinkum:  Gramma!  Mizelle said the "S" Word. Gramma raises her eyebrows:   Hmmm.. she did, huh?  I guess you better tell me what she said. Dinkum:   She said POO PO O! *** Grandma:   It's snack time ... how about some Tillamook rasberry yogurt. Z-bub who just got off the bus from school:  Hey Dinkum, we're having Til-a monkey yogurt for a snack.  Yeaaaah! *** My daughter Amanda to 7 year old Curlymop:   I love you muchos. Curlymop:   I love you more than all the muchos. Amanda:  Really?  How much is ...

Last week I supervised my 14-year old grand daughter as she baked a beautiful apple-blueberry pie.  It was not only a pleasure to the taste buds, but it was beautifully crafted as well.  Almost six-year old Z-bub was all about that pie the rest of the morning.   "Where is the pie?" He worried at lunch. I told him we would serve it at dinner. When our evening meal arrived he took one look on the patio table and declared, "I don't see the pie!" "We need to eat our dinner first," I told him and we began serving up our barbecue chicken and corn on the cob. Z-bub took several bites and declared that he had eaten and was ready for dessert. "Z-bub, the rest of us are still eating our dinner," Grandpa reprimanded him quietly.  "You are going to have to be patient and wait.  Maybe you could even eat a few more bites off that plate while you wait?" We went on with the meal and he began to chow down with his normal appetite in command. ...

7 Year old Buttercup:  Grandma, can I sleep with you tonight? Grandma:  Sure ! (the two crawl into bed) Buttercup: I won't be able to hear my alarm in my bedroom.  Do you have an alarm, Grandma?  Mine starts slow then goes fastlikethis if I don't get up and turn it off.   gab gab gab gab gab.  I can tell my right hand from my left hand because I know which hand I put over my heart by heart.  So when someone asks me  which is my right hand I just put it over my heart and I know which one it i s.  gab gab gab gab gab.   I liked the honey that you put on my peanut butter sandwich.  I couldn't even taste the peanut butter you put so much honey on it.  It was good.   gab gab gab gab gab .  When I'm getting ready to go to school Jammin' comes in to the room and just talks talks talks talks and I have to tell him to go away because I'm getting ready for school.   gab gab gab gab gab . We're having pet sha...

At lunch time today the conversation took a strange turn when we began talking about cows. Grandma:  When I was a little girl we raised cows. 5 year old Z-bub:  Who won? Grandma (confused):  Who won what? Z-bub:  Who won when you raced cows?

While six grandchildren were visiting this weekend, we had an opportunity to go for a short walk on the creek. Just turned 8-year old Goober Evalina and I were doing a little bird watching. Goober:   OH!  Grandma!  Look at those! Grandma:  Uh huh.  Two Canadian Geese. Goober (Sighs, and in a disappointed tone):  I thought they were short Ostrich. Then she walks ahead of me and I hear her add quietly, "Or Black and White Flamingos."

This evening earlier: Buttercup:  Grandma.  You are eating a griller instead of meat. Grandma:  I really don't eat very much meat. Buttercup:  Are you only half a carnivore? Before Granmda can answer.... Jammin:  Buttercup, Grandma is mostly a veterinarian.

Conversations with grandchildren -- you've got to write it down when words happens or they are lost forever. I just finished bathing the two boys -- 4 1/2 year old Z-bub, and 2 1/2 year-old Dinkum. While I was rinsing the shampoo friom Dinkum's hair I had to be very careful. Grandma:  Hold very still Dinkum because this shampoo is not made for children.  It would sting your eyes. Z-bub:  Yeah Dinkum.  Bees made it.

This evening I dialed our daughter's phone number and 5-year old Buttercup answered. Buttercup: Hello? Grandma: Hi Buttercup, is your mama home? Buttercup: She's at cub scouts with Jammin'. Hey Grandma, my tooth came out today! Grandpa walks in, hears the tooth conversation in process, and picks up the extension. Grandpa: Did it hurt. Buttercup : No. It just took a quick yank. Grandpa: Who pulled it? Buttercup: My mama. Now I can stick my tongue through it. Grandpa: Did you cry? Buttercup: Only when I saw the blood. ....later in the conversation Grandma: How is (chicken) Henrietta Cluck? Buttercup: She might be a rooster. Grandma: Then we'll have to call him Henry Cluck. Buttercup: No, - - - - then we'll have to eat her. I love you. Goodbye.

A moment with Curlymop. Curlymop :Gwamma! Quick! Run! It's a bee. Gwamma: No, don't worry sweetie. It's just a flying insect. Curlymop: Is 'flying insect' Spanish for bug? A moment with Buttercup. But tercup: Grandma, will you brush my hair. You're more gentler than mommy. Grandma: Sure, sit down here. Grandma brushes "gentler" for awhile. Grandma: Buttercup, your hair is just like mine, very fine. Buttercup: No! It isn't. Your hair is old.

Late afternoon: Grandma: Curlymop, would you like some juice. Curlymop: I want some. Grandma goes to the kitchen and returns with juice for Curlymop and a glass of cold water for Grandma. Grandma takes two swallows: Burp. Excuse me! Curlymop: Gwamma, you boooped. Grandma: Yes, excuse me Curlymop. Grandma takes a couple more swigs: Burp. Burp. (Eyes open wide in surprise!) EXCUSE ME! Curlymop: Gwamma, you booped again. Curlymop runs across the room and pulls grandma’s cup down and peers intently into the clear liquid. Curlymop: What? It’s only water? 6:00 a.m. Grandpa has little fingers prying open his eyelids. Buttercup: Grandpa. Grandpa: Whaaa…whaaa…whaaaa. Oh Hi Buttercup. Buttercup: Grandpa. Grandma is still asleep. Mommy is all *jumbled up. I have to crawl into bed with you. (*note: jumbled up with her pregnant pillow, we assume) Grandpa: Okay then. Buttercups crawl up on the bed to sit next to Grandpa...