Don't burn the rolls.

My Gramma Jean lived in a house trailer. It was so hot, that even in the winter there was often condensation on the inside of the windows. She always had a candy dish filled with Brach's candy and a pitcher of super creamy milk in the fridge. She called my Grampa "Grandad" and for some reason that always reminded me of a graham cracker. She bought a carton of cigarettes for my Grampa who smoked 1 cigarette (or half) a night in bed and put the butt (or the other half) there each night. My Gramma split a beer with my Grampa at dinner. She kept the carton of cigarettes on the bookshelf in the back hall. My Grampa had false teeth and he kept them in a yellow container next to the sink. I once had a confessional with my sisters and we admitted looking in the container every time we were there. My Gramma is possibly the only woman on earth who religiously used the "meat probe", a special feature on her JCPenney microwave to cook a Sunday roast. She always burnt the rolls. One time I spent the night there and she tried to get me to wear my Wonder Woman under-roos as a bathing suit, I freaked out. She would put a glass of oranged juice next to my bed on the rare ocassion that I slept over. She had a shed, and an electric lawnmower that my Gramp used to mow the lawn with. What I admired most about her, is that even though her space was tiny that didn't stop her from having large groups over for dinner. She always showed us her latest craft, and talked about the adventures of her friend and neighbor Nola, a name which my BFF considered for one of her children...and if she is reading this thank you for not picking that name because to me your darling daughter would always be the lady who lived in a trailer and liked to go to the Senior Center...I digress. From Gramma Jean, I learned that a church "bizarre" was full of items described as just that. I also learned not to be wasteful and how much you can make out of what little you have, that everyone should travel, and always admired how she was completely non-judgemental.

My Gramma Ruth lived in a fancy house. It is possible she made the best cheesy potatoes ever. She always had Andes mints, creamy milk out of olive green drinking glasses, V8 with cheese and crackers for a snack, big Kroger chocolate chip cookies and a double oven. When we went there on Sunday after hitting the Classy Chassis car wash after church, we usually had dinner around 3-4 and headed home. On lucky days, we went to Bill Knapp's where I would order chop steak, au gratin potatoes, a salad with ranch, and peppermint stick ice cream. I cried when they played the birthday song to me through the speakers there. On really lucky days we went to the Sign-of-the-Beefcarver and I got to choose from that delectable cafeteria style display of desserts. She never went upstairs in her house. She had a grandfather clock, a sun porch, holly & myrtel bushes and a man who came and did all of her yard work. She always needed me to change the digital clock in her car and her clock radio and was AMAZED that I could do it. She wore Isotoner gloves. She had a cottage and our family went there every weekend. She always go her hair done and I am pretty sure I never saw her swim. She made Spanish Rice and the only thing Spanish about it was that it was a terra cotta color. She hated garlic and could smell it a mile away. She was always impressed that I could do my own hair -- even when I was 12. She liked to shop and would take us to Jacobson's for a new winter coat or for lunch. My Grampa was grumpy. He liked lemon cake with glazed frosting. My Gramma & Grampa and my Gramma's sister and her husband all graduated from the University of Michigan. Her sister was an identical twin. She lived to be 99 & her sister lived to be 100. She had really good taste and loved to buy a new coat or dress and she wore Estee Lauder make-up.

Jeepers & da'Suser have Grandparents too.

The have the "over the Mackinac Island Bridge" Gramma and the "Gramma who lives by Emma".

Their Grammas are very different...but they both love their little chickens almost as much as I do (wink).

"Gramma who lives by Emma" specializes in brownies and coffee cake. "Grampa who lives by Emma" is not the type to come over on Sunday morning to help with his mothers recipe. He prefers hot tea, the Sunday paper and Meet The Press.

"Over the Mackinac Island Bridge Gramma" specializes in baking from scratch and comfort food dinners. Grampa "Over the Mackinac Island Bridge" is the type who knows that a loaf of brown bread starts with scalded milk.

Each special, in their own way. Each different with what they have to offer.

I wonder what my chickens will say about them when they grow up.






xo - B.M.