Monday is Here... Again.

Monday is HERE again....

Big and bold, standing out as usual.

Sigh!

I need another day off. But that's not going down. Gotta go to work!

But not before I report on my weekend.

I did my usual: chores and errands.

And I also hung out with my Grandma.

I need to visit her more often, as she only lives 10 minutes away. It's just a matter of working into her schedule, because even at 80 years old, the woman stays busy. So I took a chance and called her early Saturday morning (which is usually too late. I have to talk to her a few days prior), and lo and behold, she wasn't busy that day. So I told her I'd come over around two in the afternoon.

So I prepared a huge salad, gathered up some stray bottles of bottled waters and headed to Grandmas...

But not before I went and got something else. Not sure I could show up at her house with just a salad. I stopped by one of the most popular places deep in the hood:



Bankhead Seafood!

You know, I haven't been there in 18 years! But I know Grandma loves fried fish. So I was going to pick up a plate.

That place is a trip. You walk in, there are signs all over- you bet not walk up in there with credit cards or debit cards. Cash only. And you better turn that cell phone off.

It was a dark place, crowded with people. But I went at a good time, when the line was not snaking out the door.

You get a plate of fish for five dollars cash, tax included.



That is A LOT of fish. I didn't even count how much. It was easily 10-15 pieces of pollack. (Never heard of that type of fish)/.

Now you can see why the place is so popular. You get a whole lot of fish, so much that they can't close the container. They don't have a closing time. They close when they run out of fish.

So I headed to Grandma's. She was happy to see me, her "little girl". (This use to unnerve me. Grandma is like, five feet tall. I am seven inches taller. I just go head on and let her call me that).

We watched a college footbal game. (Not sure what was up with that. Didn't know she liked football.) I worked on a crochet project. She read a book. We talked. She has a VERY soft book, and she's a little hard of hearing these days, and it was a battle hearing her over the television.

But she did tell a story of a possum that lives in the backyard. It has a thing for getting in the trash and eating up the bones. She was very detailed about this (I could imagine her leaving out bones just to see the critter).

I was sitting there thinking "Thank goodness we're not going in the back yard."

Then after all this, she says "I want you to come in the backyard and see my hibiscus plants and roses."
*crickets*

Man, I did NOT want to go in that back yard. I haven't been in that backyard since I was 15 years old. It was where my Granddaddy kept his junk, and there was just too much going on, something straight out of the show Hoarders. I would knock stuff over, and I just decided to stay ouf from back there.

Plus the doggone possum was back there.
But how could I say no to Grandma?

So we headed back there close to evening time, when it wasn't so hot.

And I was wary, eyes darting back and forth, forever mindful that there was a possum probably perched in the bushes glaring at us...

The carport leading to the backyard was interesting. My Uncle Tweet has a bunch of lawn gear out on the carport. Not sure what's up with that, and I didn't ask. I assume he is repairing the stuff.
There were plenty of stray kittes running around.


Maybe I should've taken one home to Oscar-Tyrone, so he'd have a friend.

NOT!!

Grandma has some rose bushes that are 20 feet tall. (Didn't know they grow that tall). Here's one of the yellow rose bushes, which is big as a tree.



I remember this tree as a child. This is the pecan tree in the backyard.

My Uncles would climb up in the tree and shake it, and pecans would fall, and there would be SO many pecans. My grandfather would divide them up, and let us get whatever we wanted. It still produces pecans every other year.

Uncle Tweet has a garden. He's doing his fall garden now, and his turnip greens are starting to come in.

That's gonna be some GOOD eating!

Here's where Grandma sits and swings.

There wasn't much to see, as the blooms have died off of many of her flowers. But she was so proud, and told me every single detail of each plant.

I listened to all she said, while looking out for that possum.

(My heart jumped in my chest when a squirrel ran across the fence. UGH)

We went back inside, and I left for home.

One last picture. My Auntie Joyce's old Camaro.

She gave that to my Uncle. My aunt LOVES camaros, and has always bought them. I never cared to ride with her, because she drives REAL fast. Maybe she has slowed down now. I think she's getting older now, and prefers less power.

So that's the highlight of my weekend... hanging with Grandma.

And since she's getting up in age, I need to make sure to see her more often. I always learn something new from her about life and our family history.

And it will help me this week, reflecting on our visit, that is.

It will help me to remember what is truly important.

And that is what truly matters.

I hope you all had a great weekend... on purpose.