Saturday, May 4, 2019

Adventures In Grandparenting


I know. It looks like these poor children are being interrogated, doesn't it?
But no, they were just standing far back while their grandfather drilled through a lock on a box.
It's a long story but it was sort of a fun project to watch.
Who knew we had a drill press?
Not me.

I got zero good pictures from today but it was a good day, nonetheless. I was a bit worried about Levon because he's the most mama-boyish of all the kids I've ever known but honestly, he was downright merry. Once, ONCE, he said, "Mama?" and I said, "Mama and Daddy went bye-bye for a little while."
He did not bat an eye but proceeded to have more fun.
There was not one fuss. He just transferred his need for Mama to MerMer and he also had a good time with his Boppy whom he (surprise, surprise) adores.

We did go down to the post office/old train depot and I have to say it was pretty pathetic. They opened up the part that is usually closed and it had a few benches in it and a few fairly non-interesting displays of train stuff. Mr. Moon put a good donation in the box though and we did get some hot dogs and a bag of chips. Then we went across the road to where the St. Elizabeth AME church was having a fish fry and bought two mullet dinners and brought those home where there was plenty of Crystal hot sauce.


This is what a church-sold mullet dinner looks like in the deep south:


You got your fried mullet, you got your coleslaw, you got your baked beans. And two slices of white bread under the mullet which makes it a sandwich. 
We split up the dinners and enjoyed them, especially Levon. That boy can eat. 

We did some other stuff. Read books. Changed diapers. Watched a little TV. As I mentioned, drilled a lock. Gathered eggs, ate graham crackers and milk. I received a kiss-attack from the both of them when we were laying on my bed reading a Richard Scarry book. I don't know what instigated that but it happened. And then Vergil and Jessie got back from Thomasville, Georgia where they had taken their semi-day off to lunch and shop and August just wanted them to collect Levon and leave him here alone with his grandparents and Levon didn't appear to be too excited but did have a little bit of nursey before he asked me to read his truck book to him again. 
"Heavy" he kept saying about it and it was about dump trucks and their loads ARE heavy indeed. 
He's a smart kid. 

And that's how it went. I'm cooking some chicken to make chicken and dumplings. August's bed is all ready for him. He didn't take a nap so he's probably going to need to go to bed early tonight. And I better get in that kitchen and get busy chopping vegetables and making dumplings. 

We do not go hungry around here, do we? 
No. No we do not. 

And as August said to his parents as they were leaving and he was busy peeling a length of bamboo- "Bye for now!"
Really. He said that. 
He's a crackie. 

Love...Ms. Moon


21 comments:

  1. mullet. that's what we've come to. eating mullet. we sneered at mullet when I was growing up. one day when my brother was out in his little motor boat in the canal, a mullet jumped and landed in his boat. we all thought that was hysterical.

    those boys are a delight. they are all so different. so themselves. from the day they are born.

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    1. There's a long tradition of eating mullet in Florida. It's not seen as a particularly fancy fish, but I don't think it's sneered at, either. In fact, a lot of people get downright wistful about the days of huge mullet runs, rarely if ever seen now that so much of the waterfront property is developed and the water in the intracoastal waterways is no longer as clean as it once was.

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    2. Mullet has always been a staple around this area. I'm sure that it provided the protein required for life for many, many people. And probably still does. It's a delicious fish if cooked the day it is caught. It is also amazing when smoked. It has healthy oils in it and is readily available for netting. And sometimes, yes! It does indeed just jump right in the boat! It's also an important part of the eco-system. Dolphin actually cooperatively herd and beach mullet in great feedings. And are a staple at church fish dinners! Not to mention fundraisers for fire departments.
      Yep. Kids are born who they are. That has been quite clear to me since I had my first.

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  2. I'm not so sure about mullet, but I could wolf down all the rest of that St. Elizabeth AME lunch in a heartbeat. One time when we were both young, my sister said she would never eat anything that drank the water it pooped in, and for all that is an unreasonable evaluation of an entire species, it transferred to me, too. That slaw looks good enough to eat. I think about my Methodist church ladies working in their big kitchen, right out of the fifties, making turkey and stuffing and mashed taters and gravy and dressing and thinking, only a Scrooge could not support that kind of dedication and work.

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    1. Before I go--before she came to that firm fish conclusion, but definitely on the way to it, we had fish filets for supper. My sister questioned the shape of the fish, still attached along the back, but flattened out. One brother kindly and graphically explained the process of gutting and cleaning a fish. "That's awful," said my four year old sister. My dad said, with a grin, "It certainly is!" At ten years older, I was the only one who caught dad's pun, and he and I uncharitably laughed until tears rolled. He eventually explained awful-offal to her. That may have been the last time she ate fish. If she did.

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    2. That's so funny and also, so sad! Is your sister also a vegetarian? Her argument would hold a lot more water if she is! (Haha!)
      We who grew up on or nearby a coast with lots of rivers and lakes grew up eating lots of seafood and fish. Sometimes out of necessity but mostly because we know what's good! I feel lucky to have been able to eat such fresh fish most of my life.

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  3. I've never had mullet. On the Gulf side of Florida I've seen smoked mullet and that doesn't sound appealing. But fried! Fried is always good!!

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    1. If you like smoked salmon, try smoked mullet. It is delicious!

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    2. Smoked mullet is the food of the gods.

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  4. I'm glad you all had a good day. I think August might stay in your house all the time if he could.

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    1. He probably would although eventually he'd miss his mama and daddy and brother. But he's quite frankly spoiled here and he knows it.

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  5. When I get home at night, I take off my gawd awful bra and all my other 'outside' clothes, put on my pajamas and bathrobe and slippers. Even before I feed the animals or make tea. Then I relax on the couch. (she says with a sigh)

    Your blog is like that. I'm comforted and held in your kind regard. And I am so grateful you and your family (and chickens and gardens and all other critters)exist. For the love and the southern comfort food and your sweet selves.

    Thank you Mz Mary, for all of it. BTW, it's never boring...

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    1. Beautiful, Bless Our Hearts is always a treat.

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    2. Oh, thank you both! I love you ladies.

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  6. I'm not a fish lover, having grown up on the prairies. I'm glad you had a lovely day, and your grandkids did too.

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    1. I'm sure that where we grew up has a lot to do with what our food preferences end up being.
      We did have a lovely day.

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  7. "Bye for now!" Ha!

    That fried mullet dinner looks good to me. I'm glad you checked out the post office and had a good day all around.

    I don't even know what a drill press is.

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    1. Steve- I didn't know what a drill press was either but as soon as Glen started using his, I thought, "Damn. That must be a drill press!"

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  8. The things little kids come out with! It can stop you in your tracks. "Bye for now!" indeed.

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  9. I think that first picture of the guys is amazing.

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  10. I too love that first photo of the boys. Their expressions are wonderful, August focused on the drilling with all his might, and Levon focused on his Mer Mer.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.