Sunday, February 11, 2024

I Hope I Made You Laugh


I invited whatever Weatherfords could make it for breakfast today. It would be more accurately called brunch or second breakfast as we didn't sit down until about eleven. Vergil had some Ultimate Frisbee stuff going on but Jessie and the boys came out. It was the usual- pancakes and bacon and eggs. I tried making sourdough pancakes and they were not very pleasing to me although everyone else said they were fine. I mean- you could put syrup and butter on cardboard and it would fine. I did make some banana pancakes the way Granny Matthews used to make them. I am thinking now she must have had some Cuban influence in her cooking because she used a lot of guava and bananas and other tropical fruits. But her banana pancakes were made by slicing bananas, laying several slices in a circular shape in the skillet in which butter had been melted, sprinkling them lightly with brown sugar, and then pouring enough pancake batter over the bananas to hold them all together, letting it brown on the bottom, flipping the pancake, and letting that side brown. 
Now that is good. The bananas cook to almost translucence and are so sweet that you need no syrup at all. 

While we were eating, August told me that he had invented a segment of time. "Oh really?" I said. "What is it?"
"A banana second. It's a billionth of a nanosecond." 
I wrote it down to make sure I got it right. 

And then Levon, a few minutes later, pointed out a salient feature of the winged mermaid that I have flying above the table on the back porch, which is her breasts. 




I was not kidding when I said that I do love whimsical things hanging from ceilings. 
Anyway, Levon said that the mermaid had "Mama Makers." 
"What?" we all asked.
"Mama Makers!" he said. 
We all agreed that this was quite true and from here on out, I believe we should refer to bosoms as exactly that. 

So they were entertaining as usual and even let me read them part of a Richard Scarry book on the swing porch. It's the swing porch because it has a porch swing on it. Here's one of the doors from which you can access this porch.


That's in the guest room. You can also enter or exit it from steps on the front of it, or through a door that leads off my bathroom. 
We have so many doors, due to the fact that this house has been added on to and added on to and...added on to...over the years. That window you see through the door is in the Glen Den. It's sort of confusing, even to me and I've lived here twenty years. 

Then the boys played some Wii and Jessie did some studying for a neonatal resuscitation class she's taking and I worked on a crossword but mostly we watched the many, many birds come and go from the feeders and of course chatting. At one point, I told her about the campaign signs we'd seen over in Wakulla County when we went over there on Friday. I have no idea what office the person was running for but his last name was "Tooten". 
Because no one ever outgrows fart jokes, Jessie and I laughed and laughed about that. Then I told her what I'd said to Mr. Moon when we were driving past the signs which was, "That's so sad. I know that kid got teased unmercifully." To which I added, "Can you imagine if his best friend was named 'Putin'? People would be saying, 'Oh god. Here comes Tooten and Putin again.'"
This made Jessie and me laugh so hard that when I could get my breath I said, "Do you suppose that anyone's ever died laughing?"
"Sure," she said. 
"I mean, died FROM laughing," I said. "Not like died laughing because they were laughing and then an anvil fell on them."
At that point, I completely lost my shit. It was like if you were in church and had one of those horrible and inappropriate compulsions to laugh and actually let it out, it would have been this intense. 
Know what I mean?
I was crying. I was choking. 

And then it was time for Jessie and the boys to pack it all up and go on home and so they did. It had been so good for my soul to see them and to have that laugh with Jessie. The rest of the afternoon has been sweet and I'm about to make the man some air-fried chicken wings and oyster stew. What a great supper! 
Uh-huh. 
It is Super Bowl Sunday, right? 
I told Jessie I had no idea who was playing. She said that Taylor Swift's boyfriend was playing. "I know that," I said. I don't live under a rock. "But what team does he play on?" 
And she told me because she'd just discussed this with her dad but she couldn't remember the other team and now I can't remember what team that Taylor Swift guy is playing for either. I barely know who Taylor Swift is but I could identify her in a line-up and I hear that she really is amazing. 

Today's camellias. 




I am so glad I planted those things. 

Love...Ms. Moon


35 comments:

  1. I like the white camellias best. That orderly arrangement of so many petals.
    My sister and I used to make wonderful jokes and laugh ourselves into hysteria. That was so many years ago. I remember playing a complex card game and laughing about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. I had a good chuckle over putin tootin.

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    1. I agree- those camellias are just so perfect. But they all have their different charms.
      And aren't silly jokes often the best? Mr. Moon has started telling what he self-proclaims to be Dad Jokes and they make me laugh so hard although I groan too.

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  2. I do know who’s playing in the Super Bowl and therefore which team Taylor Swift’s boyfriend is on, but only because my daughters and husband and I were having a discussion about Taylor making it back from Japan in time for the game. My husband did know who was playing, but it was our son-in-law who was able to tell us who the boyfriend plays for. I too do not live under a rock and can prove it by telling you that his name is Travis something. I also know that Taylor is blonde and pretty, but don’t test me with a lineup. Margaret

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    1. Heh-heh- Sounds like between us we may know three complete facts about Taylor Swift.

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  3. Whoa, camellias, lovely. I learned Tunisian crochet lace while people were, maybe still are, watching the Superb Owl. I saw one pic of Taylor arriving, that was enough news.
    I've noted that banana pancake idea, tx.

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    1. Well, you saw more than I did. AND you learned to do Tunisian crochet.
      I do believe you would love the banana pancakes.

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  4. Granny's banana method pancakes sound divine! And I know yours were good too! Mama Makers....I love that! Taylor Swift.....her face is plastered everywhere but I wouldn't recognize a song of hers if it slapped me in the face since I don't *do* pop music..... And..love all the doors in your house! I've lived in 2 houses that had 3 or 4 doors all opening into a single bathroom.....also had a friend who lived in a house old as yours who had 5 rooms all with doors going to bathroom.....very weird...but very functional overall. Superbowl is on.....but not paying much attention...waiting for the Bud Clydesdales ad....that would be my highlight!
    Susan M

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    1. Shotgun houses are interesting. They have two exit and entrance doors, one at the front, one at the back. The rest of the rooms are just aligned one after another and you have to go through them to get to another. I did live in an apartment, come to think of it, that only had a front door. Not back door at all. And all the rooms were in a straight line.

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    2. That’s a railroad flat, same concept as shotguns, no interior hall. Margaret

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  5. Oh yes and thank you, I laughed- that ridiculous laugh that starts in the nose like an explosion, somewhat painful but that is my own fault for trying to stifle the guffah. Did not want to wake the snoozer. We are not fans of american football- brain damage for zillions of dollars...nope. The little boys are so brilliant , what a treat!

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    1. I am very glad that so far, none of my grands have wanted to play football. Soccer and baseball and basketball. What is it about the balls? Don't answer that. I know.

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  6. I’d take a
    breakfast date with you and your family any day over watching the Super Bowl! I know nothing about the game, and I’m not entirely sure I’d be able to pick Ms. Swift in a lineup😂So I guess I’m practically living under a rock?😂 Xo, Rigmor

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    1. Maybe you're just living in a cave. Not under a rock. You're okay.

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  7. A good laugh like that is priceless. You have the perfect grandma house with strange doors and odd rooms.
    I like Taylor Swift's music. She's a talented young woman.

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    1. I really do have an excellent grandma house. Kids are fascinated by this place.

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  8. We all need a good laugh these days!

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  9. I am absolutely going to try those banana pancakes! I'm so glad you got to have a good laugh. I'll never forget a day long ago when my daughters were teens and we were all being silly in the kitchen and we laughed until we cried.
    The camellias are so beautiful.

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    1. You can make them as big or small as you like.
      Levon and I still talk about the time we laughed until we cried.

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  10. There can be no better laughs than hysterical laughing! It's been a while since I've done that but man o man doesn't it do you the world of good!

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    1. It really does. It clears out some pipes or something.

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  11. My mother used to make these banana pancakes only she used sliced apples. The truck was to make a stack of ten or so and then cut the stack like you cut a cake.
    A while ago I actually googled for Taylor Swift songs to hear what the fuss is all . I'm afraid I drifted off listening. Must be my age thing.

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    1. You should try the banana ones!
      I am of the opinion that each generation has their own music and that is how it is and that is how it should be.

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  12. I wish my camellia would grow and it would be nice if it would bloom which it has not done for the last two years. I don't really care for football and did not watch the Super Bowl though it was on. I was outside mostly because it was a nice warm day. those banana pancakes sound wonderful but far too much work. I generally make blueberry pecan pancakes but it's all mixed in the batter.

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    1. I usually make blueberry pancakes too. In fact, the ones I made yesterday had blueberries in them.

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  13. It feels so good to have a great laugh like that.

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  14. I had the same conversation with Dave's parents when we all Skyped yesterday -- telling them I had no idea who was playing in the Super Bowl. I couldn't identify Taylor Swift in a lineup, but I do know who she is, at least.

    I have had giggling fits like that before, though it's been years. I remember being at a symphony once and a woman behind us kept snorting or doing something disgusting with her nose and my friend and I were silently laughing so hard we were shaking.

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    1. You'd pretty much have to be DEAD not to have at least heard of Taylor Swift.
      It is almost terrifying when you are having one of those uncontrollable laughing fits which are so highly inappropriate.

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  15. Just visiting from Debby's blog. I love the flying mermaid and I agree - it's so lovely to see the younger ones and have a good laugh - the best medicine of all.

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    1. Hello, Jabblog. Nice of you to drop by and nice of you to leave a comment! Thank you.

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  16. That first photo. Typical Norman Rockwell painting
    So American

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  17. Oh god. You are so right. All we need is a damn turkey.

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  18. I love hearing about your laughing wheezing crying session with Jessie. Daughters can be such soulmates. And I do think those boys have genius level engagement with the world. A banana second is a billionth of a nanosecond? That makes so much sense to me!

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  19. That was from me, 37P.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.