Saturday, January 8, 2011

In Which We Go To Thomasville And Come Home With A Horse


I do not think it could have been a better day.

I think I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves. And oh yes, the little movie of Owen meeting the horse for the first time.



It's like he was born knowing how to ride that horse.

Bop arranged for the purchase of it first thing and we explored the store a little more and then we took off for lunch. We went to the place which I have spoken of before where a little old woman sits at the cash register (it's all buffet and you pay when you come in) and looks at Mr. Moon and says, "How tall're yew?"
Well, she wasn't there today so things seemed a bit off but the food was as downhome great as ever and everyone always talks about how fine the vegetables are and they ARE but dear god, there is so much pork fat in them that a vegetarian would not find enough to stave off starvation there. Ironic, eh?

Here's a plate of goodness:

There were three kinds of greens, three types of beans, rutabagas (which the man at the cash register told us about when we paid- "There are rutabagas today!") and okra and oh, hell, I don't know what all. And baked chicken with rice and Macaroni and Cheese and meat loaf and barbecued pork and fried chicken and yeast rolls the size of Owen's head.
And the best tea. Oh, just the best.

Here's Owen.

He especially liked the green beans.
But then we decided to give him a fried chicken leg. A long time ago, I took Ms. Omgrrrl to this restaurant with her young son and he ate his first fried chicken leg there. He called it "shicken" and we are still talking about that day. That boy ate that chicken leg from the top to the bottom and I am sure that to this day he remembers it. At least to some degree.
So we gave Owen a leg after Lily took off most of the crunchy, crispy, delicious coating

and at first he was hesitant and then he tried it

and then...

Yes. He is a carnivore. He ate it to the bone in about thirty seconds.

I was so proud. My little southern boy. He can feed chickens AND he can eat them.
I know. It's confusing. Let's not think about it too much.

We went back downtown and did a little strolling and shopping. Owen needed to work off some of that chicken and we let him out of the stroller and he gleefully held our hands and walked like a man down the sidewalk.

We loaded up the horse and drove on home and Owen fell asleep because he WAS TIRED and he WAS FULL and the horse bounced along in the truck bed behind him and I made Lily take his picture because he looked so jaunty back there.


And so the horse is home now, in our library. Lily just doesn't have room for it at her house. He may end up on the side porch when it warms up. Who knows? I just hope that Owen really loves it as much as he seemed to when he first saw it. He was still half asleep when we set him on it at home.

So that's been our day and thank-you for indulging a grandmother. I realized, as we were eating lunch and I was ignoring my food to take the boy's picture and give him bites that really, I AM A DAMN GRANDMOTHER AND THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT!
I mean, I knew I was a grandmother before that moment but it just really sunk in that I am one to such a cliched degree and don't you judge me until you've had your own grandchildren.
You'll see.
Oh yes you will.

And here's one more picture. A lagniappe, if you will.

Dessert.
Yeah, the meal wasn't enough. We had to get dessert. That's the best cinnamon roll you ever ate, a piece of yellow sheet cake and some banana pudding.
And no, I did not eat all of that. I promise you. In fact, I didn't even bother tasting the cake or the banana pudding and I probably only ate about one day's calories worth of the cinnamon roll which was less than half of it.

I wish I had another one right now.

Life is sweet. And salty. And crunchy. And bouncy.
Sometimes, anyway.

Today it has been. It surely has for four of us here in North Florida as we traveled up to Georgia and then came home, a plastic horse dancing all the way as we traveled back south to where we live.

23 comments:

  1. What a terrific day, LOVE the video and the header pic of Owen with the chicken leg hehe.

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  2. Ohhhhhhhh...cuteness to the nth degree...love the beautiful boy, the jaunty horse, and the doting grandmother. What a great day!

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  3. Such a happy post. Thank you for the smiles it brought me today.

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  4. His grandmother definitely knows!! The video is even better than pictures. Owen road that little horse like he had ridden it a hundred times before, adorable joy child. You should be a proud grandmother (I know you are:)

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  5. That's so much fun -- I love your grandmother ways and days.

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  6. How lovely, how lovely. What a great boy, so glad the horse was still there! And it's so sweet to see Lily and her dad smiling the same smile at Owen. Beautiful picture of the holding hands :)

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  7. He is a carnivore for sure. Wow--very impressive biting on that leg.

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  8. Happy, happy day!

    I knew Owen would love that horse. Unfortunately the video wouldn't work but I'll try later. You know how blogger can be.

    That cinnamon roll looks wonderful...especially with a cup of strong hot coffee. I would have eaten it first than eaten the veggies if I had room left over. I know it's bad but that's just how I roll. :)

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  9. I like to think of all the joy that is embedded in that horse from previous children. I think it has to be there to emanate in some way. I love Owen stories. The video was THE BEST. Did he name her THE MARE? It sounded like it. Or perhaps La Mer just as good :)

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  10. Oh dear lord what a day! The boy! The food! Did I mention the food?? I really want to eat there! I've eaten at a few places like that in my life and I will always remember them. Grandmother away, Ms. Moon, because this site is exactly what my heavy heart needed after too much watching of the awful news in Arizona today. And too much sick girl and not quite well, tired me. It was a joy to spend a piece of this day with you and your family, and so very happy making to see that horse bouncing in the window. Can't wait to see the vid, not much happening in that box just now. Thanks, and hugs to you and yours.

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  11. Oh, oh, oh my! It worked this time, what a natural! He called his horse a mare! And Mr. Moon, so protective and proud. You did good Ms. Moon!

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  12. If the king sits on gold, who sits on silver?

    The Lone Ranger!

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  13. I KNEW your next post would have a photo of your sweet grandson on that horse!!! LOVE all the photos and the one of the horse traveling out of GA and into FL on the highway cracked me up. Your post was a sweet slice of Southern heaven.
    And you weren't just a picture of a grandma today--you're the BEST grandmother!

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  14. Tiffany- Well, that picture is not in focus but it is a miracle, nonetheless.

    Lulumarie- It was a FAMOUS day in my history.

    Leslie- You are so welcome. I am so glad you visited to find it.

    Amber Elise- I don't know if I am proud so much as just completely delighted by the boy. But proud, yes, too.

    Elizabeth- Yes. It was pure-T fun.

    Jo- He is so good-natured, that boy. I really do appreciate that. And he does have The Moon smile.

    Lucy- Exactly!

    Syd- Even I was surprised.

    Mel's Way- Why is that bad? I think that's a lovely way to do it.

    Radish King- He said "Mare" but he calls me Mare-Mare or actually, Meir-Meir so who knows? It was fitting as the horse has no visible male, uh, appendages.

    Mel- I haven't even seen the news. I need to do that but it's been such a full day and I am sorry for what I do know. And yes, I have done good in my loves, haven't I? And I know it.

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  15. DTG- Don't think I didn't think of Heigh-Ho, Silver, Away!!!!

    Michele R- I am the LUCKIEST grandmother. I will give you that.

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  16. Yes life is sweet and all those other things.

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  17. The first time I ate okra was about 3 years ago at an Old Country Buffet..it was fried, and I was in love-it tasted amazing *drool*

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  18. so beautiful, all of it.
    Do you realize that horse is SMILING, and like looking at you out of the corner of his sparkling come to life again eye? That is the best picture, it's almost like he's galloping home with you.
    MAGICAL!
    The video was too....

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  19. Cute... a born rider indeed. Wished I could share my granddaughter (a month younger then Owen to the day) on her rocking moose. In Belgium they have a rocking moose now... What a blessing to be there with him to pick up the rocker and being able to film it and share with the world... I have been officially forbidden by my DIL to take my camera in when I go back to Belgium to visit my granddaughter (twice a year for an hour...) and it sucks so bad. Therefore I enjoy looking at other grandchildren double I guess... Thanks for sharing Ms Moon... Much appreciated. Go get them Owen... rock the rocking horse. And good for you on the chicken leg!

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  20. Shit. I want to eat now.

    Pretty horse!

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  21. Love these pictures, love the stories. That is an AWESOME picture of Owen eating the chicken. We had a horse like that growing up, and it was the source of much imaginative play. Enjoy!

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  22. I'd kill for the damn cinammon roll.

    The photos of Owen eating chicken are ADORABLE.

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