Eating a Grapefruit

Eating a grapefruit had special memories for me this week.  When I moved into my first apartment during the college years, my grandma came to take us grocery shopping.  I think she did it for all of her 24 grandchildren.  It was a ritual.  We expected her to come.

We were at the produce section in the store and stood in front of the grapefruits together.  She mentioned she wanted to tell us (my cousin and I) something important.  "Always buy the ugly grapefruits," she said.  Of course, anyone who knows me wouldn't have to wager that I would ask WHY?  "Because the ugliest ones are always the sweetest," she would say.  Ok...If grandma says it is so, then that is what I will always do, I said to myself.

To this day I replay those moments in my mind with my grandma.  Every time I stand in front of the grapefruits at the store and every time I take my first bite of the succulent fruit.   She had always been right.  The ugliest grapefruits with the spots and scratches on them were always so sweet.  I don't know why.  Maybe just because my grandma said so.

My grandma and I were very close.  In, the earlier years, I cleaned her house and stayed after to just talk.  She told me many stories.  In fact there were so many stories I wrote a 50 page typed paper about life in Italy and her journey to the US as a young married woman.

When grandma was done talking after I cleaned her house, she would take a nap on her couch.  Our ritual had me covering her with a blanket and kissing her goodbye.

My grandma always treated me like I was special.  She is one of the few people who "got" me.  I was not a follower, a conformer or a yes girl.  She knew that about me and still thought I was special.

My mom always said you have children to become a grandma.  There is no greater joy.  Being a grandma makes me feel important again.  Yes I know I am anyway, but it is a higher level of importance.   And, it is delightful to have a little being who just digs you..who just beams from ear to ear when you appear.

And, my little P is getting ready to walk!!!  Look out, here I come!!!!

My grandson is crawling!!!!!!

I got to Skype last week with my little bundle of joy.  He is crawling now.  My daughter and her hubby put the computer on the floor across the room from the baby.  I put my arms out.."come to grandma, P," and my little love bucket crawled right over and grabbed the computer.

P is not even a year old yet and he has already visited the White House.  Maybe someday he will work there.  He seems to adapt easily and looks so happy.  He is loved by so many people.

Pretty Girl (real name) has control of the house now.  I had a late night out last Sunday and when I got home she was upset and wanting to tell anyone who would listen about it.  She ran full speed around the house talking (crying) and running at the same time.  She has a bowl of water but seems to demand water out of the bathtub faucet on command.

The bulbs are up and some have flowers already.  I have two broiler trays full of zinnia's growing in the kitchen.  No more house for sale this year.  I need a break.  In fact I felt so good taking the house off the market, I decided to just plant flowers by the back door where I see them.  Take a break from the wind destroying the garden once again I said to myself.  But, one cannot live without fresh tomatoes.  I never buy tomatoes in the store.  Winter is for sun-dried tomatoes and summer is for homegrown tomatoes.  Yes, my favorite food ever is a good cheese and tomato sandwich.  Hopefully this is prepared on homemade bread when time permits.

I bet my son in law will miss his garden this year.  I'd imagine he could plant pots on the balcony in DC.  He is a garden junkie like me.

Business is slowing coming back.  Many people have left for the winter.

And, the old grandma has a date coming up..It has been a long time.

A Week of Learning...

This week culminated a learning experience for me.  Early on in the week I had a man and wife stop by for an espresso.  They seemed nice.  The woman ordered a drink.  The man did not.  Right when they were ready to leave the man blurted out an amazing statement.  He said he almost had a head on collision with a blankin mexican out on the highway.  I was stunned by his comment.  I told him..."so you almost had a head on collision with a bad driver."  That the person's culture had nothing to do with anything.  Then, he escalated his voice, using "all" and "they" in his sentences.  I told him I thought each person was an individual and I could not engage in the conversation.  He left mad and I felt sad.  What is wrong with people, I asked myself?  How does coming into a business and making statements like that contribute to love, peace or any possible good on this planet?

The conversation reminded me of the wise words from my father who has been gone for years.  "If you don't have anything nice to say about someone, don't say anything at all."  We all have our faults and things we have regretted saying in our lives.  But, my father's words resonated with me the whole week. Is this how our society has evolved?  Have people become so angry that they blurt out hateful statements to complete strangers, about blanket groups of people looking for someone to join their club?  What purpose does this serve?  Knowing I have evolved myself as a person, I realized I have little power to change the attitudes of the people spreading hate in this world.  To never stand up to these kinds of interactions is complacency.  To stand up to all of them is personal insanity.  I must remain calm and pick my battles.

What can I do, to find my own internal peace,  I asked myself?  I can keep informed about what goes on on the planet.  I can share information with people who also may be interested in what goes on in our world.  And, most importantly, I can cancel out hate with love.  Yes, corny as it may seem, love does have power.

So, as the week ended and I had read the world news of the day, I came upon "Kony 2012."  It was coming up everywhere.  It was touted as a YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc&feature=b-cat-activism) that had more than 75 million viewers.  I had to see what was happening.  I went to watch. I cried...And, at the end I was feeling a huge sense of happiness knowing there are still young people actively pursuing justice for children.  I have chastised the incessant use of cell phones, computers and social sites although I use them for a tool, not an identity.  And now, the internet is used in Kony 2012, to show the world what is happening to children in several African nations.

So, back to the topic of love.  My friend brought his 7 year old son and one of my favorite little friends to see me on Sunday.  He has worked for me for years helping at the espresso. We work, talk and laugh and blow bubbles.  We take take wacky pictures like the ones posted here.  I told him I am going "real" and letting my hair go gray.  I showed him the new retro black cateye glasses I got.  He said he liked them.  Then, he looked at me and said he did not like the glasses I was wearing now.  I loved his honesty.  I had to smile in a big way.  

When my little buddy left, the learning continued.  I realized how children are everything to me.  They make every day and every experience right.  They are the heart of the soul.  The sunshine in a day.  They make me right with myself.  They teach me to continue to love and spread love.  That is where the real power lies. 

The Twirl Twister...by Twisters

Life is Calling

The title of an article I read in the Costco Connection this morning by Jane Pauley.  Remember Jane?  One can only know how the world has really changed reading about Jane being one of the first women news anchors on television.  It is hard to imagine not seeing women as news anchors on TV.  (http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201203#pg25)  You can read it online.

Jane describes how we don't need to define our lives by what we do for work.  I remember an old Sociology professor at college throwing out the topic of work.  He said when you go to a party and someone asks you what you do, do you tell them what you do for work?  Or, do you say, "I bike or I hike," describing yourself by what your passion is.  Your passion could be your work.  But really, how many people can say they can't wait to get to work every day for all these years?  Not...

Don't get me wrong.  After all these year of working, I still enjoy many aspects of it.  Especially the children. I still keep a small grass area so I can run through the sprinkler with them.

Jane is described as a Reinvention Evangelist.  She portrays stories of people who have decided to live their passion in the older years of life.  She is helping people to find their path in life after fifty.  Your Life Calling airs once a month in the morning on the Today show.

My family is gone now...On the road to DC.  But, the sun is out, the espresso is fabulous.  And, I have just reconnected with my first roommate from my first apartment in Seattle, just out of high school.  Thirty seven years later.  And, it was just like yesterday.  Moving forward...

Back to Reality...

I went into the office today.  Just to look around and try to familiarize myself with the surroundings I left four months ago.  Where did all the time go?  And, why does time seem to move more quickly when you are off?

Although I drag my feet in getting back to work, I think it will be good for me.  Sometimes idle time makes me lazy.  And, it will be good to see people again and hear their stories of life.  Friends seem to always visit me at work.  So, I best get back to work.

The week is bittersweet for me.  I will get to meet my daughter, her husband and my little grandson for lunch on Thursday.  They will be on the first leg of their trip cross country to Washington DC, where she will train for the US Foreign Service.  (driftingworldcitizens.blogspot.com) and then move to a country where the sun shines more than it does in Seattle.  Hopefully, this will be next year's trip.  And, in that time my grandson, P, will be a year and a half old.  My daughter and her husband are very excited for the new adventure.  I begged her to leave P with me.  I could take him to work.

Saturday I will open the doors (or window) again and serve the highest quality espresso possible.  Made with just roasted beans and served with kindness.  I have a new 12 foot Swooper flag which says OPEN.  So, bring it on..Come on down..Let's have coffee together.