Pact

Yesterday I was emailing this girl (lady? woman? if they're close to my age I tend to refer to them as girls... does that say something about me?) from our corporate HR in LA. In our emails it came up that we both had a long-time wish to go to Italy.

I mentioned that the older and singler I get the more I feel like I should venture out more on my own since I can't plan on a built in companion. But I'm worried that if I ever did travel somewhere alone that I would just hunker down in my hotel because I was too scared to go anywhere. Don't laugh. I've seen "Taken." I know what can happen.

She mentioned similar fears of her own and how being able to share the experience makes it more enjoyable than going alone - even if you aren't hiding in the closet of your hotel room. So we made a pact. I started it with 10 years. As in - "let's say that if neither of us has gone to Italy in 10 years, we'll go." She said that was too long. I adjusted it to 5, she countered with 2.

So there you have it.

It's a pact.

Through email.

Which means it has to happen.

I'm thinking we may want to try a domestic trip first to make sure that we actually like each other in person as much as we seem to through email. (:

Grandma is Merving

My sweet grandma was over for dinner a week ago. She was sitting at the table while we were getting things ready and Belle walked over to be pet. I asked Grandma if Belle was being nice to her (just for the record, Belle is always nice to Grandma). The following conversation ensued -


G: Oh yes! And I'm merving...

Me: ...?... what?

G: Merv- no, uhhhh, merving... no...

(by now we're both laughing)

Me: Nervous?

G: chuckles No...

Me: Murdering?

G: laughs No...

Me: Okay, I'm out.

G: Oh! looking very sure of herself -- MERVING!

Me: That's still not a word Grandma. But I love how sure you were! (as my sister said when I was telling her this story - points for confidence, for sure)

G: Oh, well... I don't know.


I tried to bring my mom in on the conversation and see if she knew - she can be a really good guesser when it comes to Grandma-isms - but she was lost too. And by then Grandma probably forgot what she was going to say anyway.

She's 89 years old. She'll be 90 in December. I just wanted to write this down before I forgot it because I thought it was so cute and so funny and shows that even though she gets frustrated with herself for forgetting words (in her third language!!!), she has a great sense of humor about it and doesn't let it make her unpleasant or unhappy.

She really is probably the sweetest and nicest person I know.

Here she is (with a fluffy Belle) when she was still living next door walking back home after dinner. One day I randomly picked Belle up and put her on the walker. Belle didn't seem to mind, and Grandma loved that she was pushing Belle. After one or two more times Belle started waiting at the bottom of the steps to be picked up and put on.

Cute Grandma!