The story of Honey Grandpa

Memaw, Ma-Ma, Nana, Grammy, Gamma, Papaw, Pa-Pa, Grandad, what was the special name you had for your grandparents?  Grandma Carr, Grammy aka Grams, and Hoo-Hoo were the names we had for my grandparents.  (My paternal grandfather died before I was born.)  Hoo-Hoo was my maternal Grandpa.  A name my oldest cousin gave him.  Reason unknown.  I think maybe something to do with playing peak-a-boo with her....possibly??  My old mind escapes me.

When my parents found out they were going to be grandparents, they put a lot of thought into the names they wanted.  Mom liked Gamma.  She had heard it on the show ER.  It was Noah Wyle character's grandmother.  Gamma soon turned into Gammy by Miss Kylie when she was younger.  She likes the ie/y sound apparently at the end of our names because I am Meggie.  Meggggggieeeeee to be exact.

Dad on the other hand, we just couldn't find a name that he liked.  Gampy.  Grumpy.  Nothing was striking him.  So he just stuck with Grandpa.  Until he became Honey Grandpa.  Said more like Honey Granpa in a little northern accent.  Let me tell you how it came to be.

One morning, little Katie (almost 2 years at this point) was going to daycare with Gammy.  They were in the car backing out of the driveway.  Gammy apparently at some point had said, "Goodbye Honey" to Grandpa.  As they pulled away, Katie started saying, "Bye Honey Grandpa.  Bye Honey Grandpa."  And all the way to daycare she kept saying, "Bye Honey Grandpa."  And so Honey Grandpa just stuck.  Katie is obsessed with Honey Grandpa.  What is he doing, where did he go, when will he back........she will carry on until he is back in her eyesight.  We were at the county fair this summer and Honey Grandpa left early.  An hour later, she kept asking where Honey Grandpa was.  (I don't think he said a proper goodbye to her.)  I assured her he was safe and sound at home taking care of the puppy dogs.  At least 4-5 times.  She is just the cutest thing ever.  Now if you talk to her on the phone or Facetime, she wants to know where you are.  "Are you at home, Meggie?"  "Are you at your house, Gammy?"  She will be 3 in November.  She is something else.

Honey Grandpa just celebrated his birthday.  Here is my post from Facebook:

Happy 73rd birthday, Daddio! (He isn't allowed to have FB so he will never know I revealed his age.) I spend 95% of my time mad at him because we are the same stubborn person. But I love him to pieces anyway. My favorite things about him is he always loves me no matter what and making us all laugh. Now go have a martini in his honor. He would really want you to.

Honey Grandpa is always up for watching a little TV.  Peppa Pig, Sofia the First.

I told you we should have gone with Grumpy.  Please note bowl of jelly beans and dog paw.

Taken just this week at Gammy/Honey Grandpa sleepover.  Apparently she turned 8 years old overnight.

Another post all about my Daddio.

High Five for Friday: My life in pictures lately

I am going to keep this short and sweet.  Get right to the good stuff.  The pictures.  Here is my life lately!

1.  4th of July weekend in Norwalk, Ohio.

We got to keep all 3 kids on Sunday.  Even Baby Drew!!!  I could not stop kissing his cheeks.  He loves watching his sisters play and/or fight.  He-he!

At one point Drew was fighting sleep so hard and would not stop fussing.  My arms got tired so I propped him up beside me for just a little break.  He promptly fell asleep. 

Mom and I set the pool up.  They had more fun playing with the hose.

Norwalk puts on a GREAT 4th of July parade.  Over a 100 entries.  It is a big deal.  People stake out their seats the day before.  I am not even kidding.  Stacey's sister has a house on the route and we all went there.  I have never enjoyed the parade more.  It was super relaxing and not stressful.  Front row seats, bounce houses for the kids, and beverages for the adults.  It was a great time.  Thanks Aunt Erin!!!!!

2.  Random act of kindness.  As I was driving home to Indiana, I was about 30 minutes into my drive and remembered I forgot to grab a water for the road.  We had chicken fajitas and chips for dinner.  I was parched!  I got stopped by a train right outside of a small town.  I knew it would be awhile before I would come across a gas station to stop for a drink.  Now my trip was delayed by a train.  I pulled out my phone in a huff.  I looked up to see the guy in front of me getting out of his car.  He flips the trunk open and inside a cooler hepulls out an ice, cold RC Cola.  My mouth starts to water.  The next thing I know, he pulls out a water bottle and points my way.  I hesitate for maybe 2 seconds and shake my head yes.  He walks over to my window and hands it to me.  I thanked him profusely and said I was actually really thirsty.  Isn't it weird how things work out?  It was like the universe worked to my advantage.  I was really appreciative to this kind stranger.  And you know what?  The train only lasted a minute more.

Thank you kind stranger!

3.  My friend Ryan was in town last week.  We did a little shopping at the Christmas Tree Shops.  No they don't sell just Christmas Trees.  It is like a cheaper version of a Home Goods store.  You can find a ton of stuff there.  We decided on Cheesecake Factory for dinner.  Our other BFF was out celebrating his anniversary at a fancy restaurant.  So I decided to poke a little fun and post on FB and snapchat that Ryan and I were celebrating our anniversary, too.  Of being friends for 16 years.  Its what we do.  Poke fun of each other.  We don't really celebrate our friend-anniversary but maybe we should if it includes this!

Strawberry shortcake from the Cheesecake Factory.  Made with biscuits just how we like it.  Absolutely better than anything on the dessert menu.  My mouth is watering just looking at this picture.  Snapchat:  naptowndiva79

4. One of my favorite bloggers, the Lauren Elizabeth, lost her cat on July 4.  Very unexpectedly.  He was only 5 years old.  My girls, Sabrina and Callie are 8 and 7.  It made me realize life is short.  Pets lives are even shorter.  I have been holding my girls a little closer lately.  I saved them both from an outside cat life.  They wouldn't be alive today if I hadn't taken them in.  But in all honestly......they saved my life.  I know I sound like a crazy old cat lady but they make my life so much better.  And they are such good girls.  I couldn't ask for 2 better cats.

Left:  Sabrina Right:  Callie

Me holding Sabrina like a baby in my arms.  You would never know she was the meanest kitten in her litter.

My view as I wake up each morning.  The white thing Sabrina is sitting on is a wicker bookshelf.  I've had it since I was a young girl.  Do you think I am able to put anything on it anymore?!  No.  But I display my cats there.

I resigned my apartment lease, so my carpets got cleaned this week.  I had to pick up everything off the floor.  Here is the couch pile.  Seriously Sabrina?!  On the side of the ottoman, on top of my laptop bag.

Sister cuddles

5.  This picture got me in a lot of trouble this week.  But I don't even care!!!  My Aunt Sally sent to my Mom.  It is a Polaroid my Grams took on Easter at her house in Nashville.  My brother is rolling his eyes at me.  I think it is hilarious.  I'm not even embarrassed by my 90's permed hair and hat.  I LOVED that dress, too.  I posted it on FB for Andy's birthday.  He was NOT happy.  His friends made fun of him on a group text.  I'm not afraid of my little brother.  So much so I am posting again on here.  Oh and Happy Birthday or whatever, Andy.  I miss this Andy.  34 year old Andy is no fun.

Maybe 1993-94??????

Thanks for reading!  Have a great weekend!!!

Today I am linking up with:

What I'm Watchin Wednesday: O.J. Simpson

I was absolutely obsessed with the O.J. Simpson trial.  Why would 15 year old me care about this trial?  That summer nothing else was on the TV.  My soap (Guiding Light) was preempted by the trial.  I can so vividly remember being in our kitchen making lunch and watching the trial on our tiny antenna TV.

The night of the famous Bronco chase?  I remember it like it was yesterday.  It was a Friday night.  I was pouting about something upstairs in my room.  (After slamming the door, I'm sure.)  Mom came up and consoled me.  Told me to come downstairs.  She had ordered pizza for dinner and there was a police chase on TV I should come watch.  O.J. Simpson was on the run. O.J. who?  I had no idea who he was at the time but I learned pretty quickly.

Do I think he did it?  Absolutely yes!  Why?  Because the evidence is there.  His blood was at the crime scene.  It all points to him.  Who else did it?  Who else?  He had a bad temper and I think that got the best of him.  I think he went over to try and talk to Nicole and he thought Ron was her new lover.  His temper got the best of him and he killed them.  I think he convinced himself and others that he didn't do it.  And still to this day I can't believe he got away with it.

Need proof on how I felt back then as a 15 year old?  Check out my diary pages. I knew when I wrote this in my diary, someday I would look back on my entries.  Aren't I a nut?  I wrote in a diary from maybe 8 until I was 17.  Mostly about what I ate that day.  LOL!

**Dear Kitty.  If you ever read the Diary of Anne Frank, she always wrote Dear Kitty in all her entries.  It was the name she gave her diary.  She wrote it as if she was talking to a friend.  I was obsessed with Anne Frank and learning all about the Holocaust.  Thanks to my 8th grade English teacher, Mr. Ford!

 October 2, 1995    10:05pm

Dear Kitty,

Will American sleep tonight?  I know I won't.  Tomorrow we will find out the LONG AWAITED question.  Is O.J. guilty or innocent?  I believe he is guilty!  After one day the jury decided.  I will write tomorrow and catch you up on what I have been doing.

Megan

October 3, 1995

Dear Kitty,

Well O.J. was convicted not guilty!  We all know that deep down.  So O.J. got off the hook.  We all know that deep down he did it and when he does it again we will know he did it.  Stars always get off.

Megan

 (The rest is just talking about what I had been up to.  Boring 15 year old stuff.)

Photo from FX

When I heard about the show, The People vs. O.J. Simpson, you know I added it to my DVR immediately.  It is a 10 part series that takes you from the night the murders happened, to when O.J. came home after the verdict.  This is by far one of the best mini series I have ever watched.  The cast was amazing!  Not only in the acting but they looked exactly like the real characters.  Cuban Gooding as O.J., Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark, John Travolta as Robert Shapiro, Nathan Lane as Lee Bailey, David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian.  Just to name a few.  Just outstanding.  I learned details about the case I didn't pick up on the first time around.  Like O.J. flew to Chicago after the murders occurred. I also learned he had written a suicide note before he went on the Bronco chase.  If you need something to watch this summer, please check this series out.  It is available on Amazon.

Photo from ESPN

I just finished watching another series O.J.: Made in America.  It is a 5 part ESPN series that can be found On Demand.  I will be the first to admit I am not a big sports fan.  I don't really understand football.  My Dad told me O.J. was one of the best football players of all time.  After watching the series, wow.  I had no idea.  His 'good' stardom was before my time.  I have to admit, I am impressed.  And on top of football, he was a track star as well.  What can't he do?!

Every time I watch these shows about O.J., I keep thinking the verdict will change.  He will be found guilty.  He won't get away with it.  But he does.  It is a little funny that he is sitting in jail now for attempting to rob someone in a Vegas hotel.  Trying to steal O.J. memorabilia from a dealer.  Not too smart.  That is karma for you.

Why do I think he is guilty?  The overwhelming amount of evidence against him.  O.J.'s blood at the crime scene, Nicole and Ron's blood at O.J.'s house, in his Bronco, and the infamous glove.  His lawyers somehow charmed the jury enough to see right past the evidence.  Even the terrible domestic abuse between Nicole and O.J. is proof enough for me.

I ask you, if he didn't do it........who did?  Where is this person?  Why have they never been caught?  I truly believe O.J. was able to convince himself that he didn't do it and those around him.  He has some kind of mental illness that can just block out what he did.  Just like when he would abuse Nicole.  He would just black out and become someone else.

In all of this, we need to remember the families of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman.  They are the ones who have really suffered in all of this.  They don't have the answers and justice they need.  They will never be able to find peace.  Nicole's children grew up without their Mom.  Ron never got to see his family again.  That is the real tragedy.