Bahama-Mama with Cream, Please

A local man has a portable snow cone stand and makes great "Bahama-Mama" snow cones with cream. They are a favorite of all of Jennifer's kids and when they finally wear us down, we indulge them. He worked alone with a "Help Wanted" sign in the window and was often swamped with customers, so Cheyenne (my eldest granddaughter) applied for the job and was hired. Her first day there, he asked her how she learned he needed help so she explained that her Nana (me) saw the sign in the window and that her aunt (Jen) knows his mother, Shirley (who also had a stand in Angleton, close to where Jen & Jon used to live). He then said, "You knew my mother died, didn't you?" Poor Cheyenne was crushed. Jen had not told her that. She immediately began to apologetically offer her sympathy for his loss when he started to chuckle. "April Fool's!!" he said. What a thing to do to a 16 year old on her first day of a new job with a boss who she did not know. The good news is, Shirley is alive and well ~ and we will never have any trouble remembering the date she started working there.

At the Lake Jackson mall, in a children's arena, Dow Chemical donated some brightly colored, larger-than-life objects made from some kind of soft poly-vinyl, to include a car, a couch, a stack of books with one laying down, forming a ramp, a TV, and a can of paint on its side with a pool of paint on the floor. There is ample sitting room for the adults to supervise while the kids run and climb. It's free so it's one of Ella's and Brennan's special treats when they've been particularly well-behaved. If we go early, they have it to themselves. Other times, there are many little ones to make friends with. Tradition says is imperative that before we go, I have at least one quarter in my coin purse for each of them to use in the gum ball machines afterward . . . 

I suppose it is a side effect of watching cartoons, that they both look so animated at times. On our last trip to the "Dow Furniture", (what we call it), we got out of the car and waited to check for traffic before crossing into the mall. When I gave the go-ahead, Brennan threw both his arms over to the left, much like a cartoon character, let his feet spin in place for a couple seconds and shouted "Fire in the hole!!" before he took off running across the street. A Kodak moment if ever was one.

When El and Bren first wake, they almost always reach for the Wii game. (It usually short lived because soon after the contention begins, it gets shut off). Sometimes they are precious to watch and listen to, maybe sitting on the couch side by side, like a mutual admiration society, complementing each other on their performance. If Ella is beating herself up because she is behind, (is it possible she could really be fishing for complements?) Brennan reminds her all she needs to do is practice. (am I wrong to say the following is a gender thing with him seeking affirmation?) He might ask her if she thinks he's "doing good?" Affirmative. Then after a time, Ella complains that Brennan is bragging. Brennan insists he is a good sport! (he is convinced a good sport is someone who is good at sports). Absolutely fascinating study of the human species. And I get a front row seat nearly every day!!