Well it is Sunday and I am in New York but Gran is on her way out of here. Neil had to bring the bags onto the check in counter because she could barely lift them - you know it is desperate when we have to leave the box of bisquick and box of chocolate brownie mix behind ... sorry Kel...you will have to wait until Christmas. The check in guy said - "Can I have both passports please!"..."No No" said the son-in-law..."just making sure she actually gets on the plane".
We had a wonderful time together. Granny landed with both feet firmly on the ground and was off to an excellent start in week one with the freezer starting to fill, the Engineer's ironing completed and her ribbon purchase achieved.
Week Two saw her immersed in classes at Art Is You with all the girls there welcoming her with open arms. She felted, beaded, bashed tin cans and quite openly said "I will now look at junk in a whole new light"! She set tables, packed folders, tied ribbons, and made crowns. Back home to do the washing, more cooking, get Max on and off the yellow bus and of course pumpkin picking on a day which most New Yorkers would not consider "cold" but that did not stop her from exclaiming "I would be the first person to die of cold if I was stranded anywhere"! Loving Engineer pointed out that this would be ok because everyone could then eat her and survive. Of course the fact that her fingers turned white and numb from being out in the fields, might have had something to do with her statement! But she soldiered on like any good Codral cold girl would!
Week Three saw us covering a few of the local stores, assisting with clothing purchases for Flossy followed by a day in the city to see Wicked. Mum took Rose and her friend Meg. They had a lovely dinner and then saw the show. Picked up by The Engineer and home again. The next morning, it was pancakes for one and all whilst I went to work!
Yesterday Mum and I took off to NYC - visited
Tinsel Trading's new home (fabulous), then down the road to Macys, then on the subway to
Pearl Paint to get special paint brushes for special friends. Then back on the train and home to the family. Dinner with one of Max's Three godmothers and her family ended our Saturday evening beautifully.
Today was a quiet day, popping into the other Godmothers (lucky boy he is) for coffee in the morning, then she came home and washed the sheets and the towels. I had to make lunch (shock-horror) and we set her up with the Hallmark channel, a cup of tea, my newest cloth paper scissors and there she remained until an hour ago, when we blew her kisses, promised to bring the bisquick and brownie mix for our "darling" cousins and sent her on her way in the car with The Engineer (lucky gran!).
So I close with a little memory video of our time with mum. We truly did have a wonderful time, ate delicious food and were able to (just) hold her back from getting us packed for December!
Off to school today - guess what we went as with three of our friends. I impatiently wait for the group photo! Then home again to change for a girl's night in at her friend's home - cooking brownies, watching movies and the wonderful sleepover!
I am glad it is over for another year? Why? you ask...Well Max has taken a liking to finding people's pumpkins and trying to pick them up and throw them! Complete with the grunts and groans, he has been found lifting and rolling the neighborhood displays. 
