Mom: Darn it!
Jenny: What?
Mom: I should have had the people in Lisbon China
Jenny: You do realize that the Portuguese share our same alphabet letters, right? Therefore, her name in Portuguese is spelled, E-M-M-A. It looks no different than how we would write it.
Mom: Really?
Jenny: (laughing now) Ummm, yes mom. Really. In China they use characters; in Portugal
Mom: (laughing now too) Oh. Ok, never mind. Forget I ever said anything.
*Ps. I don’t forget
Mom: Hello! How are you?
Italian cabbie: I good.
Mom: This is such a lovely place, were you born here?
Italian cabbie: Hotel King, yes.
Mom: No, were you born here?
Italian cabbie: Shopping area there.
Mom: Have you lived here your entire life? (Nearly yelling now, as if this would make him understand)
Jenny: Mom, I don’t think he speaks English, you should stop talking to him.
Mom: Yeah, I guess so.
Italian server: Here is your food.
Mom: Grazie (pronounced: GHRAT-seee)
Jenny: Mom, its grazie (pronounced GHRAT-zee-A), not with a ‘see’ on the end of it. It’s more of an ‘a’ or ‘eh’.
Mom: No, it’s not.
Jenny: Yes mom, it is. Listen closely, its quick, but its there.
Mom: No, it’s not.
Jenny: Yes it is! (pulling out Italian phrasebook, then showing her the pronunciation) See, GRAHT-see-yeh.
Mom: Fine.
Mom: I need to think of something that Emma can call me besides Grandma.
Matt: Ok, well, what do you want her to call you?
Summer: Grammy?
Jenny: Granny Lynn
Matt: Nana Lynn
Mom: What about sugar?
Matt/Summer/Jenny: WHAT?!?!?
Mom: Seriously.
*silence* *birds chirping* *pins dropping*
Matt/Summer/Jenny: (all rolling on the floor laughing)
Mom: Fine, I’ll just be Grammy.
Matt/Summer/Jenny: (still on the floor laughing)
Summer/Jenny: *singing* Ooohhhh Sugar…awww honey honey…..
*this continues to be a source of laughter between the family*
Happy Mother’s Day to my wonderful mother, Lynn Long. We may not always see eye-to-eye or agree on much of anything at all, but I love you and you make me smile. I enjoyed my time in Europe with you, even if we did get on each others nerves from time to time. Memories made there cannot be shared by anyone other than us and I will cherish them forever. You are a special woman and I would not be the independent, strong-willed woman I am today without you. I hope you weren’t offended by my poking fun at you, after all, that’s how our family says, “I love you.”
In the words of my mother: “Jennifer Anne! You just cooked your goose!”
I think your mom's idea for what Emma should call her is wonderful! How unique and special for Grammy to be called Sugar! My grandkids call me "Suzy." It's not just my name, it's my title. I am their "Suzy" and I love it. Oh, and I have a male friend who is not Grandpa but Daddy-O. Lynn, I say, "Go for it!" Don't be talked out of it :) Jenny, I love how you write. Thanks for your blog:)
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