January 19, 2008
New Clothes
They decided they needed new clothes yesterday, so today Mom, Dips, Nick, the 3 girls and I loaded up into the van and we went and got them some. Mom bought them some beautiful outfits and so did we. I only took pics of the Hannah Montana outfits this evening, that's all they'd try on for us once we got home. Those were gifts from Dippy. I'll get pics of the things Mom got for them tomorrow to post. Thanks Mom, that was nice of you.
It was fun having you with us too.. your face was priceless when Dips dropped us off in front of Walmart and I got out and opened the door for you and the kids and Nick.. the lot of you just kept climbing out of the van, and you tried so hard to pull off getting out of it right in the front of Walmart with people watching, with dignity. *laughs!* I was just a little shocked when you cheerfully looked around and said, "We heard the savings were so good we brought a bus!"
I'm equally delighted to report here tonight, that we got Mom to go to Sonny's to eat dinner with us. Yes! Inside a sit down restaurant! That was an hilarious experience too, let me tell you - she ordered the ribs.. and the waitress said, "would you like the whole slab, or a half slab?" Mom shook her head no.. "No, a half a slab would be plenty..." But.. I interrupted her and said, "Oh no, they're not that big, bring her the whold slab..." Mom just started nodding, "Okay, yes, bring me the whole slab... " Then the waitress interrupted her and said, "They're really good, if you can't eat it all you can always take it home in a box..."
Dignity. It's Mom's thing. In all things, dignity comes first. Well, usually.
The waitress brought everyone's meal and saved bringing Mom's for last. Here she came a few minutes later, after Mom had already hit the salad bar.. *laughs* with this platter, not a plate, but a big oval, at least 16 inch platter with the biggest slab of ribs on it I ever saw! Surrounding the ribs was a huge mountain of french fries and a couple of big slices of Texas toast. I looked at Mom, her face went beet red, she said "dang, that's a lot of food, I don't think I can.." I interrupted her again.. "Sure you can, they're good!" She eyed me and quietly asked why I would let her order a meal that big and have it delivered to her right there in public like that. I tried not to laugh as I cut into my chopped steak, and I made it for as long as the waitress was at the table.
I ate my dinner glancing from time to time at Mom and she was busy on those ribs and the slab got smaller and smaller and the bone pile got bigger and bigger and I looked at Nick who had stopped eating his chicken to watch Mom make light work of those ribs, he was quietly rooting for her.. I knew he wanted to shout, "go.. Go.. GOOOOO!" And when she finished all but 2 of the ribs on the slab he just couldn't help himself, mesmerized he said sooo softly to her, "Go ahead, there's only 2 left, you can do it!"
And she did it!
When she was finished, she reached out for a drink of her pop, and wasn't watching - Stan was across from her - she picked up his glass and took a long draw from his straw, and when she tasted Root Beer (she can't abide Root Beer) she slammed the cup down and as if he were at fault because she drank his pop, she tried to stiffle a gag, "Stan, get your pop on your side, YUCK, oh God I'm going to be sick!"
She tried to clean it up, so Dips didn't think she was as grossed out because she'd just drank after him, by exclaiming she can't stand Root Beer (true but not entirely) - she doesn't drink after ANYone, much less a tobacco-chawin' son-in-law. So much for dignity. Not many stand a chance of being dignified around me and mine. I couldn't help it, I cracked up.. can't remember laughing that hard in a loooong time. Poor Mom. I'm sorry you drank after Dips, I'm sorry he dropped us off looking like illegal immigrants in front of the doors at Walmart, and I'm sorry I embarrassed you by talking you into that whole slab of ribs. *laughs* NOT! That was too funny, thanks Mom for going with us and for buying the girls some more school clothes. :)
