Grandma Carrollisms

About a month ago, Aunt Pam texted me that Grandma passed 12 years ago.  It seems like a long time, so much has happened and you both have grown up so much.  I think of her often at this time of year, especially when I see dogwood trees in bloom.  For Grandma, spring was the best time of year since she could enjoy the garden.  She was completely satisfied once it had been fertilized, tilled (by Dad, normally) and planted with sticks by every tomato plant (often 60+).  She would stand outside in bare feet watering in the morning and evening.  Once in a while there was threat of a frost, and she and Uncle George would get out every brown grocery bag in the house to cover up their young plants.

Your Grandma Carroll loved you so much, and was a full partner to Dad and me in raising you as young children.  After each of you were born, she told me how very hard she prayed while I was in labor with you.  She loved getting you clothes and toys, and of course you remember the Thomas the Tank Engine train platform at her house - which you played with for so many happy hours.  We were blessed to have her in our lives.

Here are a few things that come to mind when I think of how much she enjoyed you, along with names, words, phrases etc. that she used.

• "Bob" - Grandpa
• "Bobby" - Dad
• "Ruthie" - Aunt Pam
• "Becca" - Aunt Rebecca
• "Georgy" - Uncle George
• "Black Foot" - Grandpa's nickname for Grandma (as washing her feet was an afterthought)
• "Boughten" - store-bought
• "Mango" - a green pepper 
• "Piggies" - Pigs in a Blanket stuffed cabbage, following a Slovak recipe
•  "In a coon's age" - in a Long Time
• "Dry as punk" - very dry (sometimes her well-done roast beef served for Sunday dinner could qualify, but was saved by homemade gravy)
• "Beer garden" - A local bar
• "Dig in the dirt" - Planting the garden, her absolute favorite thing to do
• "Put that in your pipe and smoke it!" - when quite annoyed 
• "Going to watch my program" - watching a favorite TV show, sometimes a soap opera or preferably a professional wrestling match
• "Had to get out every pot in the house...." - when making halushki, a Polish dish that was one of Dad's favorites
• "Framer's Omelet" - oversight when Grandma ordered a "Farmer's Omelet" from the menu at a local diner, when having breakfast with Aunt Pam
• Crestfallen - when baby Alex first tried her mashed potatoes and spit them out in disgust, after which she found out that he ate them mixed with apple sauce at day care (CDC)
• Hysterical laughter - when toddler Robby ran into the TV room and said "Grandma, there's teeth in your bathroom!" after noticing her teeth soaking in a clear drinking glass
• "No ketchup on your fruit!" - directed to Robby who wanted ketchup on almost everything as a little kid (with pancakes was especially disgusting)
• "EEEEEKKK" - while climbing on top of a chair or couch, completely horrified at the slightest inkling there was a mouse in the kitchen (God forbid there was an actual mouse - she would not come down until someone, like Grandpa or Dad, removed it)

Here's a happy picture of Grandma with Dad, in Ocean City during the summer of 2006.