Friday, November 21, 2008

Flashback Friday!

July 1994 found my sister, Amber, and I as college roommates. We were attending BYU's Spring and Summer Terms; it was the start of my junior year and the end of her senior year. We spent the summer eating chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and chocolate chip cookie dough for dinner. We ate lunch on campus where the Bookstore sold Kit Kat's--3 for $ .99. You do the math.

Clearly, neither of us was enrolled Food Science Nutrition. We were in the same French Phonetics class, though. That was an interesting experience!

Anyway, on to the photo. We had a long weekend in July (for the Utah state holiday of Pioneer Day) and decided to buy plane tickets to go to Arizona and visit our maternal grandparents. What a fun trip it was! We got to visit with cousins we don't see much and stay with our mother's parents. The above photo is of my grandparents, my sister and me on that visit.

Thanks to a plethora of photos I have of this trip, I know that we went to the lake to swim with cousins and that we went out for ice cream with my uncle. But I don't need a photographic reminder to pull this little beauty out of the recesses of my memory:

Granny was so proud that her two college student granddaughters had come to visit her and introduced us as "college girls" to whomever would listen. But the best comment of all came out of her mouth in her kitchen when she was talking to Amber and me alone. She gushed, "I sure am proud of you girls...going to college and all...keeping your legs shut...not like your cousins here..."

Amber's and my eyes got as big as monster truck wheels. We bit the insides of our cheeks to keep from laughing. Did Granny just say what we thought she said?

Yep! She sure did.

That was Granny. This visit was the last time I saw my Granny. Say what you will about her, but I left her house that summer knowing that she was proud of me for continuing my education. And please know that she did love all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren even if she sometimes made less-than-flattering remarks about some of us.

I am grateful for airplanes and the flights that allowed us to visit our family that summer. I am also thankful for grandparents and their ability to love beyond reason. I'm even grateful for Granny and her negativity--without it, I wouldn't have this funny story to share!

11 comments:

Tracy said...

Your grandma is a hoot! So glad you weren't a loosey-goosey and made her proud! I love Amber's bangs and your shorts -- so modest! What a great time to be roomies with your sister. It's a good thing you didn't stay roommates or you'd both be over 200 lbs!

Sommer said...

I've heard your grandma had quite a lot of spunk! I love the picture!

Cami said...

HA HA!! Oh man, what would I do if my grandma made that remark! Very funny.

Jenni said...

Wow, I don't think I would have believed my ears!! How funny! I had cinnamon bears from the bookstore for lunch quite frequently!:)

Jann said...

That is a great story. What a fun Grandma.

Brandon and Jen Jensen said...

That was a trip that was sure worth taking for you. I have been chuckling all day about your Grandma's comment! I like people who just say it like it is!

Heidi said...

I'm so glad you wrote that down. What a funny memory! Your granny sounds like quite the character!

Anonymous said...

Yeah what Tracy said.

My best friend and I shared those little snack cherry pies for dinner at BYU.

When she came to WV a few months ago (to dedicate her husband's grave - and who thinks about that! when you're dreaming of the future with your friends) we shared some again.

Dawn said...

So tell me what you thought of the twilight movie

whitney allison said...

Good ol' Granny Olson. You know Charlotte reads our blogs right? She's so gonna tell...

Deb said...

oh my gosh, mendy! i don't know what i'd do if my grandma ever said something like that. no idea.

Quotation of the Month

There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.

-Jill Churchill