Annapolis, May 2011

This week Riley, Dean, and I went with my dad to visit my grandparents in Annapolis. It was a quick trip, but so fun to see my grandparents, aunts, and uncles interacting with the kids. Memories always come flooding in when I go back there. As a kid we would spend a week every summer at their house on the Chesapeake (in addition to shorter visits throughout the year). The summer trips were always so special. For several years we went on our own - no parents! At Mumu's house (poor Grandpa always got left out of the title) there were hard rules, but also so many special treats. One of the famous Mumu sayings is "tough!" which was always brought out when anyone was complaining or whining. At Mumu's house you were expected to brush teeth multiple times a day (a hard rule to follow for kids on vacation), wash hands before all meals, bring dishes to the sink, and always say please and thank you. You were also expected to drink your daily root beer float, eat MANY Mumu cookies (to those of you that haven't had them you are missing out), go sailing and eat lots of potato sticks.

Rose perfume, canasta, Disney movies on the floor of the den, rides in the dingy, sailing trips, dodging jelly fish, riding fold-up bikes around the block, trips to the aquarium, naps on the porch, learning to sew, running past the scarey stuffed marlin in the basement, running through the pouring rain with JCPenny's garment bags over our clothes, crabcakes, Mumu cake...need I say more?

It was precious to watch my ailing Mumu play with Riley as she has so many babies. She can make them "talk", laugh, and squeal just by looking at them. Riley was no exception. I loved sitting in the living room and watching them interact. It was magic to have her hold Riley on her lap and see them giggle together. As many know, Mumu is quite sick and sometimes not entirely herself. But in the presence of small children, she is everything I remember her to be. She is my amazing grandmother and it was such a treat to see her in that glow once more.