I Want A Love...

I watched The Notebook for the first time recently. I had always heard about the awesome love story starring Allie and Noah, so I decided to watch it and guess what...it made me cry. I'm a sucker for a good love story

When Harry Met Sally

Sabrina

Knocked Up (Yes, it's a love story!)

Say Anything

I could go on and on. My favorites are the ones that are a little quirky and the people have some random meeting, blah, blah, blah. I'm even a huge fan of the love song and no one does a good love song like country artists. One of my favorites is Johnny and June. Heidi Newfield talks about how she wants a love like Johnny and June (of course she's speaking of Johnny Cash and June Carter-Cash.)

But here's my favorite love story of all time...

Whenever you asked Betty, "How did you and Bob meet?" She would always respond with a grin and say, "An accident call and a little pair of red shorts."

It was 1949, a 19 year old Betty was in the car with her sister Bonnie. They were driving along, minding their own business and a little boy on his bicycle darted out in front of them, and Bonnie hit the little boy with her car. (Don't worry, he was OK. I want to say it broke his leg, but I'm not sure.) Of course, after an accident like that the police were called out. One of the two policemen that responded to the accident call was a very handsome, 25 year old named Bob. After interviewing Betty and Bonnie, the officers let the women go about their business, but not before Bob found out that Betty was 19 years old, had just graduated high school and was visiting her sister for the summer. He also found out that Betty did not have a drivers license. Betty overheard Bob tell the other officer that she was way too young for him , but that she was going to make a good wife one day. The town that Bonnie lived in was a small town, east of Houston. The grocery store was maybe three miles away. Even though Betty didn't have a license she would occasionally take Bonnie's car to the store and as soon as she would pull onto the main street in town, there was Bob and his partner, siren blaring and lights flashing pulling her over. Once she pulled over, Bob would always get out and ask her the same thing, "Have you gotten your drivers license yet?" To which she would reply, "No, are you going to give me a ticket this time?" And he would tell her, "No." And she said she always responded with, "Then why do you keep pulling me over?" He would just grin and tell her, "Go get your license." This went on all summer, Bob finally asked her out, six months later they were married on December 22, 1949. And they were married until Betty's death in March of 1997.

In those 47 1/4 years, they moved to San Antonio, had three children and then moved to Houston and then shortly after that moved to Channelview. I got to see the last 21 years of their marriage. Some of my favorite Betty and Bob moments...

I love that Betty always called Bob "sha."
I love that they still played grab ass in the kitchen well into their 60's.
I love that they always kissed each other and said I love you before either one of them left the house.
I love the fact that Bob gave Betty a toilet seat for Christmas one year and she absolutely adored it and said that is was just what she needed.
I love the fact that she got pissed off that he gave her a new microwave for Christmas the next year because, "There was nothing wrong the old microwave."
I love the fact Betty would put her hair in rollers and Bob would meticulously apply the permanent solution to every roller on her head.
I love that Bob would call Betty "Edith" all Archie Bunker like.
I love that Betty never knew how to put gas in her own vehicle and would let Bob know when she was at a quarter of a tank and I love that Bob would grab her keys and take her car to the gas station and fill it up.

As you've probably already guessed, Betty was my Nanny and Bob is my Paw Paw. So, Heidi Newfield, I don't want a love like Johnny and June...I want a love like Betty and Bob.

Until next time...

Mandy

Christmas with the Paw Paw

Sunday was Christmas with the Paw Paw and his wife Dean in Smith Point, TX. Now, you probably don't know where Smith Point is, not many people do...it's at the end of the Earth. Seriously, you take I10 to Anahuac make a right and drive until you hit water. It takes a little over an hour to get there and this is the first year my family and I didn't get lost going over the river and through the woods. We usually get there around 1:30 and leave before it gets dark...because no one wants to try to find there way back to I10 after dark. My whole family was there and there was a lot of laughing and cutting up. Here are some of the funnier moments from yesterday...

I was standing on the front porch talking to my sister and Victor comes running up the stairs onto the porch and he was looking behind him to see if someone was chasing him. All of a sudden, I feel something hit me in the ass...it was Victor's face. When he turned around, he ran right into my ass, ricocheted off and fell on his ass. He then proceeded to get up and inform me that I had a fat butt. Thank you Victor, I was unaware of that little factoid.

A couple of weeks ago, Paw Paw told Mom that we were not to buy him any gifts. He said that with the economy as bad as it is right now, we need to save our money. So, when she showed up with a gift, he gave her the stink eye. He opened the gift and it was Bill O'Reilly's Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity.

Paw Paw: I told you no gifts.
Mom: Oh, hush.
Mandy: Tell Paw Paw the back story on the book.
Mom: Well, that was supposed to be one of your gifts from last year. When I bought it, I hid it and forgot about it. I found it a couple of weeks ago. So, there ya go.
Paw Paw: But this is an old book.
Mom: It's not that old, it's still on the best seller list.
Paw Paw: But it's like a year old.
Mom: I know, I bought it last year.
Paw Paw: I told you no gifts.
Mom: Have you read it?
Paw Paw: No.
Mom: Then shut up or I'll take it back.

My mom and I were sitting on the porch with Jerob and Jereth.

Jereth (the nine year old): I want to spend the night.
Mandy: You need to go tell Paw Paw that you want to stay here tonight.
Jereth: Jerob, do you want to spend the night with Paw Paw tonight.
Jerob (the twelve year old): No.
Jereth: Why not.
Jerob: Dude, we don't have any clothes and THEY'RE not going to come get us tomorrow.
Jereth: Mom will come and get us.
Jerob: Dude, mom can't find her way back here and Mandy and Me Me have to work...we'd be stuck here.

I love seeing my Paw Paw. And he's finally able to walk around without the help of cane. Looks like titanium joints are the way to go!

Me and the Paw Paw!

Until next time...

Mandy

The Lothario

I know how much all you enjoy my Willie stories.

Today, Willie came in looking for my boss, but the boss wasn't here yet.

Willie: Hey Clydesdale, where's Mark?
Me: I don't know, his phone is off.
Willie: I really need to talk to him. I'm going to leave him a note.
Me: OK.
Silence
Me: Willie, I thought you told me you were divorced.
Willie: *with a sly grin* I am.
Me: You're wearing a wedding ring.
Willie: This isn't a wedding ring.
Me: Right.
Willie: Seriously, I started wearing this because when I took my wedding ring off I had the tan band.
Me: A likely story Willie.
Willie: It's true...when you going to let me take you out?
Me: Sorry, Willie, I started seeing someone a couple of months ago.
Willie: Alright, Clydesdale. You just let me know when you want me to take you out...you know I'll treat you real good.
Me: I know you would, Willie.

So, without further ado, here is a photo of me and the infamous...WILLIE!



Until next time...

Mandy