More Monkey Business~

The monkey is at home with us.  After a tour of our little townhouse, we settled on a cheery spot where most of the action takes place.

We sat around and chatted for a while.  I thought it was important to get to know each other and to make our new tenant feel welcome.  I have a good feeling about this.  I think it is going to be great fun! 

After a good long chat, we adjourned to the living room and watched a Christmas movie together.  GN plopped on the floor with the monkey, a blanket and some pillows and I retired to a corner of the couch with some knitting.

I should admit something here; It won’t be the first time we’ve adopted a stuffed monkey.

When Angel was sick, a very dear friend of mine sent her a monkey from Ramstein, Germany, where he was stationed in the Air Force.  Angel was in her twenties, but love reached her in all sorts of ways: the monkey being just one of them.  After Angel’s death, the monkey went to Goodnight.  We called the monkey MOHO, the acronym name we gave him which was short for ‘Monkey On His Own.’ 

We still have MOHO and he is our car monkey.  He’s taken all kinds of trips with us and we have the photos to show for it.  We initially snapped pictures to send to my friend, the gift-giver, but now we just keep up the photos because it’s fun.

So, with our newest addition to the Monkey Family, I need to run out for a new photo album and . . . more bananas.  

Wanna hear a 14-year-old giggle?

I have no idea what possessed me.  Blame it on my age, exhaustion, stress . . . or blame the flexibility I have to make up my own Grammy Rules.

After church this morning, I turned right instead of left when exiting the parking lot.  Left means home and right mean endless possibilities.

Out of the clear blue, I drove to a department store, walked to a predetermined location, picked up a LARGE predetermined item, and marched to the check-out counter to pay for the item.  Goodnight started giggling as soon as I reached for the item on the top shelf in the toy department. 

GN: Whatcha gonna do with that Gram?

Gram: I decided we needed a cheery something in the dining room.

GN: Really?  It’s not a Christmas gift for someone?

Gram:  Nope, it’s coming home with us!

And so it has – but not without joining us on a Sunday drive on GN’s lap.  Both were appropriately buckled into a seat belt.  GN giggled and waved to passers-by.

I LOVE sock monkeys!  This one is four-feet high and will be joining for movie nights!  Road trips, too, methinks!  

Truth is, that girl is growing up right before my eyes.  She has her friends, activities, school work, etc., but she’s still willing to linger at the table after dinner and just . . . talk to her gram.  We play games at that table.  She likes to do her homework there, too.  Time will come soon enough when she will have other places to be, but if the sock monkey makes her memories of home more pleasant, my right turn out of the church parking lot was worth it!