Yep, I'm a different kind of Grandma for sure. First of all, I got to pick my name and I chose Chi Chi. I didn't want to be a MeMaw, Mamaw, or Grandma. I knew that Chi Chi would be an easy word for babies to say. My husband picked "Papaw" I didn't like his name and he didn't like mine. I just asked him NEVER to get a personalized license plate that said, "Papaw and Chi Chi" I liked this name because when my kids were little and we lived in an apt. in Lexinton, KY., my kids played with the 3 kids next door. One day, one of the kids came running into my apt. yelling, "Chi Chi is HERE!" I asked my neighbor Pat, "What the heck is a Chi Chi?" and she told me it was the childrens grandmother and they LOVED her! So, Chi Chi it is! They learned to say it early on and I loved it! Now little did I know the mexican meaning of chi chi, but even that "fits" My other son, who is expecting his first baby (girl) let me know that his wife would never allow the baby to call me Chi Chi! Well, FAH FAH FAH!" I AM CHI CHI, so get used to it!
While on our trip to Washington D.C., Dominick and I were so fortunate. We had Judi and Virginia
http://journals.aol.com/judithheartsong/newbeginning/ and
http://journals.aol.com/ecori/AnimalSpirits/
I am so fortunate to know them. For those of you that are my friends and have trouble knowing that Judi and Virginia are lesbians, get over it! I adore these woman and am blessed to know them and call them friends. I couldn't have taken Dominick to Washington without having them help us!
First of all, let me say that Dominick (all of 9 yrs old) was so very good and I enjoyed my time with him. He was just full of questions. One question leading to 10 more. I finally had to say, "I just don't know" to many of his questions. He was absolutely preoccupied with poop questions. Judi was just the best. Dom, "Do octopus poop?" Judi, "Why that is a very good question Dominick and yes they do!" It is a valid question, isn't it? Then he was mesmerized by the gorilla poop and wanted to show all of us!
Virginia was there with her camera and she was so good that I didn't realize that she was snapping away. She so reminds me of my spouse.....super intelligent and adored!
The zoo tour started by a wonderful treat....hot chocolate with whipped cream! I didn't even feel guilty! (Life is too short for me to feel guilty over this pleasure and treat!) We saw the octopus, sea urchines, star fish, scorpions, spiders (we saw them being fed...live crickets) Then onto the mural that Judi painted. Folks, I have to say that it was just so awesome. You could stare at it for hours and still see the most wonderful creators staring back at you.
I guess the only things we didn't see were green alligators and long neck geese. Virginia said we only saw about 1/2 the zoo. After awhile, Chi Chi's feet got a little tired. I needed to sit for a spell. That is when I discovered that Dominick inherited the "gift shop" gene! After the first gift shop, Judi took him into the second one. (He had a certain amout of money and when that was gone, it was GONE!) She said that he carefully thought his about things and ended up purchasing a big sucker and a National Zoo sun visor! Good going, Dom!
Oh we got to see the cheeta cubs. There were 4 in all. We saw so many things. My favorite......hold on to your seats.......the naked mole rats! It's not everyday that you get to see these. If you go to Judi's blog, you will see a link to the zoo and there is a live web cam showing them. They are very unusual, just like ChiChi!
Another way I am different from most is that I insisted that Dominick stay up late. "Please stay up with ChiChi, I insisted!" He went fast asleep! He got to swim everyday, as long as he wanted. He also got to experience being a minority. It was good for him, he enjoyed it! I adore him!
Well, folks that was about our second day! I usually get the cart before the horse. My feet were tired and his body was tired........"stay up, don't you dare go to sleep, we have stories to tell, things to do and people to love!" Stay tuned for more on our amazing trip to Washington D.C.
Thank you Judi and Virgina for being the best tour guides and friends anybody could ever hope for! Maybe I will dream of the naked mole rats tonight....but more than likely it will be the company of good friends.
.jpg)
12 comments:
You got to meet Judith Heartsong???? Wow! You know, I owe my trip to Washington, DC, to the generosity of an Internet friend who went sightseeing with me, and put me up in her home as a guest. Isn't this Internet wonderful?
You sound like a most wonderful grandmother! Your grandchildren are lucky to have you:)
Naked Mole rats.... snicker. ok.. I won't go there again. But they DO look like 'them' with teeth. ~Sie
Dominick sounds delightful, and your trip sounds absolutely wonderful.
Dominick was so wonderful and such a good sport to be open to all kinds of new adventures. I enjoyed you both so much, he is an awesome young person.
"I just asked him NEVER to get a personalized license plate that said, "Papaw and Chi Chi" aahahahahahahahahaha! "Chi Chi" is somehow so perfect for you, I think it was pre-destined.
We had such a blast and are ready for more adventures whenever you want to come back....... there is soooo much to see, we haven't even started on the state parks here yet!!!!!!
love and hugs to you, judi
CHI CHI, you are something else! Sounds like a really great time. So glad you got together with your "tour guides" rich
Sure, if they stay up with you, they might sleep longer :)
Chi chi - that has a nice ring to it.
I know you had a great time in DC - and I hope you tell us more about it!
xoxo
I thought you might be interested to know that "Chi" means "LIFE" or "LIFE FORCE" in Chinese.
I've read several of your entries and have decided that the name fits!
Happy travels!
Cyndy (Happy AZ. resident)
OK, Chi Chi it is! Sounds like you had a blast, and I'm GLAD you have the friends you do. They took care to be kind to you, and it was fun for everyone. That's all that matters!
Jimmy
It sounds like you had a great truo Chi Chi, and Dominick too. Judi and Virginia do indeed sound like wonderful people who are exceptionally talented. Can hardly wait to hear about the rest of your trip. Paulette
I really like Chi Chi! With the exception of my father (whom I called "Lobo, at his request, after a game of "Little Red Riding Hood" when I was 3; guess who little red riding hood was!), most of the familial names we used were pretty commonplace--though their application was confusing to most people outside the family--and sometimes within. "Nana" was what several generations of grandmothers were called on my mother's side (Mama). Though Mom, Mama, Ma, and Granny were all used interchangeably. "Grandma" was what they were all called on my dad's side. Aunts, uncles and cousins were, and are, simply called by their first names, only adding the title to when necessary to explain the relationsip.
Ah, the "poop" stage!
And one should never feel guilty where chocolate or whipped cream are concerned!
If your last name were La Rue, it would be a great Drag Queen Grandma name! Your trip sounds like so much fun, and with such great tour-guides. Thanks for letting us all know that octupuses do indeed poop! ;-) Albert
Post a Comment