One day, I was at a ladies brunch at my old church talking with gals of all ages. I have since forgoten what led up to this story, but it is one of the best ones I have ever heard.  Especially since the lady that told it was the least likely person I could ever imagine this happening to.

I’ll call her Carol, though some of you may know this story and know who she really is. Anyway, Carol is a respectable and modest woman with grown children and grandchildren. She is kind, generous, loving, and really funny! She always looks nice and put-together, and has a smile on her face and a hug for everyone she meets. But one day, Carol was not as on top of her game as she usually is….

It was a typical winter day here in Kansas City. Carol was going about her usual routine, chores, etc….She had taken the laundry out to the garage where the washer and dryer were located. Since it was just herself in the house, staying on top of the laundry wasn’t too challenging, but, nevertheless, Carol liked to make sure she was being efficient. When the washer wasn’t quite full, she began to look around the house to make sure she had gotten everything that needed washing. Standing in front of the washer that evening, she realized that what she was wearing needed  to be laundered. Without a second thought, Carol stripped naked, dropped her clothes in the bin, and started the cycle. After all, she lived alone. She could scamper back to her bedroom without flashing anyone and get her pajamas on early. She turned to head back up the few steps and into the kitchen, but the door was LOCKED!

That’s right. Classy, church-going grandma Carol had locked herself out of her house and was standing in her garage completely nude. What in the world was she going to do?  She knew her close friends and neighbors had a spare key she had given them years ago for emergencies and such. But she couldn’t go over to their house NAKED!

 She ran over to the washer and lifted the lid, but the clothes were already soaked through and agitating. Speaking of agitating….Carol began looking around the garage for anything with which she could lockpick the door, but she was a widow and had given all her husband’s tools to her son. The garage was beginning to feel a bit  nippy. She began to to scan for something to put on, but what would there be in a garage that a person could wear? And it was winter!  Her eyes settled on a box of plastic lawn and leaf garbage bags.  That would have to do. She tore a hole in the bottom of the bag for her head, then turned the bag upside down and slid it on.  It was like a vinyl mini-dress from the 60’s. The plastic was cold, but at least she was covered.  

Seeing her neighbor’s lights on, she swallowed her pride, darted across the street and rang the doorbell. It was dusk. Who else was seeing a grandma run across the street wearing nothing but a plastic garbage bag?  Dan answered the door, intially with a smile, which quickly changed to a look of shock and awe, and then to roars of laughter as she told him what happened. He grabbed a coat for her and the spare key. They quickly walked back to her house where he let her in, and she me made him swear a vow of silence. 

I love Carol. She’s just one of those people that is always happy, and it just makes you feel good to be around her.  And I love her all the more for telling me this story and not making me swear a vow of silence. And every time I think of elderly church ladies, I also think of  a grandma wearing nothing but a plastic garbage bag hurrying across the street in winter.

And it makes me smile 

every

single

time.

We celebrate Christmas in rounds. You know what I am talking about?  We “do” Christmas over and over again with different cirlces of family and friends. Christmas Eve was round 1 with our surrogate extended family. You remember them. Our euchre playing telepathic neighbors with their Rockband fantic kids. (Man, can that woman cook, by the way, but that’s a post for another day.) Round 2 was Christmas morning with our immediate nuclear family. Round 3 was Christmas Day evening with Grandma. Grandmas in general can make Santa look a tad stingy, and this one is no exception.  Actually, to her credit and with much begging on my part, she has reined it in in the last several years. Seriously, stuff for seven kids can really accumulate.

Here is a photo of my mom with my 5 year-old Christmas caroling rocker on her shoulders.

Here is another of the happy chaos.

I love this picture. She looks so sassy, no, saucy, yeah, saucy.

Another saucy picture. Remember, age is only a number. That’s what I keep telling myself…every 39th birthday.

Even the pets get in on it….like the kids give ‘em a choice.

One more of  my mom and me. She’s also a book fanatic… I mean FANATIC.

Thanks to my sweet hubby for taking all these. He’s never in the photos because he’s always the camera man.

Merry Christmas again everyone! Now I am going to sleep till New Year’s. The kids can live on peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches while I nap. I’ll throw in a bag of apples just to add  more food groups.