Mimi Time

I'm in Tampa and right this minute I'm babysitting Courtney, who's sound asleep and likely to stay that way until her mom & big sister get back from their errands. It's a tough job but I'll do it whenever asked! I'm here until Sunday, my visit a birthday gift from Pedro to Elise. We're all fast becoming true fans of Allegiant Air. Where else can you fly P'burgh<->Tampa for $29 each way? Well, $29 plus about a million "fees" added on but still, well under the $200 I used to think was the bargain basement. Even under the $158 I paid just once on some super sale.

Last night the temp hit 34 in Plattsburgh. (We broke a 42-yr. record one night last week when we hit 34. That's a record I don't like!) And now we did it again, although I'm not sure about the record this time. Aargh. We've tried so hard not to turn the furnace on after May 15, but have had to at least a couple of times; I think the last time was on May 31. Our house is actually a passive solar design--28" overhangs all around means that the winter sun, low in the sky, can shine in, but the spring/summer sun can't. That means in order to keep sweatshirts on their hangers IN JUNE, we turn the heat on in the early morning to get the house up to 68 because the sun can't accomplish this by 8 p.m. Then the furnace gets turned off again and we hope for a warmer night. When will this end? Our highs have only been in the 60s, once or twice into the 70s, with one freaky day at the end of April that it hit 90. Needless to say, I like this Florida visit!

And what beautiful grandgirls! Courtney is the essence of chill-baby, smiling, gurgling, eating, sleeping. No fussing that I've seen. And Kaitlyn is the opposite: on the go constantly, picking up nuances (typical first child), testing limits, trying to figure out if Mimi backs Mommy or caves to Katie. I'll be on my own with both of them tomorrow night as Pedro takes Elise out for dinner That actually should be fun for me.

I can't get over how much this grandmother thing agrees with me. Someone said that you learn about unconditional love when you become a grandparent and I thought, Oh, no, you love your own kids unconditionally. But it is different. When it's your own kids, you're helping them develop, helping them grow, teaching, learning. And while you love them unconditionally, they're still your job. When I became Mimi I discovered that it's just pure fun, pure love. I get to watch but not judge, to play without any goal outside of the moment. It is a blast. I'm hoping I get a boy grandchild at some point only because I want the opportunity to just watch. Having had only girls I'll be really interested in how it works with boys, and not have any responsibilites related to it!

Meanwhile Bruce is up in NY watching the Stanley Cup finals without me. I'll get to watch one game here after the girls are in bed on Saturday, and then will be home to share the yelling with him. That's fun too.

(Of course, when I'm home, there will be pictures to post!)