Charming Charlie

 It has been three years since the devastating loss of my blog. I cherished the time spent sharing my life with all of you, and I have truly missed you.

Charlie is going on eight, Alex is almost nine, and Liam is weeks away from 12. I used to babysit them, converted our basement to a preschool area. I taught PreK for 40 years, and spent another three teaching my two youngest great grandsons downstairs.

When Charlie went to kindergarten, I had a yard sale and sold every preschool item: wall hangings, equipment, craft supplies, books...the works! I was so afraid of Charlie's reaction. I did not tell them about the renovation: a family room, furniture, rugs etc.

He stopped at the top of the steps and looked down stairs into the preschool area. When he saw a new large carpet, he screamed, "Nana!" He bounded down the stairs, stopped, gazed all around and said, "Oh Nana Linda, thank you for building us this cool hotel."

He brings me such joy and has given me so many laugh lines. None so funny as the day when he was much younger and lectured me about my innapropriate behavior.  

 I sat in a chair outside. He stood between my legs and fiddled with the ties on my peasant blouse. "I love these pretty beads."

 He asked me to tie his shoe, then he said, "Oh, Nana Linda don't be gross. You cannot show your butt outside, only in the bathtub with your brudders." 

I showed him I was sitting on my butt. He walked around me inspecting. The he looked at my neckline and said, "How DID you get your butt up that high?"'

"Oh, Charlie that is not my butt. That is my cleavage."

Last year I participated in a live show performance, Mama Said, Mama Said! along with a dozen  others and  shared quips and quotes about charming Charlie.

My Chicken Soup for the Soul stories have been published in 38 books, and I am still writing.

I would love to hear from you!