This past Saturday, October 24th, was a very special day for our family. My grandmother (affectionately known to all as "Queenie") turned 90. The funny thing is though, is that there isn't a soul in the world who would have guessed it, and not because she stopped counting at 39 and has told everyone that is her age for 51 years, but because she still acts that way. She continues to still drive (God help us), volunteers on weekends in the emergency room at St. Joseph's hospital, and still hosts dinner parties for her friends and family on a regular basis. Thank God I have her genes as she is simply amazing!
My cousins and I grew up congregating at Queenie's house on weekends and after our yard chores were done and a winner was crowned in our big wheel destruction derby, we were always treated to a good movie. I am not just talking any movie, because Queenie had a favorite genre - Horror flicks! And we grew to love them too, ever since we were 6 years old! The Saturday jaunt to the Alabama or River Oaks theater always began with the obligatory trip to K-Mart for our candy. Not that she needed it (but because she had a lot of doctor friends), Queenie would whip out her handicapp placard, throw it on the windshield and we would go straight to the front row at K-Mart. Ask Chris to tell the story when she forgot it one time and they missed the movie when her car got towed. Anyway, she didn't just like to get any kind of candy. Queenie loved the square caramel things on that little white stick that were about as hard to chew as a block of cement! I don't know what those things were made out of, but they were so damn hard and sticky that one time my mouth got stuck shut and it felt like super glue! I think that's where they got the name for the "jaws of life", because they had to use them to pry my mouth open! Can't we just get some M&M's or something??? So after Michael or Jason or Freddy or Damian got killed (supposedly) at the end of the movie, we would head back to her house and enjoy the rest of the weekend until our parents came and got us on Sundays. It was a special time and none of us will ever forget those many incredible memories we made at her house. Thank you Queenie.
Because I hosted a Halloween party on her birthday this past Saturday night (which she attended in costume as well!), we all gathered at my aunt Ollabelle's house on Friday for a lovely dinner with our family and Queenie's numerous friends to celebrate the glorious 90 years that this woman has graced this wonderful world. Suffice it to say she has a long way to go! I can't wait for 10 years from now when we celebrate 100!I hear Saw VI is out now - I'm calling Queenie! We love you!
