I remember cutting roses for Grandma from the giant bush by her side door. I remember the pastel pillow mints in the crystal candy dish on the sideboard. I remember “Chicken in a Biskit” crackers in the kitchen, and Planters peanuts on the coffee table at cocktail time. I remember her record player, the size of a … Continue reading I remember St. Simons Island
My grandmother was a shrewd woman. She drank gin all day and kept Rolaids between the couch cushions for her constant heartburn, and she had strong opinions — about politics, about taxes, about us doing well in school. She paid me for straight As and after dinner she’d get all the grownups together so she … Continue reading Giving away furniture
Grandma loved to go to Sunday brunch, and when I was a kid, her favorite brunch spot was Shoney’s. We’d drive over the drawbridge from St. Simons Island to Brunswick, Georgia, and once we had waited in line for a large enough table, all the grown ups would order coffee and tea. My older brother … Continue reading Grandma’s Gin and Milk
When we were 18 or so, my best friend and I drove two hours down the coast of Georgia, from Savannah to St. Simons Island, to visit my Grandmother. It was a Sunday, and she loved to lunch on Sunday, so she offered to take us to Spanky’s, the restaurant that had recently replaced Shoneys … Continue reading Emergency Gin
Butterfly Mind 