Daily Dose of Aggravation: Turning Into Grandma Edna

 

Daily Dose of Aggravation:  Turning Into Grandma Edna 

July 31, 2025

 My Grandma Edna was a good lady. Kind and helped people and tough. As she got older she got bad about having way too many of different grocery items.  She was great about remembering every anniversary, birthday, and sent sympathy cards, cheer cards, get well cards.  She was on the ready at all times because she had a Hallmark Card store in the phone stand.  She was bad about having so many and so disorganized she'd just go buy more rather than hunt through them.  

The Thing Box

  One of the ways she stayed at the ready for gifts for birthdays or any occasion was the Thing Box in her bedroom.  It meant that she had an endless supply of picture frames, knick-knacks, make up compacts, nail polish, costume jewelry, handkerchiefs, and the like.  We kids loved to dig through the Thing Box and she seldom minded.  We asked before we just took stuff.  

       I have heard my mom say many times in recent years "I'm turning into Mom!"  and then she'd laugh and tell me what latest thing she'd done to qualify.   I have noticed over the past decade that I am getting more like Grandma in the over run of grocery items.  I'll get organized. Swear I'm done with being like that, and then in time my cupboards get back into a mess.  

     I was fixing supper this evening and part of the meal was fried chicken.   Kenny sometimes likes barbecue sauce with it.   I looked in the fridge to find none.   Only a partial bottle of ketchup.   No worries!  I remembered I had just purchased a bottle on sale at Food City last weekend.  I got it out and as I turned the Lazy Susan I noticed, 1, no 2, no.... 3 bottles of Heinz tomato ketchup.  Oy! I've done it again.   My thought process is this. Oh well, it isn't eating anything sitting there.   It will get used up. 

I just need to keep quiet and don't do anything to draw Kenny's attention to it or he will fuss at me.  

    It seems that just thinking that thought is like some sort of great Galactic Beacon like Silver Surfer working for the Destroyer of Worlds... Galactus.   

Above: is Silver Surfer's surf board which is a beacon to draw the destroyer.  My thoughts of deception are the beacon that draws Kenny's fire.  

Below: Galactus eating a world (Kenny is Galactus... my destroyer) 

   I set the barbecue sauce on the table and called him to eat dinner.   Kenny is VERY particular. I may have mentioned this before.   I am not kidding.  He said "I need barbecue sauce with my chicken." I responded "I've got you. It is already on the counter top."  He glanced then took a closer look. 

"We don't have any Sweet Baby Ray's ?"  His favorite kind.  "No. I don't think so.  This is the same thing . Sit down and let's eat." He wasn't having it.   He first checked the fridge in disbelief. He then moved on to the dreaded Lazy Susan where the excessive bottles of ketchup were living.  "Good Lord, Dana! You've got three unopened bottles of ketchup in here!!"  I was digging in the pantry for my life. 

I produced not one, but TWO bottles unopened of his favorite Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce.  

Yes, I've been busy accumulating again.  I thought of how unfair life is and how I cannot get by with a thing that he doesn't find me out.   I did what I usually do and laughed like a hyena.  I pleaded Edna Syndrome.   He laughed so hard at me he couldn't be mad.    It is a running joke.   He is overly  particular. I am Forgetful Jones and just buy more of stuff.  

Below: Forgetful Jones-- Me. 

Below;  Granny Painter on the left and Grandma Edna on the right.  I love her and miss her. Miss them both!