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!  

Nanny Won't Play Right: Playing Dolls With Mia

Nanny Won't Play Right:  Playing Dolls With Mia

  I try to be a good playmate to my grandchildren.   We play all kinds of things.  We play restaurant.

We play Bluey with the toy Bluey house, camper, and SUV.  We play "Bus Driver" with the playset outside.    We color.   We read books.  We play magnet blocks.   My granddaughter Mia hadn't quite turned four yet when this latest infraction on my part took place.   I bought a new doctor kit and a new cash register for them to play with.     Mia has one of those "Our Generation" dolls.  She loves that doll baby.  Dollbaby has an icecream truck with all the trappings.    We play with that thing frequently.

Below: Mia's Our Generation doll 

Below: The ice cream truck that goes with the doll. The picnic basket on top has tiny pretend popsicles and icecreams in it.  

     Today Mia decided to play doctor.  I figured I was the victim as the patient.  I reckoned wrong.

 

Above: The toy doctor kit

Below:  Mia's lap top computer for taking her diagnostic notes and recording vital signs. 

She was going to see her doll baby as the patient.   I had to play the part of the doll.   Dr. Mia got the stethoscope, thermometer, otoscope out.  She listened to Dollbaby's heart, lungs, abdomen.  She took her temperature. She looked in her throat and ears.  She felt of doll's belly.  She then got the toy laptop computer out to take digital notes the way a real doctor does.   She proceeded to say to Dollbaby:
"Now, I know you ate some broccoli earlier today.  What else did you eat?"   I had to think fast and I am usually trying to slip something funny in there.   Dollbaby replied "Well, after the broccoli, I had a tube of toothpaste, some candy, some french fries, and some cookies."   Mia records all this and turns to Dollbaby aka ME to say "I think you have gas".    You need to go home and lay down to rest.   

   I made the doll dutifully agree and lay down across my lap.   Dollbaby lay there a few minutes and I made her turn over on her side and raise her leg.  Dollbaby ripped a big fart!   

   About that time brother Gabriel came walking in.    Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mia duck down behind the arm of the sofa.   Before I could say or do anything further Gabe asked "What is the matter with you? What has you upset?"   The response came "I"M MAD!!"  "Mad at who?" I asked.

"Mad at YOU! You won't play right! Don't you EVER do that again!"   and she stomped off to the bedroom.  Usually she does that to get her mind off whatever irritated her.

     Gabe turned to me with eyes big as saucers.  He didn't know what I'd done to provoke her.

I apologized and promised I'd never do it again.  Later that evening when Jared and Lydia came to pick them up after work I told Lydia what went on.   We made sure Mia was outside and out of earshot with her Daddy when I related the story. Gabe, me and Lydia all lost it and just died laughing.   

        Five days went past and Mia came back over one afternoon.        The dollbaby and doctor kit were lying there right where she left them.   I realized by the look on her face I was still not out of the dog house.   I also thought better of having left the evidence out as a potential reminder.  She cut her eyes at me and drew her frowns down.   I sheepishly looked at her and said "Did Nanny not play right and ended up making you mad?"  "Yes!" she answered.   I went on to say "I'm real sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.  I just thought it would be funny.  Dollbaby had gas and you fixed her! She farted and was relieved!"   I could see her expression soften and then she laughed with me.   It was funny she agreed, but don't ever do that again!  I told her I'd mind my manners.  I was reminded by family to be sure to document these funny little incidents for posterity.  

Above: Dr. Mia writes on her clip board

Well Ain't That Some $hit-- Trapped in the Bathroom on Vacation

 

Above: me in the Gulf of Mexico... white blonde hair and very, very dark.  

Well Ain't That Some $hit-- Trapped in the Bathroom on Vacation 

 True Funny Stories 

Saturday August 2, 2003

by Dana Koogler 

     I'm back from the beach. Have I got something to tell you!  Be careful not to be eating or drinking or need to go pee when you read this.   

   We vacationed at Camping USA in Destin, Florida.  On the last day of our trip just prior to pulling out to head home I decided to make one last pit stop.   Mind you, I had not used the campground restrooms a single time the entire trip UNTIL TODAY!    I walked over to the bathrooms directly across from our campsite.  These bathrooms were set up so each one is its own individual bathroom complete with toilet, shower, and sink.  They lock and each has a window.   I locked the door behind me, and took one last pee before hitting the road.  I went to leave. Lo and behold the D-A-M-N door would NOT  unlock.    I remained calm and tried several maneuvers to get it to work.   Finally I could see that whatever was wrong, it wasn't going to budge.  I gave up and walked over to the try the window.  I go the window up about 18 inches and was about to shout over to a man sitting 50 feet from me at his campsite reading a book.  I was going to ask him to go get the manager or get me some help.   I am looking past him at Kenny making final preparations for us to depart.  He is about 200 feet away. Just far enough to not be able to hear me well.   

Below: this woman is graceful compared to me

     It hit me that I could probably get out the window myself despite it being a rather tight squeeze.

I don't know what came over me exactly.   I just said heck with it and went about trying to free myself.     I climbed up on a chair and laid down across the window sill and looked down. There was a cement floor under me and a low bench.    I began squeezing myself out the window.  It was working.  All at once the utter ridiculousness of this situation hit me.   I should never have let my mind go there for  that is when I lost it. I began laughing, and I went limp as a dish rag.   I was out of control of myself.   I did not fall, but it is a wonder.  I'd squeeze through a little further and try to climb down and laugh a little harder.  I'd have to stop and just lie there trying to calm down so I could continue. I was committed now.  Halfway in. Halfway out and teetering on the brink of the window ledge.  Not exactly lightning fast was I?   At last I managed to get down and skipped off toward the camper and my family who was waiting on me.   As I trotted away I heard the man's wife come out of their camper. He had been oblivious to this whole thing, but not her. 

As I trotted away I heard her gasp to him "Oh good God! Did she just climb out  the bathroom window?!??!!" 

   I turned in her direction and yelled at her "Yes I did!" and had one final fit of convulsive laughter as I left.   

    Sometimes I cannot believe the things that happen to me.   I can't make this stuff up. 

It is worth mentioning that Kenny was angry that this happened to me.. well, once he stopped laughing.  He went by the office to let them know the first stall bathroom door was locked from the inside.  He told them what happened to me.  They said "Oh, yes. We've had some trouble with that door." and offered us a free nights stay.  👀

Above: Big Daddy chillin' on the beach

Above:  Destin Florida 

Me and Kenny in the ocean

Below: me snorkeling for the first time. I loved it!  I loved the underwater cameras too!  

Below is a video that will make you laugh.. a lady out shopping who loses her keys and decides to climb in her window since she needs to pee.   Her boobs fall out. She falls and even pees on herself.  LOL

The Cure For What Ails Ya Granny & the Rawleigh Internal Liniment

    

The Cure For What Ails Ya Granny & the Rawleigh Internal Liniment

Anyone ever take Rawleigh Internal Liniment? It was a staple in the home of my parental units and at my Granny's and Paw's house. I avoided it, but one Sunday after church we went up the mountain to Granny's. We'd stay all afternoon running around and playing. Riding the four wheeler and visiting. I got to feeling poorly. I must have been about 35 or so ( I done purty good to not take any all them years). I told Granny I didn't feel well at all. I knew I was trying to come down with something. I had chills, fever, body aches. She said well honey we're gonna fix you right up. Let's go out to the kitchen and dose you with some Rawleigh Internal liniment. I was so sick I agreed. I was now married and had two little kids and a job I had to go back to the next day. I had to try something. She put about 1/2 teaspoon of that evil stuff in a tumbler with some cold spring water and some sugar. I drank it down fast. I chased it with some more water. She put me to bed with quilts on me. She told me exactly what was going to happen. She said stay under here til you feel the sweats start. Stay under them covers long as you can stand it. Then you'll have to pee real bad. Wait long as you can to go pee and keep a sweating. Once the sweats wears off you should be right as rain. I did as she told me and it progressed just as she said it would. Within a couple hours I was 100% cured. I wished I'd not resisted trying the liniment for so long for it really did work! It has capsicum annuua oil, spearmint oil, and hemlock seed oil in it. It is enough to poison the sickness out of anyone! If I was a germ I'd run too!

At the top of the post are a couple photos I found on the web showing what the bottle/contents and the external packaging looked like. Below is the label showing the ingredients.

Above is the ingredients in the concoction.

The W.T. Rawleigh Company was begun by a Wisconsin man who started selling medicines and liniments to farmers for animals. He eventually was so successful he branched out to people. He built factories in several cities placing his headquarters in Illinois. Eventually he built a factory in Memphis, Tennessee.

The W.T. Rawleigh company had figured out long ago what it has taken us years to learn. Veterinarians can take care of people a lot better than a human doctor can care for an animal. Animals like say a hog are a commodity. If your hog is sick and standing around not eating you are losing money so you will CURE an animal in order to limit losses of income. In humans who are not commodities... there is more money to be made treating the symptoms of illness rather than effecting a CURE. Sad but true. The Rawleigh Company no longer sells its internal liniment, but they remain relevant today! Still in business though the original Memphis factory sits abandoned and in ruins.

Here is a link for the Rawleigh Company. They have progressed on to new and better ways of helping folks feel better and live better! They branched out into probiotics, immune boosters, vitamins, bee pollen products, joint supplements, and continue to sell their salves and ointments!

Being a big believer in homeopathy and naturopathy and a maker of salves from scratch... I am impressed with their success!