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Pfizer and Roche love,

Justine

"I'mmmm moving out" - Billy Joel

So I peaced out of Babcia's place and moved an hour away to start my pharmacy post-grad residency. Every time I call Babcia to check in she asks "How much do you miss me?"

She totally misses me too.

I miss her CRAZY stories about her day, about my great grandmother, about people at the grocery store, about her high-school days. I miss her completely ridiculous phrases and educational moments on both parts.

As I'm leaving... 

I can't even go into detail about all the things that I've learned through one year living with my grandmother. I wouldn't have traded it for the world. 

Of course there were days that she and I got annoyed with each other, but that comes with any roommate (almost) right?!?

Still now when I go to visit her and I start talking about something she says "WHAT? You're MUMBLING" and I still wish I had Wenisa to translate everything I say.

Thank you all for continuing to read this blog and share it with friends. Seeing where people are reading it from has been a total trip! I'll keep updating, because her antics WILL NOT end. But I just thank you for coming along on this journey with me over the past year...

MORE TO COME!

Zoloft and Effexor,

Justine

Puppy Love

Babcia's not one for animals. My grandfather was always the "animal lover" if you may.

My cousins just got a new puppy! It's a little fluff ball, I mean a Maltese, and it's adorable! I went over to see RUSSELL on Saturday and all I saw was my cousin playing with a large ball of cotton in the front yard. I quickly picked him up and was cuddling with him, and then looked and Babcia and said "Do you want to hold him?"... "I'll wait" she replied.

So we go inside, I'm still holding him, I get him to drink some water, still holding him...

"Do you want to hold him now?"... "I'll wait"

So then we try to figure out his new little harness thing... too big. Then I cuddle with the fluffball some more and I hear "I'll hold him now"

So they meet. Rudolph. Or Roger. Or Reagan. Or Randy. Whatever Babcia calls him... I know it was love at first sight.

Looks like someone's going in for a SMOOCH!

I think Babcia has a new boyfriend. She is QUITE the cougar! I mean...Russel is only about 2 months old. But age is just a number... RIGHT?

"I'm so cute...Just me and my woman"

Babcia refuses to have Russell over her house. But it was just day 1. I think a few more meetings and we'll be progressing to sleepovers realllll soon ;)

Zyrtec and Claritin,
Justine

"What Do I Need It For?"

"What Do I Need It For?"

"What Do I Need It For?"

"What Do I Need It For?"

This is Babcia's new philosophy. 

It took... about 2 weeks. Of intervention. Daily... Daily... Daily Intervention.

I started selling many many many of my worldly possessions on eBay within the past month. 

(No, I didn't start selling them for the "End of the World" on May 21st, and no I have not willed everything to Family Radio)

I just realized that many things that are sitting around in my room or still with tags on in my closet were being sold online for money. So I hopped onboard the Ebay Train and have made nearly $400 in less than a month. 

Babcia kept seeing me taking pictures of things and shipping things. I know she was jealous. She'll never admit it. But she was.

I would walk around the house appraising her multitude of trinkets that are collecting dust on her tables... 

Once I would tell her something was work $50-$75, she'd say:

"Hmm... well, I think I'm going to keep it." - (about a decorative wedgwood ashtray.. what does she need that for?)

Then I stopped my free appraisals, but she started bringing me things.

"I FOUND SOMETHING YOU COULD SELL!" She then brings me this beautiful glass cake stand with silver on it and so I find it online as she's cleaning it up a bit. I show her that it's going for about $40 and as she's polishing it she says "Ya know... I think I like this. I'm going to keep it."

Now we were going backwards. We were taking things that were tucked away in the depths of the attic and closets and bringing them out, she clearly hasn't used them for decades, but now instead of selling something that she doesn't use, she wants to keep it. 

This went on for 2 weeks.

She finally caved 4 days ago. She brought me a clock. Eh, not much ebay interest, but maybe someday soon. Then yesterday.... some random other pottery (one already has a bid) and this beautiful cut class clock that was appraised at $800. I was shocked about this one. She really had a hard time letting it go. But her friend came over and she was telling her what we were doing and Babcia says to her "Ya know, what do I need it for?"

It's REALLY gorgeous.

*INSERT HALLELUJAH CHORUS*

She's making progress. And there are people watching her clock on ebay and that cake plate we finally got up there too. 2 people are "watching" that auction.

I think she's getting excited.

And I'm getting mega distracted from studying for my licensing exams. 

Dopamine and more Dopamine,

Justine

Princess and the Frog

What the heck is Babcia doing??

Throwing down a V at the grill?

Oh...let's zoom in on that a little bit.. what's on that grill handle?

It's a little froggyyyyy!

Babcia went outside to turn on the grill for the first time this year, took off the cover, and discovered "a little friend".

Screams. Shreaks. "AHH HELP! FROG!"

Really? A frog? Its a frog. Maybe he's a prince in disguise!

So before I got the frog off of the grill, I obviously took these pictures, and then nudged my little frog friend and he went hopping away.

The neighbor even came up on the back porch to investigate Babcia's screaming and assist in the frog removal. He suggested keeping the frog on the grill for some frogs legs.

With his wife yelling from next door that she was going to call PETA.

I'm glad I saved the little froggy from the perils of his charcoal demise.

HCTZ and Furosemide,

Justine

10 Things Wenisa Has Learned...

Today Wenisa is moving out. She's lived here for almost a full year, which doesn't seem possible. I asked her to "reflect" on the past year and she gave me the stink eye. Then after two consecutive mealtime conversations/lessons (one about the British Monarchy and the next about Charles Lindburgh and his desire to pick a wife based on her genes so he can have the children he desires)... I asked her to think to 10 things she learned while living with Babcia over the past year. Here's what she came up with:

1. Never forget to close the blinds at night to your back deck because a bear might be peekin in on you!
2. How to serve as a translator for Babcia. Justine talks kind of "fast" and "has marbles in her mouth" according to Babcia and she can never understand what she says, so I always have to explain what she said... I don't know how she's going to live with out me!
3. How to clean your old tarnished silver!!! Take  a glass bowl that has a crumpled piece of tin foil and a few spoonfuls of baking soda in it, put your tarnished silver in it, and pour some boiling water over it...and VOILA!
4. My eyes were opened to the world of Poland. Polish Harvest Festival, polish traditions, and most importantly POLISH FOOD! My favorite was definitely kielbasa...
5. I also learned about flower arrangements when I attended the Garden Club's monthly meeting with Babcia. I will most definitely never include my container as part of my arrangement EVER again!!
6. I met a 102 year old woman. I went to Justine's great grandmother's house on her 102nd birthday and that was just really cool!
7. I learned people still use landlines. Babcia's landline rings OFF THE HOOK! I've never heard a house phone ring so much...
8. Narcolepsy is contagious. (this statement may not be medically accurate)
9. Babcia maybe shouldn't run an online book company without our help...
10. Babcia is a good note taker. However, when it comes to finding the note, that's a WHOLE nother story. She has about 15 notebooks that she could have written it in, or on a piece of paper in the kitchen, on the desk, in her room, pretty much...it's gone for good. 

...and many more lessons learned :)

Babcia's adopted 5th grandchild... Wenisa :)

Thanks for everything Wenisa! I'm glad I had someone to share these memories with!

Zoloft and Effexor,
Justine and Wenisa

The Royal Wedding Recap!

Well if we remember back a few months ago, Babcia was very upset that she wasn't invited to Prince William and Kate's wedding. When I woke up this morning, Babcia gave me the lowdown on the entire wedding...(here are some highlights)

1. The hats were fabulous
2. The Queen didn't have a black purse like she's been carrying for the past week
3. Kate wore flats down the aisle
4. Did you see her sister's dress?? THAT IS CLASS.
5. HE COULDN'T FIT THE RING ON HER FINGER!!
6. She had 4.. FOUR bouquets, because the flowers wilt ya know!

Then I asked her what SHE wore to the wedding... 

"Well, I got up early, put eye drops in my eyes, brushed my hair, and attended in my flannel nightgown, and I didn't have any shoes on! I didn't have a hat either..." 

WHAT?! I wish these were fashionably acceptable in America... Maybe not THESE, but hats.

If Babcia got to wear a hat, I hope it would be one like Princess Eugenie's (on the right). That has to be some sort of balancing act!

Ritalin and Adderall,
Justine