Like Old Times

What’s Jack up to? The Jackster is doing fine. He’s spent most of the weekend being his own demanding self and giving me this look which says can you get off your butt and get me a treat or something lady? This is usually following by an impolite nudge.

Here are a few pics from my weekend.

Cocktail meatballs simmering for Nana’s Birthday get together and Pokeno game. Can you say Shweaty Balls?

And deviled eggs. Does anybody make them anymore? I do!

Then the game at Nana’s so much fun. We haven’t played in ages. When I was a kid Nana and her friends would play cards until the wee hours of the morning. Now it was the next generation's turn and only one of Nana’s old friends (Mrs. G) got to come up to the apartment. We were all so glad to see her since she had not been well and was out of the hospital. She was so happy to play cards and party like the old days that she stayed up talking with Nana and closed the party at 2am!



I hope you have a lovely week.

Best,
Kwana

I'm On A Horse

Thanks so much to all of you for your sweet birthday wishes to Nana yesterday. Since she's not on the Net at her place I will be printing the post out and sharing it with her this weekend when the family gets together to celebrate her birthday with good ol' card games. I'm bringing Pokeno. I know she'll be so thrilled to read all your comments.

As a thank you let's all smile at the Old Spice guy for a moment shall we? Folks can't stop talking about this commercial and it still gets me. So funny. Makes me want to buy soap on a rope.



Best,
Kwana

Happy Birthday Nana

What's Jack up to? Why he'll have extra pep in his step today because today is the birthday of his best girl...NANA!

Happy Birthday Nana!

Words cannot say how much we love you.

You are the best grandmother a person could ever ask for and the

best Nana in the world...to everyone!

Love,
Kwana, DH, DD,DS and
Jack

Super Romance

What’s Jack up to? Jack is full and content though a bit sad after a lovely weekend visit from Nana where he was spoiled silly. He really does love her like crazy and she is just nuts for him. It’s too cute.

How was your weekend? Did you watch the Superbowl on Sunday? I watched quite a bit, that is until the last installment of Emma came on PBS at 9 then I was off. Though I know the story it was much more exciting than the Superbowl for me.
Did you watch? If you didn’t you can watch it online here.

Or at least take the: Bachelors of Highbury Quiz. I scored with Mr. Knightley. My Mr. Knightly!

Best,

Kwana

P.S.

Congrats Saints! I wonder will Kim get her ring now?

Harlem Holidays

What’s Jack up to? Jack is doing great and recuperating from the excitement of Christmas. He had so much fun with family dropping in and by being totally spoiled by having Nana over with him for a few days so he was sad to see her go back home. I know, Jack me too.

Thanks to all of you for your 2 year blogiversary well wishes. Who knew I could blab so much? Thanks again for sticking with me.

A few of you were sweet enough to ask about Nana and she sends her holiday best wishes to you! I made sure to head to her place and take a few pictures to share this year’s Harlem Holiday Hallways with you. Here are Nana and my Aunt Cynthia saying Merry Christmas.

Cynthia along with other neighbors are the masters behind the WOW hallways. Can you believe they actually had lights this year? And the wrapping paper on each door is too funny, but I love it. A present in each apartment.

And they say neighbors don’t get together anymore. I think they do. All it takes is a little community care and friendly cooperation. Hmm…I wonder if the government is listening?

Best,
Kwana

Nana not NaNo

Good Monday to you and wishing you a good week ahead.

Thanks so much for all the well wishes on my Nano challenge. Speaking of Nano, today I’m talking about Nana, my Nana. All my regular readers know her very well. She’s a regular here on the blog and Jack’s best girl well everyone’s really. Sweet as pie and can bake a heck of a pie. Smarter than anyone I know she also has the secret mouth of a sailor and can bring a hardened biker to his knees with lash of her quick tongue so stay on her good side. She’s also been a caregiver for many years since I was first born until she retired taking care of many children mostly for single mothers in Harlem. Lots of time for little pay, just doing what she could to help them get on their feet, have a job and take care of their children.

Well Nana got a fright on Halloween. I picked up the phone to give her a shout and say hi see if she was all ready for her trick or treaters. She was out of breath when she picked up the phone and I could tell she was upset.


Me:What‘s wrong?
Nana: I’m just back from my pharmacy and something has got to give baby.
Me: What happened?
Nana: Well you know I have to take 6 pills a day since I’ve had these stints put in.
Sidebar: such a scary time for our family when Nana was ill over a year ago and we’re so grateful for her continued improving health.
Me: Yep
Nana: I can’t take how these costs keep going up. My income is fixed you know. My one pill that was $38.00 last month has jumped to over $90.00 this month and there is no alternative medicine. I have to take it. I can see why these little old people skip pills or meals. Anymore of this and no one will have to worry about me needing meds. I’ll end up with a heart attack.
Me: Oh Nana don’t say that.
Nana: It’s true. I get so mad over all this heath care bull@#*$. People putting a price on lives. Without the little help from my family that I get I’d be dead now. This is just awful. Something had to give. They have to pass a bill and stop messing around. It’s always the little people that suffer.


Well, that’s it people there was much more said, but I won’t go into it. I was pissed and so was she so the rating on the blog would have to go up. So this is all I have to say is that. Tomorrow is Election Day. Please go out and vote and remember to be good stewards over all.

Please.



Best,
Kwana

I'm Not Crying

What's Jack up to? This video shows how Jack is feeling over Nana going back home after hanging with him for the past week. Poor, poor Jack.

I'll be missing Nana too. We had a great time just chilling, playing cards, people watching and trying to keep Jack in line.




Best,
Kwana

Happy Birthday Nana!

What's Jack up to? It's a big time snow day here in New York. So Jack and I will have extra company with us. He's been bouncing around all weekend and is sure not not stop anytime soon.

Today is my Dear Nana's Birthday! Please join me in wishing this phenomenal woman in my life all the best. Nana is the rock in our family, always there to lend an ear or a hand. She even can keep Jack under control and can tame a teen twin with just a glance. Just like her birth month of March, Nana comes in like a lion but she's really as sweet as a lamb. We love you Nana!

"Touched by An Angel"

By Maya Angelou


We, unaccustomed to courage

exiles from delight

live coiled in shells of loneliness

until love leaves its high holy temple

and comes into our sight

to liberate us into life.
Love arrives

and in its train come ecstasies

old memories of pleasure

ancient histories of pain.

Yet if we are bold,

love strikes away the chains of fear

from our souls.
We are weaned from our timidity

In the flush of love's light

we dare be brave

And suddenly we see

that love costs all we are

and will ever be.

Yet it is only love

which sets us free.

Best,

Kwana

Good Bye Holidays

What's Jack up to? Poor Jack is so not feeling this cold weather. I'm with him. This bitter cold is just makes me want to hibernate.

A while back a wrote about how my Nana and her neighbors went all out and decorated their apartment hallways for the holidays, proving you don't need a house to get into the holiday spirit in New York City.

With this weekend being the official end to the holiday season I thought I'd share these pics that I snapped with my cell camera the other day when I was visiting. Check out the totally wild hallway decorated by my aunt and her neighbor directly across the hall.

The funny thing is if you are a centimeter over 5 feet 8 inches you have to duck to walk through the tinsel. All the kids love it.

It's back to the real world come Monday. Are we ready? I think I might be.

Best,

Kwana

The 300

What's Jack up to? Jack is full of pep, guess I'm in for an action packed day. Uh oh.


So, I logged on and noticed this is my 300th post. Go me! Who knew I'd stick with this blogging thing and love it so much. Thanks to all of you for sticking with me.


It was a lovely early fall weekend with Nana coming to visit. You know Jack was happy and well fed. Nana and I are true city girls, being from Harlem and all. I have to admit when I first moved to Westchester I thought it was totally the boonies since it was a whole half hour outside of the NYC and you can't just go out to eat at 1am on a Tuesday. But many years later I'm dealing and finally getting used to the quiet.


Check out how cute Nana looks at Westchester Farms on Saturday after dropping the DD off at dance.





What about these pumpkins? Don't you just love Fall?





Best,
Kwana

P.S. scroll down for some political fun

Happy Birthday Nana!!!!

What's Jack up to? He's happy and content after getting to go over to Nana's place where he was spoiled senseless. No, Jack! Birthday cake is not for puppies. And, Nana stop sneaking it to him!

Happy Birthday to Nana today!!!

Nana (aka. Mrs. Josephine M.) is my grandmother and she's just about the best ever! The family matriarch, she can cook better than any body's mama (who else calls lasagna a side dish?). She always has a willing ear, sound advice and tons of love to give. But don't you cross her, because if need be, she'll curse you out and have you crying in the corner, sucking your thumb like a baby. It won't matter that you're a forty year old man. When Nana Speaks people listen.


I love you Nana, heck, we all do! Thanks for all you do and being you.

Love,
Kwana

P.S. I'll print this page out and send it to you because I know you're not surfing any silly Internet :)