Grover and the Darlings

I posted this as FB post earlier, and Crystal insisted on a blog post. I’m happy to oblige.

Last night, I was sitting at my computer, minding my own business, when my mama comes up and sits down next to me. She has a Grover the Great book (Grover…as in the Sesame Street blue, fuzzy monster). She starts reading it to me. ???? The best part of this is that it had a finger puppet Grover which she had to act out with. She read a few pages and I just looked at her like “WTH???” She’s like “I just thought it was cute.”…Either she is (not-so) subtly telling me that she desperately wants grandkids …or she’s going nuts. I’m going with the latter. First Shawty, now Grover the Great?? Any suggestions on any good “homes” to put her in?? hehehe…just kidding. Where would I get my blog material?

I have been meaning to post about this, but honestly, I kept forgetting. A few weeks ago we went to see Jake Krack and his band play. It was my very first Fiddlin’ Concert y’all. Not only was it a Fiddlin’ Concert…it was the Florida Fiddler’s Association Convention. KW and I decided to step outside the box a little and get some “culture.” …Ok, yes, there was a cute guy involved, too.

As always, any trip with KW winds up being an adventure. We had begun planning for this “event” a couple of weeks in advance. I wondered…what does one wear to a Fiddlin’ concert?? I settled with a plaid shirt and jeans. :) Once we got there, we had a great debate in my car as to whether or not we would actually go in. I imagined 50 old people staring us down as we walked in. We determined that if that were the situation, I would SO say that I was with the paper…which seemed like a pretty good excuse to be there…right?? Well, we were the youngest ones there at first, but that might not have been why they were looking at us. I tripped going up the stairs, y’all. That first step was mighty tricky. We got inside, and our fears became reality when we realized that, other than grandchildren (who did not look so happy to be there, btw), we were two of the maybe four young people there.

We took our seats while the band was warming up. People were chatting and shuffling about. Kw leaned in to say “I just want to ask him if he’s single.” Yeah, the instant she started saying that, the room got quiet. Lord, help.

The situation got funnier and funnier as the night went on. KW had the unibomber sitting close to her and he kept getting up and walking to the back every few minutes. A lady in front of me somehow whipped out an ice pack during the middle of the concert to ice down her hand. And the guy sitting beside her had slumped down sideways and looked as if he might’ve been dead. I kind of wanted to poke him. I got a case of the giggles during the concert. It was one of those times where you nearly suffocate trying to calm yourself down. I hoped they didn’t think I was laughing at them, because the band did an excellent job. In fact, for some reason, they reminded me of the Darlings off of Andy Griffith. The music was great, and I must say, I’ve never seen such fast fiddlin’, but because I have a very untrained ear, a lot of the songs sounded the same. Towards the end, we were entertained by some “flat-footing” (a type of dancing that is popular where they are from). All I can say to that is “Wow.”

Later, we went to tell the band that they had done an excellent job. We talked to the banjo player for a minute. He asked if we were returning the following night to go to the square dance. Though the offer was very sweet, we both had to decline. See, if they were the ones playing for the square dance…we would’ve had to dance with some 70 year olds.

:) Needless to say…A good time was had by all.