letter.

Dear Grandma Marilyn,
I wanted to put this on cute stationary and a stamp, but seeing as how there's no post office where you are, I'm just going to trust that you get it this way.
I was thinking about you today (as I do most days, but today especially I wanted to talk with you) because I wanted to ask you what I'd done wrong with my bird feeder. I mean, I put mouse and rat food in it instead of bird food, but it was on a really good sale at Petco, and I figured the birds could eat all the seeds and throw the little pellets on the ground if they didn't want them. I hung the bird feeder up a few days ago and nothing! Nada! The squirrels haven't even located it. Here's a place where you and I differ: to be completely honest, I like the squirrels and chipmunks more than the birds. They make cuter sounds and have adorable faces. Beaks just don't do that much for me. It doesn't bother me if the squirrels eat all the food...as long as they don't chew up the bird feeder. I like having it there because it reminds me of you. You always loved your birds-- cardinals, bluejays, robins....so many to name. I couldn't name them all, that's for sure.
I loved how you could sit at the dining room table on the red and white checkered cushions and wait for the birds to come to the window sill feeder. You could smell the dried eucalyptis and see the beaded flowers in vases all around you and your dishes, placemats, and table runner. ALl of these things were so distinctly you-- it was your biome, your niche. I bought some eucaplytis last week becuase it smelled like your house to me. It makes me happy to smell. I know that olefactory glands are attached to some of our strongest memories-- the smell of eucalytis reminds me of you so much it almost takes my breath away sometimes. At the table, you sat so still that they didn't even mind you being there. I hung the feeder on a tree branch (one I could reach) outside my window here in Decatur so I could see the birds when I'm sitting at my desk. I don't really have time to sit at a table-- you had lots of time...but you still managed to do a lot. I admire that about you.
I have pictures from my trip around the midwest. I'd love to tell you all about them. I'm sorry I never finished my Italy scrapbook so that you could go on my journey with me through that. I've been singing-- we are singing at a church service on Sunday. You'll hear. We're doing this Operator song that's kind of bluesy, but it's pretty. Mom's coming-- but I doubt she'll tape it. She usually taped everything for you anyway. I'll have to make sure Grandpa Bill comes to the Christmas concert. It's on Emily's birthday this year. Poor kiddo, she never gets a day all her own for her birthday. I hope I can remember to do an unbirthday for her in the summer. She deserves it.
Mom's doing well-- she got an extension to finish her paper and get her PhD. Neil's been really nice lately, he helped me with picking up a screen I got that wouldn't fit in my car. You know, my house is so weird-shaped that it made sense to get something to break up the space a little. You'd like it, it's hand-painted, even though I got it from, you'll never guess-- Big Lots. Did you know they have nice things there too? Weird!
Emily's going to move in sometime in December,I think. She's been working a lot at Fernbank--more often than me, I'm so busy with school. She's still got her boyfriend and is working out going to college in the spring. She'll tell you about it sometime.
Grandma Jane and Janet are okay-- I went to Janet's school last Friday to do stories with her kiids at their fall festival. I dressed up as LIttle Red Riding Hood and read/sang this funny Halloween Bones book. They liked it a lot-- it's weird because in Griffin, I was something like a celebrity. I think that's what it would have been like if I'd worked at Disney. People were asking me to take pictures with their kids and stuff. It was strange to me-- but I had a good time and it helped Janet out.
Boys? Oh, Will and I broke up, but I don't want to talk about it now. I'll tell you more sometime.
Anyway, I have to go-- there's a little bird at the feeder now-- it's small with greyish white body and a black crest. I don't know what it's called-- I was hoping you'd know. It makes me sad, but it makes me happy to have that there. I want to tap into your love of birds. There's something serene about it-- and serenity is something I think I can afford to have sometimes.
Anyway, I love you! Beez Kneez! I'll talk to you soon!
Adrienne