Griffith Park Has Officially Become My Favorite Place!

Hi, Everybody!

Well, I don’t know about y’all, but I had me a grantastical time this afternoon!

As I mentioned in yesterday evening’s blog post, I spent all day today with Cousin Keith, Cousin Jade, Cousin Erica, and Cousin Becky (that’s right—Becky’s my cousin now). We headed up to the Griffith Park Observatory, and as usual, when I saw that Hollywood sign, I was like a kid in a candy store! Cousin Jade was curious as to how I could be in such awe of the Hollywood sign, considering that I am a native Los Angeleno and I see it practically everyday. Well, I told Cousin Jade that it’s the simple things in life that bring so much joy, and in my case, the Hollywood sign brings me an indescribable joy. Besides, I can count on one hand exactly how many times I’ve seen the legendary sign up close, and today marks the fourth time. Becky then let the group know that she too is infatuated with the Hollywood sign; she also pointed out that most native Californians don’t really have a true appreciation for landmarks as such, but we do.

After all that fun in Griffith Park, we then headed to see the Staples Center and L.A. Live, which is almost always busy, and then we went over to Gramma Jewel’s for some fried chicken, fried fish, spaghetti, coleslaw, green salad, and garlic cheesy bread. There was an added incentive behind Gramma Jewel’s big dinner: You see, today is Cousin Erica’s last official full day here in Southern Cali, as she is set to return to Fisk University and begin her junior year. I believe she said that classes start on Wednesday, but she has to be registered and checked into a dorm by this Monday.

Oh, and for the record, Gramma Jewel made Cousin Erica a big ass care package to take with her… and no, I didn’t stutter—I did in fact say “big ass care package!”

Now, I’m sure y’all noticed that I never mentioned Great Aunt Reesie returning to Nashville with my cousins… well, that’s because she’s still out here for the remainder of this month. She’s not the only one—Great Aunt Donna, Auntie Gladys, and Auntie Millie are still out here as well, and I can assure you that there is a very strong modus operandi behind their stay: You see, on Sunday, August 30, 2015, Gramma Jewel’s church will be celebrating their Family & Friends Day. Granted, we will be short three family members, albeit for legitimate reasons, but… well, let’s just say that Gramma Jewel is looking to take home the grand prize for having brought the most family members. Just for the record, when we had our family reunion last year, we won then, and I do want us to win again this year. However, I’ve just noticed the conflict of interest: I gotta wonder where does Mother Davis stand. Seeing as how there is a prize involved, does this mean that Mother Davis will not be counted amongst our group? I mean, after all, she and Gramma Jewel have been best friends since 1977. And what about Brother Hawkins? Will he continue to keep up with the Joneses (pun definitely intended), or will he break from the vine, per se, and try to win the grand prize with his own family?

No matter what happens, I already know that this is gonna be good… this is kinda like that Royal Rumble, where it’s every wrestler for themselves!

Well, that’s it for now. I may holla at y’all tomorrow, but in case I don’t, I will definitely holla at y’all sometime this week.

 

Smooches,
Natasha

Kickin' It With My Girls, Tho!

Hi, Everyone!

Yes, I have a good reason why this blog post is written so early, and it has everything to do with the picture: It was around this time last year that I came home for Christmas, and I had a special “Christmas with the Jones Gals” celebration with Cousin Candace, Cousin Nessa, and Cousin Trisha. If you recall, we did all our Christmas shopping in one setting, and then we culminated with a sisterhood lunch… such as that was! Hahaha! I think we went to Chili’s after we finished our Christmas shopping, and considering that we’re gonna go to the Del Amo Mall in Torrance, I reckon we’ll be going to Chili’s again, or the alternative would be Gramma Jewel’s favorite spot—Rachel’s Sandwich Shoppe.

And speaking of Christmas shopping, I’ve already figured out the Christmas present that I’m gonna get for my sweetie pie Ray Hernandez: I know how much he loves my chocolate chip brownies, so I’ll be making some of those for him. And I think I mentioned that we’re going out this Friday—I am like, so totally super-duper excited to see him, and I’m still going bananas over this special announcement that he has for me. Yes, I know that we’ve been going steady off and on due to the long distance in our relationship, but we knew that would be a challenge going into our relationship. I’m not gonna try to overthink the situation, but I can’t help but be curious on account of so many scenarios are running around in my mind. Like I said yesterday: Whatever Ray’s announcement is, I just pray that I’m mature enough, and just as understanding.

Oh, shoot—I just remembered: I may need to buy a new dress for the Hall of Fame ceremony this Saturday. Everyone’s just about seen all of my dresses, although I could wear my favorite lavender one. I tell y’all what: If I find a tangerine or a peach dress, then I’ll get it; otherwise, I just won’t worry about it and I’ll wear my lavender dress.

Well, y’all, I guess I’d better get my purse and my jacket; my girls will be here pretty soon. Oh, lest I forget, I need to tell y’all about Gramma Jewel—last night, she made her return to center stage (in a manner of speaking, of course). You see, she was in a Christmas play up at Sapp Elementary called “The Christmas Miracle,” and she did a damn good job! Granted, she didn’t have many speaking parts, at least not until the very end—that’s when she really began to shine. In any event, the play was about a girl who wanted a family to call her own, not realizing that she had family, per se, in the form of her elderly next door neighbor. At the end, when the play called for Gramma Jewel to reveal that fact, the girl ultimately realized that she truly had family all along. I tell y’all—the Sapp Elementary Family did a good job in putting together a real good play that made you laugh and think, although I admit that some of us did have tears in our eyes.

Okay, y’all—I gotta get goin’, but y’all take care and have a great rest-of-the-day.


Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha

Update On My T-Shirt Project

Happy Wednesday, Y’all!

So, check this out: I was talking to my Cousin Candace yesterday evening, and she was telling me that there is a t-shirt printing shop that is not only reasonably priced, but also has five-star quality. I asked Cousin Candace where this place was and how we missed it the other day, and she says: “Well, Tasha, the reason why we missed it is because we didn’t think to go to Long Beach.”

Y’all already know what this means—I also get to hang out with Cousin Nessa and Cousin Calvin!

I actually called the printing place around 9am this morning, and I got their voicemail; it turns out that they open at 10am. No biggie—I’ve already taken care of my morning chores, and Cousin Candace has taken a sick day (she’s got plenty sick days that she has stored up), and everything is good on my end; I’ve got my photos and design that I would like to have on the t-shirts. I’ve already called Candace, and she told me that, since the place opens at 10am, she’ll come by and pick me up at exactly 10am.

Candace has a method to her madness that I have not yet figured out.

Anyway, I’m all set and ready to go, but before I do, I gotta call Cousin Nessa and Cousin Calvin to let them know that they should expect me and Candace to show up within the next hour or so.

Well, I really hate to cut this blog short, y’all, but I must do so on account of there’s really nothing else to talk about today. Oh, but I do want to give y’all an update on my home movie project: It’s progressing very well; it’s just a matter of splicing and editing certain sections on the actual videocassette, and then transporting them to DVD. I’ve already made a promise to myself that the video would be completed exactly one week before I have to go back to Rust… and speaking of the latter, that seems to be rapidly approaching.

Gramma Jewel was right—time waits on no one!

Well, y’all—that’s gonna do it for me today, but I will be back tomorrow with another blog, so until then, y’all take care, and pray for me that I get these t-shirts printed to my liking.

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha