And the word is...: And the word is... Granny

Today, I pay tribute to one of the most special women in my life: Anna Mae Pardue Castellow, or just simply Granny.

Can I just say that I have been sitting at the computer for over an hour now writing this blog? If you think I am mistaken on time, know that I am not. I have had about 4 'first' paragraphs. That one is too official. That one is too scattered. That one is too... wrong. I am coming to the realization that this tribute blog is going to be one of the hardest to compose, not because I am so emotional, but because it has to be just right. It has to touch on so many facets of such a complex woman without being too vague on each or too detailed to bore. Maybe I will just write and see what happens...

Tonight, today, the past month... they haven't exactly been the most joyful and merriest of days. In my update blog I mentioned that Granny was in the hospital. Well, she is no longer there. No, she took her Heavenly flight at about 6:40pm on December 21, 2010. Now, Heaven has a new, fiery redheaded angel up there. (Just a side note: God, if you decide she is too much to handle - because I know she can be - we'd be glad to take her off your hands for a little while longer. If not, then I will trust that you have it all under control!)

I was so close to my Granny. I think I was probably the only person in the world who could get away with messing with her hair, telling her she was old and decrepit, or saying "Oh shut up, old woman." And who else could manage to finagle Elvis Presley into the Castellow household?

I remember when I first found out that Granny hated Elvis Presley. When I say 'hate' I pretty much mean it literally. From his slicked back hair, to his wobbly hips, quivering lip, and sexy sound, Granny hated it all. Well, seeing as how I am also a suave, sexy singer who likes to dance while sporting sometimes unconventional hairstyles, it is only natural that I would enjoy the King. So you can imagine the fun I had threatening to call Elvis on her, hire an impersonator, or play his music. And to go the extra mile, of course, Elvis paraphernalia was in order. For a couple years now, I have gotten Granny an Elvis ornament or card or something for Christmas. Last year, I went a little crazy and got a pretty sweet Elvis figurine. When you press a button he sings "Blue Suede Shoes". Not only that, but there are some pretty sick lights that flash blue and yellow on his swinging - yes, his legs dance around - hips. When I gave it to her last year, she tried to pretend she hated it, but where did he end up sitting? On her shelf, not two feet away from her chair. Every single time I visited, the first and last thing I would do, besides hugging Granny and Granddad's necks, was press the button and sing and dance to Elvis. Now, even though he didn't sing it as well as me, I think Granny secretly developed a crush on him. Soon, family, friends, neighbors, any and every one to come over would press the button just to see the show. It was a thing... I would always sing and dance before I left. So, why should the hospital be any different? If you were anywhere in the ICU at Norfolk Sentara Heart Hospital, you may have heard a pitchy rendition of "Blue Suede Shoes". That would be me, giving one last personal, private, front-row concert to my Granny. You see, for her Christmas gift this year (really to the whole family) I was going to do a lame-o karaoke Christmas concert to include a plethora of Christmas songs... and of course some Elvis. I wasn't going to give that up. I may not have been in the mood to dance, but I sucked it up, belted it out (as much as I could without losing it), and even let my feet tap around the legs of my chair. I think Granny enjoyed it... she couldn't tell me so, but I felt her squeeze my hand a couple times... maybe that was her way of dancing with me one last time. Yeah... I like that thought. I think I'll keep it.

But, hating Elvis wasn't all Granny was good for. Boy could she cook! Mmm Mmm MMM! If you name it, Granny's was the best. Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots? Check. Macaroni and Cheese? Check. Succotash? Check. Freakingthebestever German Chocolate Cake? Triple Check. But... nothing she cooked is as much her signature as her daggon rice pudding. Now, folks, this isn't your grandma's rice pudding. No. This is like nothing you have ever seen or tasted before. IMPORTANT: If this rice pudding sounds familiar, please let me know! It is now my mission to completely revive the recipe and keep Granny's rice pudding going! So this rice pudding was unbelievable. It isn't a pudding at all... it's more of a... lemon bar? You actually pick it up and eat it with your fingers. She would cut it into squares or rectangles and you would literally pick it up with your hands. It was still custardy though, just... eaten with your hands! I don't even know how many people asked for the recipe. She never gave it away, only "I don't know how I make it. I just throw some stuff together. Throw it all in a bowl!" Well, geez, Granny! At least try to remember what goes in the bowl! Even my sister, who clearly inherited the grannyannycastellowcooking gene, hasn't gotten it right. She can make food almost as good as Granny, but this recipe has avoided being captured by anyone and everyone who tries to get it down. Just a few weeks ago, I forced her to think through the ingredients. I know there is some cooked rice (but who knows how much), a little bit of vanilla, a few eggs, maybe a dash of nutmeg, and a can of milk... whether a can of evaporated or a can of condensed has yet to be determined. Somehow, Granny managed to combine these few simple, yet unknown ingredients, and make something that would make your taste buds jump for joy!

Something else I haven't quite gotten to work is a slideshow me and my brother made for the funeral. I have tried and tried and tried for an entire month to get it copied and/or uploaded to share with the world. Unfortuantely, it refuses to work. So, until I can get it to work, here are just a few pictures of me and my Granny to close out this tribute blog. It still seems like this stupid post refuses to come together into a cohesive and truly accurate post like I wanted. But you know what, if I was doing this for you all, I would never make you completely happy. No. I am doing this for me and Granny. I can promise you that there will be more blogs to come about this woman. Her body may no longer be here among us, but her spirit, her memory, her legacy, shall continue to live in us all. So now, I leave you with a few of those pictures.....