“A real man can sing, and dance, and hunt tigers.” These were some of the first words my grandmother spoke to my best friend August… I think this quote best sums up my grandmother in a nutshell. Audrey Dorothy McNutt was born in French Indochina, now Vietnam, in 1914. She passed away on the morning of February 29, 2010, at the age of 95. She came from a very different time and never entirely adopted modernity. She retained her posh British accent throughout her life and clung to etiquette.

Grandma Dorothy was adventurous and spoiled her grandchildren mercilessly. She was an ever present matriarchal figure to our family and so her absence will leave a big hole in our hearts. Nevertheless, she will also always be in my and our hearts as her lessons have been integral in shaping who we are.

After sifting through endless snapshots of wonderful times experieced I am overwhelmed with the desire to tell stories about the many grand times we shared. But I find myself without words and the mixture of sadness and joy of fond memories overwhelmes me. 

Having deeply touched so many lives she will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

The holidays are afoot. Everyone gets ZANEY during the holidays. Perhaps preconceived notions and the stress of  how things should be gets people squirrely. From what I can tell, there is no such thing as a perfect Thanksgiving aside from the yummyness of seasonal food and the glee from spending a day cooking, eating, drinking, and spending time together.

Regardless of what one’s expectations here is something to remember: enjoy all those close to you and bask in the warmth of family and friends. All the rest will fall into place. Fun, fun, fun and gobble gobble!

Clearly it has been a while since I have posted on this site. It will have to remain idle a little while longer because I am off on a road-trip to visit ghost towns, abandoned mining towns, cemeteries and strange historical sites. Hopefully shall get some thrilling snapshots along the way and will have stories to tell upon my return.

All is fabulous with this littlest monster who is deeply in love, happy and filled with an adventurous spirit. xo