driving with the grands ...

"Sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watchin' the ti-i-ide roll away .... "

I smile as my granddaughters sing a little Otis Redding from the backseat. "That's one of my favorites, Nana!" sings Jasmine.

"I ... I love the colorful clothes she wears

And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair .."

We try to take the different harmonies of the Beach Boys in "Good Vibrations." When I'm driving with the girls, Jas and Bri, we're usually talking up a storm, the girls chattering about school, friends, TV shows, their thoughts on various topics from cars to music. Sometimes they talk over one another and I have to guide them in letting one finish before the other shares. They've gotten so good about that the last few months, and I have to remind them less and less. Progress!

"ONE ... is the loneliest number that you'll ever do-o-o ... "

We get off on tangents while we're talking, making up stories, each one picking up a different thread to create funny outcomes that have us all pealing in laughter. I love to hear the girls laugh, like sparkling, silvery little bells ringing in the air, making me smile, filling me with love and amazement at having these dear little ones in my life.

"So happy together-r-r-R-R ... "

Three Dog Night, The Turtles - one of the neat things I've discovered is that they enjoy the music that I was listening to in jr. high. I just think it's so great that we can share the same music. When we need a break from talking and laughing, Jas and Bri ask me to put in "Good Vibrations," a compilation of classic 60s songs: The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, The Monkees ... and soon we're all singing and having a grand time in the car. And I think how very cool it is that they know the music (usually from animated films), my music, music from years before their mama was born, when I was only a few years older than Jas is now.

They both love singing from my piano sheet music book from Elton John's Yellow Brick Road; they heard "Bennie and the Jets" when we saw 27 Dresses and now have a passion for the great Sir Elton. Jas tells me one of the boys in her class is a big Elton fan. Imagine!

I recently saw an auto ad in a magazine, touting the two separate video screens in the vehicle, the separate audio jacks, the ability to watch DVDs or play games within the car. The tag line was something like: 6 Hours to Grandma's and never heard a peep.

To me, that's not a selling point. When I'm with my girls, I take absolute delight in hearing their "peeps", and their laughter, and all about their day. Making up stories, teasing, noticing things we pass as we drive, playing word games or quizzes ... just like my family did when I was a kid and we took long road trips together, sharing together as family. I don't want to miss out on all this wonderful togetherness with my girls and I'm so glad they're not locked into a DVD, headphones separating them from me.

Instead, we roll down the highway, talking or singing away ... "Take the last train to Clarksville and I'll meet you at the station ... you can be here by 4:30 cuz I've made your reservation ... don't be slow ..."