I'm in England right now on a brief visit to the London contingency of the Mihalakis (Greek) side of the family; it's a treat to be here as I only get to see them once every several years. As with every visit, I will leave for Ghana on Saturday much fatter (Uncle Nico owns a greek taverna, the Acropolis Diner in New Eltham) and richer (Greeks are like the inverse of Oliver Twist; the briefest encounter will leave you with money coming out of every pocket and orifice that you knew and didn't know you had) than when I arrived.
My Yiayia (grandma - in the picture) is here to visit for the month. She's all of 4'4", shrinking fast, and recovering well after a broken arm and botched surgery had her struggling through daily tasks for the past year or two. I've gotten to know her much better since learning to speak Greek, as her English vocabulary consists mostly of "take it", "eat it", "hungry", and "fat". However, I'm not sure I wasn't happier in my ignorance; I seem to be a source of great discontent for her due to my bachelorettehood, and she's quite adept at slipping the subject into every conversation, no matter the subject. My cousin Serena, 21 years old and an old maid like me, can commisserate; she bought Yiayia a sweater for Christmas, and upon opening it Yiayia exclaimed, "Thank you, I'll wear it to your wedding." I'm convinced that the best way to avoid further criticism is a well-timed exclamation of "Don't worry Yiayia, I'll get married as soon as I'm pregnant", but I've been advised against it out of concern for her health and longevity.
Happy Birthday to Melina! Now I think I'll go shopping with that £40 I found in my coat pocket this morning...
My Yiayia (grandma - in the picture) is here to visit for the month. She's all of 4'4", shrinking fast, and recovering well after a broken arm and botched surgery had her struggling through daily tasks for the past year or two. I've gotten to know her much better since learning to speak Greek, as her English vocabulary consists mostly of "take it", "eat it", "hungry", and "fat". However, I'm not sure I wasn't happier in my ignorance; I seem to be a source of great discontent for her due to my bachelorettehood, and she's quite adept at slipping the subject into every conversation, no matter the subject. My cousin Serena, 21 years old and an old maid like me, can commisserate; she bought Yiayia a sweater for Christmas, and upon opening it Yiayia exclaimed, "Thank you, I'll wear it to your wedding." I'm convinced that the best way to avoid further criticism is a well-timed exclamation of "Don't worry Yiayia, I'll get married as soon as I'm pregnant", but I've been advised against it out of concern for her health and longevity.
Happy Birthday to Melina! Now I think I'll go shopping with that £40 I found in my coat pocket this morning...
1 comment:
OMG. hilarious. i am going to love this blog.
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