Monthly Archives: June 2025

The news from Shady Acres, while scarce on Delaware Grammy’s blog, has, in reality, been far from scarce!  We have been having quite the time of our lives over here, with gardens and farm and company and even dealing with some hard, hard things that have come into our lives, (as will happen, any time there are people involved and real living).

But this account is not to speak about the down side of living, except that it may be a comment on the frazzled brain of this Delaware Grammy.

It so happens that our family is going to be together over this coming week/weekend.  I have been so looking forward to having our adult offspringin’s and grandchildren around for a few days.  It’s always so much fun to plan and think up things that they might enjoy doing and eating and – well, my heart has been eagerly anticipating our time together.  It’s spurred me on to do some cleaning that I’ve put off for a long time. 

For one thing, the rolltop desk that hides everything when I shut it, got organized and sorted through, prompting Certain Man to say, “That’s the cleanest I’ve seen that desk in 20 years!” (Really, Daniel???)

This struck our Flori-girl as terribly funny, and when I called her in to see the study (yes, the study!) that I had also cleaned, she said in her sweet Guatemalan accent, “Oh!  Iss bery good!  That be the cleanest I see that room in 20 years!” and she laughed uproariously as I looked at her in bewilderment. 

“You’ve not been here 20 years!” I said to her. “How can you–?” 

“I be 20 years old, and I not see it ever clean in my life!”  Alrighty then.  Point taken.

But all of that aside, a few days ago, I went on an Amazon shopping spree to get some things ahead for the weekend coming up.  I found some water toys for the swimmers and landlubbers alike that looked fun, and even broke down and bought silly string (which I’m sure I will regret) and then I looked for snacks.

Aha!  Beef Jerky.  We have a number of people that are lovers of jerky, and I looked at that pound and a half of free range beef jerky and decided that it would be worth the $18 it cost just to see the delight of my family, and I gleefully ordered it and then went about my business for the next few days until it would arrive.

I got notice this morning that it had been delivered yesterday, and I went out and retrieved the package from the front stoop.  We were expecting lunch guests today, so I decided to open the package and store the jerky out of sight because I didn’t want them to think I was having that on the menu.

I opened my package and pulled out the nice looking bag of All Natural, Glycerin Free, Full Moon, Natural Essentials, Jerky Tenders, Free Range Beef Recipe, 100% USA made, Human Grade (and in very small letters) DOG TREATS

What???  I scrambled for reassurance that I was somehow not seeing right.

I was seeing right.  I had in my possession an expensive bag of dog treats and we don’t even have a dog.

“I’m gonna just send them back,” I told Certain Man.

“Shoot, Hon,” he said, laughing. “They are  ‘human grade!’  Feed ‘em.  It won’t hurt anybody and nobody will probably know the difference!”  He didn’t mean it, and even if he did, he knew I wouldn’t ever do it, but still! 

I’m rather deflated, but I am going to send them back.  I can buy a lot of real jerky for $18 and I won’t have to worry that I’m going to poison any one.

And that is the news from Shady Acres, where anticipation is high for the adventures ahead.