This is Grandma Time!

This afternoon I went over to give Grandma Next Door some Thai kanoms (treats) I bought on my way back from Bangkok. I usually buy her some kind of treat or snack so she can share with her grandkids or her old lady friends. It's the least I can do for everything she does for me.

I sat down next to her on the wooden benches outside the house where she sits every day. I can see her spot from my bedroom window and porch and she is always there. If she isn't perched there, she isn't far away. She always guides the conversation. Sometimes I understand what she says, sometimes I don't because she mainly only speaks Laos. Regardless, I always nod and say things here and there and then sometimes we both laugh because on some level we both recognize how ridiculous our friendship is; neither of us can really understand the other one.

Today she told me that she doesn't own a watch and doesn't need one. She can tell the time by the shadow on the ground coming from roof of the porch. I laughed and she said "No, I don't a clock. This is Grandma time. It's 11:30am, check your watch." Sure enough, it was exactly 11:30m. I thought it was hilarious. Our conversation continued and I wasn't paying attention to how much time had passed. Our conversations go in and out of a calm silence. Out of the blue I asked "What time is it? Is it time for lunch?" She looked at the ground and exclaimed "It's after 12! Go eat lunch!" Sure enough it was 12:10pm. I walked away smiling at my amusing conversations with Grandma Next Door.