He Loved His Grandchildren

Today is the second day of Day of the Dead.  Another day of remembering loved ones gone on before us. It is good for us to remember people we love.  Especially, to remember the good things about the person.

My grandfather passed away when I was 5 or 6.  So I don't remember a whole lot about him.  I know what I've been told about him and have seen pictures of him.  My memories of him are very vague.  What I do remember is that he used to sing 2 songs to us.  Well maybe only part of those songs, or at least I only remember part of them.  The first was I Like Bananas.  The only lyrics I know are "I like bananas because they have no bones."  I googled the song and apparently it is a very long song.  One verse is

I don’t like your peaches
They are full of stones
But I like bananas
Because they have no bones

The other song he sang to us was Lazy Bones. The part that I know is "Lazy bones sleepin in the sun, how do you ever spect to get a day work done, sleepin in the noon day's sun."  Apparently Harry Connick Jr has redone the song. There's a lot more to that song also.

What I also know about my grandfather is that he loved to watch baseball. He would have 2 games on 2 different tv's and one on the radio. He would turn up the volume on the game that had something exciting happening. And he never turned the volume back down. So by the end of the games, it was pretty loud in the house. I also know he had an array of delivery jobs. Newspapers, milk and dry ice (for ice boxes). He loved his grand children.  I remember my grandpa being a good grandpa.

In thinking through writing this blog, I figured a banana recipe would be appropriate.  Except I don't really like bananas so much.  However, this summer I found a way to eat them that I like.  I call them Banana Pops.  I know it's a little on the cold side for frozen bananas, but they are still good.

Banana Pops
4 medium bananas
8 wooden popsicle sticks
16 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Candy sprinkles or nuts

With the peel still on, cut the bananas in half.  On the cut end, stick the popsicle stick in.  Peel the bananas place on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.  Place in the freezer for an hour.  In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and vegetable oil together.  Once bananas are frozen, dip in chocolate until coated and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or nuts.  Place back on baking sheet  and put back into the freezer to harden the chocolate.  Once hardened serve.  Best served on the day made.