5 Across -- Ink

My grandmother always did the Globe and Mail crossword puzzle in ink. A pencil, she said, showed a lack of confidence in your answers. You had to commit in ink. She passed away many moons ago now, on September 1. I can't remember the year. I'm not really sentimental like that. Stomach cancer, she'd told my father she wasn't going to see 70. Sure enough she died 18 days shy of it.

I was laying on our loveseat struggling with an easy Kakuro (Cross sums). It's a number puzzles that I am really not very good at. I was using a pencil -- a dull one at that with most of the eraser missing. Maybe if I used a pen the solution would come to me. Although there may be more to it than that. Every time they came to visit she'd bring me a book of logic puzzles. I wasn't very good at those either.

Granny had a few passions and in her retirement she seems to have devoted herself entirely to them. But she also had a few guilty pleasures. A good cryptic crossword, Harlequin Romances and Crown Royal with Canada Dry Ginger Ale. In fact, as her cancer progressed she'd indulge more and more in the Crown Royal, less and less in the Canada Dry. (Lovely stuff who can blame her really.)

Me, well, I have many guilty pleasures. Chai Lattes, a propensity to listen to my music a bit too loudly, I expect to renew my love of all things gin when it will be acceptable for me to not get up until noon. (This parenting gig is a drag on my vices.) I can't stand Harlequin Romances but I do have a thing for murder mysteries. Both in print and on TV. I ended up catching The Mentalist last night, the cast isn't as strong as it could be (specially the lead investigator) but Simon Baker is lovely isn't he?

Every year, my grandfather sends a generous cheque for my birthday.(This started before my grandmother died.) And this year, I spent it on those guilty pleasures. I know she would approve. In fact, I think she'd invite me to have another glass of Crown Royal while we finish the crossword puzzles.

Fact is, blowing part of the cash on silly thing wasn't quite what I had in mind. I was secretly coveting the Garin Forerunner 405. My old 205 is having charging issues. But The Man and I never talked about it. And on Saturday morning, along with The Boy's special birthday fruit salad, I got presented with a lovely new black Forerunner 405.

And me, well, I also got to indulge in a few extra guilty pleasures -- like my kakuro. In pencil.

Comments

[Dagny]

That's a great surprise.

I didn't catch "The Mentalist" but had thought about it because it stars Simon Baker. I loved that other show he had. Oh, and if you need anyone to help you finish off the gin, just let me know.

Thanks for the reminder that I should call my grandmother. She works the Sunday crossword puzzle in ink.

[Winter]

I tend to do logic puzzles. I like them the best. Oh, and Canada Dry Ginger Ale... awesome with any alcohol you toss in with it! I always have some on hand.

[Marcy]

Grandma rocked! Pen is the only way to go LOL. Something about pencil and newsprint gives me the heebie jeebies (I AM a weirdo I know LOL)

[sue]

Nice gift!
I've never been one for the romance novel... give me a good murder mystery any day.
I'm not quite old enough for all those secret vices yet... but I'm planning on being there one day! :)

[Hilly]

I always do my crosswords in ink however, there are always a bunch of empty holes. Ha, metaphoric for my life much? Always putting off the "finish".

I loved The Mentalist simply because of Simon Baker.

[XUP]

Missed the Mentalist because I had to do stupid social stuff (in the middle of the week, can you imagine? The nerve of some people). Love murder mysteries, too. And like Marcy I get the willies from the pencil/newsprint combo,too. Interesting. Great birthday gift, by the way! Whoo-hoo!

[Selma]

I haven't seen The Mentalist yet. Is Simon Baker the Aussie guy? I remember him when he was in a local drama shot in my area. It's nice to remember your Grandma that way. I am hopeless at crosswords and all that - too impatient. Sounds like a good gift, indeed!

[Richgold]

Your reference to the Garin Forerunner 405 left me running to Google! Can you tell I'm not a runner? (Though runners rock! My eldest siblings was a long distance runner that has recently converted to triathlons).

[Gretchen]

Lovely post.