Nana and Her Edgy Eyeglasses!

Maya (left) and me. Nana comes along later in the story...

 This is me, along with Maya, modeling my spiffy new readers that had just arrived in the mail that afternoon. The mailman came just as we were pulling out of the driveway for us to go to my Arizona Storytellers event. We waited until he left, then Maya ran and snatched the package from the mailbox. When we got to the Biltmore, we couldn't help but try them on. Maya is just wearing them for the picture, we were being silly.

Okay, let me backup a bit - The day after Thanksgiving I was delivering mug orders around town and came across a shop that had really cool readers.

Side note: These days, I've become a collector of cool readers. Everywhere I go, all around the country, I'm on the prowl for new pairs. I go through them like mini-glue guns. I break them, I lose them, I even give them away. Which doesn't make sense because i'm way picky when it comes to choosing them. They can't be too commercial, or too plain or too goofy or too wild. The glasses at this shop were so fun and artful - every pair gave me goosebumps of delight (I excite easily). I decided to invest my cash and REALLY take care of them. I promised myself! Unfortunately, they didn't have the styles I wanted in the strength I needed. Forever the optimist, I wrote down the web site, ICUeyewear,  and as soon as I got home, I ordered them.

Aren't they cute? They look chic, but a bit retro, not too cray-cray...just right!

Here is Maya posing in my new glasses, pretending she is a fancy New York book editor.

Now, let's fast forward to Christmas Day. We're at my cousins house and it's time to play Left, Right, Center with my aunts, uncles, cousins, kids and siblings. I pull out my new glorious specs - the black ones with the gold foil and accent rhinestone - slide them on, all cool, in front of everyone.

From across the room, my 95-year-old Nana claps her hands and gasps.

"Kathy! Mija, I LOOOVE those glasses, can I try them on? Let me see them, bring them to me!"

"Sure!" I happily shoot back. Inside, I'm saying "Uh-oh, buh-bye glasses..." I knew what was about to happen.

You see, this fascination I have with eyewear and being super picky about my frames? I get it from Nana. I (and other family members) have countless stories from over the years of taking her shopping for eyeglasses. She's been through cat eyes, bi-focals, even ski glasses, yes, SKI glasses! The people at the eyeglass shop see her coming and brace for the experience ahead. I'm talking hours spent in these shops, tying on dozens and dozens of pairs. Um, that's another blog post...

Nana slides on my rhinestone readers and ooohhs and aaahs. She raises her hands like a princess prepping to curtsy. She grandly swoops her head right-to-left, then up, then down and proclaims her formerly hazy vision is now perfect 20/20!

"Kathy, I'll give you ten bucks for these!," she says brightly. "I can see everrrrything! I've searched everywhere for the perfect glasses and these are them!"

I giggled. I love seeing Nana so happy, and I love that even at 95, she is still all about fashion. She still chooses her outfits with matching jewelry, handbag and shoes. These glasses were the cherry on top for her holiday attire.

Here is my Nana, wearing her new fancy glasses. And she is wearing the cute hat that my Auntie Linda knitted for her!

"Nana, you can have them, please...keep them!" I offer. But she insisted I take the two five dollar bills that she had just fished from her bright red purse. There was no way I couldn't take the money, she insisted, we even had a "No-Yes-No-Yes-No-Yes" showdown until my mom gently kicked me under the table to give in. I ended up using the cash for Left, Right, Center - which I lost!

And guess what I did the next day? I ordered more glasses! The ones I gave to Nana AND another pair too...

Sometimes it doesn't take much to make you feel younger or shinier - or make the world seem brighter. Just a pair of cute frames! For Nana, it's about still being relevant and hip, which she certainly is. Even though she is tired and in a rest home, inside her achey body is a vibrant, colorful spirit who wants to be seen and noticed. Don't we all? I love my nana, I need to go visit her more often!!!

So, about these readers - do you know of any cool web sites that sell styles ( list them below!)? Do you have any funny eyeglass stories? My friend Alexa does - she even made a video on the topic of GLASSES!

LINK