Twist and Shout

My grandparents threw the best parties! Childhood was marked by legendary gatherings in their blue farmhouse on the top of a hill. If you look up the word “fun” or “party” in a dictionary, you might just find them…

Grandma always said, “Life is too short to not have a little fun!” But, this was not just something they said, it shaped their life. They were the fun at every gathering, every birthday party, every family reunion, and even in every day life. They knew how to take ordinary days and infuse them with out-of-this world, extraordinary joy. I still remember when all of us grandchildren started blowing bubbles in their living room, instead of banishing us to the yard, Grandma nonchalantly laughed and said, “My floors needed a little cleaning anyway!” This world needs some of my grandparent’s joy! They never over-complicated gatherings; they kept the main things the main things, and knew how to let go of the things that didn’t matter. The mess created by forty grandchildren never phased them. Feeding their growing extended family with over sixty mouths was no stress for them. They simply made more room by extending the dining table all the way from one end of the house to the front door. That was a Thanksgiving to remember; I’ve still never seen a table like it! What was so poignantly beautiful about my grandparents is how they were more concerned with loving and connecting with people than preserving their resources. They were in the business of loving people and spreading joy. Twist and Shout is named in honor of their favorite drive-in restaurant where the ice cream was always cold and delicious! I hope to bring some of that old fashioned charm and joy to the world.