Today, I want to take you on a little journey back to the land of fruit and nuts—California, where I grew up. Now, California gets called a lot of things, but for me, it will always be the place where some of my most hilarious and heartwarming memories were made, thanks to what I affectionately call the Granny Brigade: my lovely Grandma, her best friend Lucille, and yours truly.
We never knew when a mission would strike, but we were always ready. Lucille knew half the farmers in the state, and somehow, they’d give us permission to go onto their land and harvest whatever they had. Sometimes it was oranges, sometimes it was tomatoes, and sometimes it was nuts. And trust me—it was always an adventure.
That Time We Took the Nuts… and Ran
I’ll never forget the walnut escapade. Grandma loved walnuts, and I was always partial to almonds, so off we went with buckets, gloves, and my trusty little wagon. I was the designated tree shaker (yep, they made me climb the trees and shake the nuts loose while they scooped them up). All was well until we heard someone shouting “Get off my land!”
If we had cameras back then, it definitely would have made an episode of America’s Funniest Home Videos. There we were—hauling buckets, tossing everything into the wagon, Lucille and Grandma running to the car. And you know what? We still got out of there with at least two buckets of nuts. Granny Brigade: 1, Farmer: 0.
The Time Mom Followed the Wrong Truck
Then there’s the time close to canning season when my mom saw a truckload of produce and asked the driver if she could have some. He agreed and told her to follow him to the next rest area. About an hour later—after an intense game of follow-that-truck—she gets there and realizes… she followed the wrong truck. Full-on sitcom moment. No produce, just a long drive and a stunned expression.
Uncle Shenanigans and the “Crazy Uncle” Defense
Speaking of sitcoms, my uncle (who lived in my grandma’s house when I moved to Illinois) once called the phone number on the side of a utility truck parked outside because they were making too much noise. He reported them for smoking marijuana on the job, thinking they’d just get a slap on the wrist. Nope. The company showed up at the house for a full report. Realizing he might’ve crossed a line, he walked outside, shut the door behind him, and blamed it on a “crazy uncle” who lived in the front bedroom. The twist? He was that crazy uncle.
Shortcuts and Reliant K-Car Rides
And of course, there’s my grandma’s “shortcut.” Let me set the scene: Grandma didn’t get her driver’s license until her late 30s or 40s. She scared me into wearing a seatbelt before it was even the law in California. One day, she proudly announced she found a “shortcut.” I should’ve known better.
We hopped into her 1980 Plymouth Reliant K-car, and off we went… down a dirt road where they were preparing to put in a new paved road. Everything was going fine until someone waved us down and made us turn around. But Grandma pulled her “lost old lady” act, and somehow we made it through anyway.
These stories are just a small sampling of the adventures I had growing up, and I’m sure I’ll share more. Looking back, I’m so thankful for a childhood filled with laughter, mischief, and memories that remind me: sometimes, you just have to laugh at the situation you’re in.
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A nostalgic and humorous look back at childhood adventures with the “Granny Brigade” in 1980s California—featuring walnut heists, shortcut mishaps, and quirky family moments.
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