"Special friend"

It is true that I enjoy talking to and talking about Grandma. Talking to, because we get in a whirlwind of topics. Talking about, because I need debriefing time. I've been calling Grandma once every week or two since high school ended to check up on her, so she can check up on me, so she can tell me the latest news of Montana, which always ends up in some kind of summative statement: "These dadberned home inspectors really don't know what they're doing!" "Lissy, I'll put up my own Christmas lights until I die. I've done it all this time anyway." "Oh! It's getting too stuffy around here. Think I'll head into the park (Yellowstone) for a little while."
Everything she says is either a glorious tribute to life or a cursing of it. Rarely is there an inbetween.
But she's said a lot of things through the years, some things embarrassing, some truthful, some convicting, some funny, but always, ALWAYS, she speaks with tone. What I mean by tone is that when she's excited, she brings out her "r"s. "That's grrrrrreat, Lissy!" When she's upset, her voice quiets, and there's this inner squeaky sob which thrusts her words out. "I just don't know what to do." And when she wants to hint at something or be sneaky, she speaks with elipses: "Well....I guess what I mean to say is....."
I find some conversations embarrassing.
In front of my middle school friends: "Hunny, put your thongs on. It's warm out there."
In front of family: "I've folded your panties. They're sitting on the dryer."
Why can't she just say "flip-flops" or "clothes"? (!?!?!)
She did it again last night, and this has been going on for a bit of time.
"How's your special man friend?"
"My what?"
"Your special friend. Is he working....did you two hang out last night...?"
"Just call him my boyfriend." I said this because the term "special friend" or worse, "special man friend" seems a lot like "panties" or "thongs". It's just odd.
"Boyfriend!"
"Well that's what he is."
"Oh boy, all the angels and Grandma Ham are singing in heaven right now!"
"Grandma, we've been dating for a couple months. This isn't new news."
"You tell your special friend--"
"Boyfriend."
"--that he has to come meet us sometime."