My Grandma

My last remaining Grandparent recently passed away this past Saturday.  It truly is sad but also such a blessing.  She had suffered for quite some time with the early onset of dementia and had given up eating and drinking so her body was tired and was just shutting down.  I have many fond memories of my Grandma that I will always cherish.

Growing up until I was around 6 we lived right next door to my Grandma Mary, aka Grandma Next Door!!  My little sister and I would often wake up in the morning and head straight over to grandma and grandpa's where they would feed us toast with jam, sometimes only in a diaper and boots and a coat, sometimes nothing at all!  Her toast was always the best and her toaster so cool...you put the bread in the slot and it automatically went down into the toaster, best toast every time.  We also had many tea parties with Grandma, either on her back patio or in the house at the dining room table.  She had little teacups for Arren and I, we used these for years...I think I was an adult before I finally graduated to a standard size tea cup...she even started getting herbal tea for me once I became a member of the LDS church!! I loved looking around her beautiful yard at all her flowers and playing in the horseshoe pit sandboxes or swinging on the swings!  We would pull pussy willows off her tree and use them as ingredients for our sand soup!! We would climb a few steps up the big power pole that grandpa had put foot pegs into. We would watch for the blue jays that always came to the back window where peanuts were left for them in a little feeder. We would watch Young and the Restless with them if we happened to be there with them at 4pm, an after school ritual with our tea and cookies!!  Grandma always gave the best hugs, so tight and warm.  And she always smelled like tea and flowers to me.  She looked best in red and wore that color quite often.  She was always knitting scarves, in a variety of colors!

Once I grew up and had children of my own I would take my kids to see Grandma and Grandpa in their red house.  My kids got to do the same things with them that I did growing up.  What a great memory for them to have too!  My grandma was always interested in what I was up to, what kept me busy.  I always loved visiting with her and was so happy Emry and I got to spend a little time with her the week before she passed away.  We didn't visit much that day, but she did say it was good to see me!! I sat and held her hand while she drifted in and out of sleep.  That day will be one I cherish for quite some time...my grandma's hands were just as I always remembered them, soft, warm and clenched tight with total love and compassion! I will miss her greatly but I am thankful she can move on from the trials of this life.  I am happy she will be reunited with my Grandpa, her sweetheart!