Don't Mind Me

I was cleaning the house today.  Got the vacuum out and was zipp'n around, dust'n, clean'n, VACUUMING.  AHHMMM GRANMA, I'm vacuuming.  Excuse me Granma I need to vacuum.  Granma, I need to vacuum in there....between the couch and coffee table Granma.....Pleeeeeease?

This is what she did.  Without looking at me once, not a glimpse, not a peek, not even a sneer...she lifted her legs up and put her feet on the table.  She never once took her eyes off the book she was reading, just lifted her legs up, kept on reading......as if I was a pesty old fly.

There's just one thing............Granma can't read without her glasses.   What a hoot!

Nice Legs

The day Granpa died, he and Granma Marcie were in a motel on one of their little trips.  Granpa was sitting in a chair and Granma was doing a little jig for him.  The last thing he said was,

"Hmmm you got pretty nice legs for an old gal!" 

Then he died. 

She's still got pretty nice legs for an old gal donchathink?



CLEAN PLAT ER



Granma is a "clean plat er".  God bless her.  She'll eat everything on her plate. Everything.  My dad made us eat everything on our plates when we were kids.  I think I know where he got it from....Graaaaaaaaama Marcie.  She's the one.  It's all her fault.  All those nights sitting at the table until my plate was clean.  I hated green peas, ham, and brussel sprouts.  Oh gag me with a spoon.  To even think about brussel sprouts, makes me tremble. But about Granma Marcie.  She not only eats everything on her plate, she'll anything I put on her plate.  Today she had cottage cheese and peaches on one plate, the other plate had sardines in a cream sauce with crackers on the side, and of course a glass of milk    Open the mouth and past the gums......look out stomach, here it comes.

I don't put a whole lot on her plate.  Just small portions, then if she wants more she can have more.  But usually she won't take seconds. She accuses me of trying to make her fat.  That's what she's saying here.  "I don't want to get too fat now" 

 Okay Granma, but how 'bout some dessert?" 

To which she always says "Okay"

Meal Time With Marcie and Grace E.

Meal times are fun, sometimes down right funny.  It amazes me that Granma still eats with her pinky finger sticking out.  You know, like prim and proper.  Was it proper to stick your pinky finger out?  I can see it now.  A tea party.  In cousin Dawns garden.  Finest china, silver tea service, "would you like one lump or two?" and Granma Marcie sipping  so very lady like with her little pinky finger sticking out. She wears an apron now, all the time because,  she isn't a dainty eater or drinker.  Maybe in her day she was, but not today.  Slurps, Gulps, and Burps right at the table all while that little pinky finger is sticking out.

Then there's Grace E. our Wheaton Terrier.  She loves Granma Marcie, especially at meal time.  Grace E. is right at Granmas feet, waiting so patiently for the crumbs to fall and boy oh boy do the crumbs fall. Granma can't seem to keep the food on her fork, half of it falls on the floor. Hence Grace E. at Granma's feet.  It's like an meal time ritual.  Granma shuffles to the table Grace E. waits for Granma to sit down, then Grace E. takes her rightful place under the table at Granmas feet. It's all good.  Really it is.

Tonight at the table I asked Granma, "Well, what did you do today Granma?"  Oh my goodness I wish I had a picture of her expression.  She answered back in a high pitched voice and wrinkled brow, "What did I do ttttttttodaaaaaaay?" "I read my Bible and prayed...what more is there?"   "Did you go anywhere?"  To which she responded in sort of a disgusted tone because after all she just told me that she read her Bible and prayed all day.  But we did go out.  She just forgot. 

I took her out in her wheel chair.  Have Granma.  Will travel.

Meet Granma Marcie

Meet Granma Marcie

Here she is.  Granma Marcie. 102 years old today but on October 23, 2010 she'll be 103.  She told my mom, God told her, she was going to live to be 105.

This is the room we fixed up for her. Her old bed, old pictures, old rocking chair, old dresser.......

Make Room for Granma

We got back from our vacation Saturday evening and Sunday morning we were making room for Granma Marcie to come live with us.  Chuck is incredible. Of course I've always said that about him.....that he's the most incredible man I've ever known.  I suppose that's a good thing when a wife can say that about her husband. Anyway....Granma Marcie will be 103 in October. Can you imagine.....103 years old.  She's amazing

Before we left on our vacation, we talked about the possibility of Granma coming to live with us. We presented the idea to my folks and they said they would think about it.  When we came back, we asked if they had given the offer any consideration, to which they said, they had, and now here she is with us.

Chuck and I went to get her, and her things.  We brought her bed and bedding, all her pictures and wall hangings, clothes, toiletries, you know, all the things that make a house a home.   She has an old antique bed, I put an antique dressing table with a mirror in there along with a rocking chair she had when she was first married to Granpa Dan, along with all the old pictures she has... I think she was happy. She went into her room and looked around and pointed to a picture of herself and said something like, "Oh, that's a good picture of me"  She's a hoot.

Chuck took his big truck to load up all of Granma's things......it has "Chuck's Window Cleaning" written all over it.  Granma and I were following.  She pointed to his truck and said "There goes Chuck" Yep Granma there he goes.  Then she asked me "Who's Chuck's wife?"  I said "I'm Chuck's wife" and she said "You're Chuck's wife?" and I said "yep" She smiled and didn't say any more about that until bed time.  I was tucking her in and she got this little twinkle in her eye,  she smiled and sort of chuckeled, putting her finger on my nose she said "I'm glad you're Chuck's wife and by the way where's my teefees?"  I can't help but smile.  I told her they were in the bathroom.  She said she thought she might need them. So we went back into the bathroom and got her teefees.  TEEFEES?  .......False Teeth......

The dinner I fixed tonight wasn't very good.  Chuck was disappointed and I felt bad.  Granma didn't seem to mind, she cleaned her plate.  I told her Chuck didn't like the meatloaf and she laughed. I'm glad she can still laugh.  She doesn't say a whole lot and when she does talk it's pretty hard to understand, she slurrs her words  and babbles.  But there are moments when she is as clear as a bell.  I love those times.

My friend brought over a wheel chair today. My new motto.....Have Granma will travel.  It's a heavy wheel chair.  I mean H.E.A.V.Y. but I got that sucker in the trunk of my car.  A few months back dad and I went to Cabellas and Granma Marcie was with us.  Dad put her in one of their wheel chairs and she was loving it.  She waved at everyone.  It was like she was the queen of a parade. She likes to go, so do I.  I'm thinking having her here could be an adventure for both of us.  I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow brings.