Dear Granny:
Although this letter has been rolling around my brain for the past 72 hours, I find that as I sit down to write it, the words just won't come. There's so much that I want to say to you! I don't want to forget you or forget all the joy you brought to my childhood, and your kindness to me as an adult. So I guess this letter is my way of not forgetting.
I want to remember your old house and that week I spent there with mom and Ginny. I can remember taking a walk with you on a trail that ran through the woods behind your house. And your basement! The "pachinko" games; and the chair that you could sit on and it would take you right down the stairs with just the push of a button. And Clay. That big sweet collie dog...who loved to have his snout "scritched". And when you took us to the Smithsonian. We rode a train or a bus to get there, and while we were out you bought us those little capsules that turn into dinosaurs when you put them in water.
I want to remember how we shared a room on vacation once, and we had a game where if you found something of mine on the floor you would get to put it in the hallway; and if I found something of yours I could put it in the hallway. Not unexpectedly it was always my clothes books and toys out in the hall! I can remember just putting your old taupe colored shoes out in the hallway even though they were supposed to be on the floor...just so I could watch you pretend to be upset at having left them there.
I want to remember you coming to the lake house and buying all of our favorite treats...a giant jar of dill pickles, a "romantic" prime rib, and blizzards at the dairy queen. Nothing was ever so good!
I want to remember you forgetting that we kept koolaid in the milk carton...and morning after morning pouring it on your grape nuts. A muttered "damn!" was the only sign of your irritation before eating the tropical punch flavored bits of cereal.
I want to remember the cans of velvet creme popcorn that you never forgot to send for Christmas; it was such a treat to be able to share the tradition with my own family and to have my own kids look expectantly in the mail for the big cheery tin filled with caramel, butter and cheese flavored popcorn.
I want to remember the kind words you sent; telling me how much you enjoyed my blog, and reading about how my children were growing up. I'll always be thankful for the trip I took two years ago with Caitlin and Matthew so that they could meet "Great Granny Mccaw" at the Jefferson. Hannah will never know what she missed.
But most of all Granny, I want to remember you. Your warmth, and unexpected sense of humor; and your kindness. And while it's too late to tell you how very much I love you here on earth, I just know that you are watching me from up there in heaven, and you know.
Lot's O' Love,
ML
She is about a minute away from walking...she'll stand up, use her walker (we call it 'mowing the grass bc her walker kinda looks like a little lawnmower), and yesterday I swear she jumped off the ground with both feet and landed! She gets so excited when you cheer her on and can't help but bounce up and down, whether she's standing up or sitting down. I guess yesterday she just got so excited that she actually jumped! It was funny.