Traits of my Grandma (in no particular order):
She made us pink kitty sweaters and silky blankets. We carried the blankets all over the house.
She tended her own garden. I was amazed as to how fast she could cut the steams off of fresh green beans!
She fixed us wonderful home cooked meals.
She made us popcorn for a nighttime snack.
She always had the cookie jar full of small homemade sugar cookies. Maybe it was just for when we came, but I thought it was always full.
She was the best shanghai rummy teacher and player. She was pretty good at playing Rummy Cube and Chicken Scratch (a game with Dominoes).
She loved going to garage sales. She picked up a lot of great finds. Mostly she went for fun.
She loved babies and little children. They loved her.
She was Mica's best friend when he was a few years old. He even said so.
She had the best bubbles in her hair. Mica thought her tight, white curls were bubbles.
She had a lot of titles: Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Dorothy and my Grandpa called her "Dot." I misspelled her name most of my life. I thought it was Dorthy. It's ok because I called her, "Grandma."
She was a good nurse. All of her daughters must have looked up to her because all four became nurses to.
She kept her house clean. She had a blue room and a pink room, where we slept when we stayed with her.
She kept a baby buggy, and a metal doll house for us to play with.
She kept all our letters and notes.
She paid for us to go to a movie when we visited. That was when movie prices weren't so expensive.
She made me an angel food cake for all of my birthdays; if we were visiting. I didn't have the heart to tell her I disliked angel food cake. It reminded me of eating a sponge. It was nothing against her cooking; I just don't like angel food cake. I always felt like it was the thought that counted.
She had the ability to raise one eyebrow, which said a lot. We knew when she disapproved of something. We also laughed about that raised eyebrow. Guess who else says a lot with his eyebrows? Isaak does! I think we might of made too much fun of her because she started plucking her eyebrows.
She came to our house, and my sisters and I waited at the window until her and my Grandpa arrived.
She watched
Days of Our Lives,
Johnny Carson and
Dallas.
She was up before everyone else to make breakfast.
She always had hard candy for us in the car. Her favorites were rootbeer, butterscotch and coffee candies.
She helped us dye Easter eggs.
She bought us sweet tart candy for Easter time.
She was selfless.
Imagine how we felt when we found out she had Alzheimer's disease. The last ten years have been tough. She's at peace now. I love you Grandma!
Just before I learned of her passing today I saw these sweaters, which reminded me of something she would make:
I wish the boys would have known Grandma the way I knew her. At least Mica called her his best friend. For a little while they were at the same level. She grew down, while he grew up. Such a beautiful person she was!
