Catching up

Granny & me 20 years ago.

Yes, it has been a long time since I posted on the blog about what is going on in my life.  As with all things on our journey through the world there have been some good things, but they have for a while been out weighed by the bad, depressing, soul sucking things that seem to come in and grab you by the heart and squeeze until you think you can bear no more.  I feel I need to get all the bad things out of the way in this post so that I can move on with all the good.  Trust me there is some good in there.  There always is even if sometimes it has to smack you in the head to get through a little.

My last post was about made the day before I left Florida to come home in November.  A day before I had received a call from Mom that my Granny had taken a turn for the worse.  I packed everything, cleaned the condo and drove home on Wednesday.  Thursday, my sweet Granny passed away.  We were expecting this day since Granny collapsed on Easter, but no matter how much time you have to prepare yourself, you never are quite prepared for the death of a loved one.  Even still a month and a half later I am finding it hard to  write this.

At the memorial service, I stood up and spoke.  There are somethings in life you will regret not doing later and I knew this would be one of those things.  It was hard.  It was not fun.  I don't really remember all of what I said, so I want to do it again right here where I can say exactly what I want with out the feeling that everyone is staring at me......

My Granny was born and raised in England on July 9th, 1921.  She lived with her parents, brother and sister during WWII in Wiggan, England.  It was during the war that she worked as a police woman and met my Grandfather who probably through sheer persistence won her heart and brought her home to Nicholasville, KY.  It was here that my Granny had two children and after my Grandfather passed away she was able to put both of her children through college.

I have to say that my Granny was the Grandmother everyone dreamed of having.  She loved her family and friends.  She loved you with out reserve.  And, she loved to tell stories.  Stories of her life.  I spent most of my childhood, youth and  adulthood listening to her stories of the war and being a police woman.  I know we all have our favorites.  One of mine was how during WWII a Granny would go with her friends to the dance halls and dance for hours on end.  Before marrying Granny's last name was Hill and the service men would serenade her with the song 'Blueberry Hill' (although we are more famialar with the Fats Domino version, at the time it was made popular by Glenn Miller & his Orchestra).  You don't have to imagine how much fun she had doing the Jitterbug to some jive swing, if you knew my Granny, you probably heard a WWII story or two or three or four or five or six.......

We all spent time with Granny, but I probably spent more than most listening to her stories of life in decades gone past.  And she also told me so much more than just her stories.  We talked about many things and she told me a few things I think she would want me to share with you.  Dad, Granny was so very proud of your achievements in the Senate.  Aunt Mimi, she was proud that on your own, you raised two successful children who have gone on to bright and wonderful things.  Cousin Nikki, Granny was so proud to know you were raising two of her beautiful Great Grand boys so far away in California.  Cousin Ryan, Granny delighted in your becoming a lawyer for the Army.  Brother Beau, Granny was not just proud of your military career, but also your beautiful family.  And last but not least Mom, Granny said that although you had your differences she knew that Dad would not have gone as far in his career with out you pushing to grander things.

-End-

That was more along the lines of what I was trying to say.  I just never realized how hard it would be to share that with family and friends.  I still miss my Granny every day.  She was always there for me in good and hard times.  She loved her family with out bounds and everything she did was for her family.  I don't think I ever realized that until she was gone.  But, everything she did, she did for all of us.  I am so very thankful to have had such a strong woman to look up to and who loved me so very much.

July 9, 1921 - Nov. 10, 2011

Granny & her oldest & best friend Gene Rice on Granny's 80th birthday.

Christmas

Granny, Mom & Me

Trip to Bermuda

Christmas or Easter late 90's.

Granny, Grandfather & Aunt Mimi

One of our trips about town.

One of Granny's boyfriends in WWII drew her portrait.

Found this lovely dress in Granny's closet, but none of us remember her ever wearing it.   Bet she turned a few heads when she did wear it.

So that is part of my bad news.  I know it is a natural part of life to grow old and die.  But, I secretly wish my Granny could have lived forever and I had never known a day with out her.  

If you have gotten this far, you deserve to hear the rest.  Do you remember last year when Bill had surgery to remove a tumor in his head?  We knew the Surgeon had not been able to get all of the tumor and we were hoping that it could be monitored by bi-annual scans and simply stay the same size and not grow.  Well.....  We were not that lucky.  It, Bob, I'm calling it Bob, has had a little growth spurt.  Surgery is scheduled with a new Surgeon (referred by the last one) soon.  Will keep you updated.

And now, that I have all that off my chest, we can return to the irregularly scheduled posting program.  And I promise there is good stuff coming.  Very good stuff and great news:)