2009/05/19

My Birthday Cake

In all the years I have known John, he has never ever made me a birthday cake. The first year we started dating, he did show up at my house the morning of my birthday with a twinkie with a candle. Corny maybe, but I thought it was cute.




So this year I asked him to bake me a cake. Happy Birthday to Me!!!!


2009/05/18

My Grandmother Eva


This is my Grandmother Eva (or as my grandchildren called her, gramma, gramma,gramma) and the picture is from 1955. She just passed away December 28th, 2008, at the age of 98 (3 months shy of 99).

After she died, we had the daunting task of going through thousands (not an exaggeration) of pictures when we were putting together a slide show for her memorial service. I found this picture and fell in love with it. It was taken years before I was born and I never knew her like this. I never knew her with anything but white hair. She was less than 5 ft. tall,and as we got older, all 11 grandchildren measured their growth against her height. Getting taller than grandma was a milestone for all of us.

She was one of the kindest, most caring individuals I will probably ever know. She made each and every one of us feel loved and special. After each visit, when it was time to leave, she would hug and kiss you and say she loved you "a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck" ( as I write this I can hear her voice in my head and it makes me teary eyed). If I can succeed in being half as kind and caring as my grandmother, I will feel like I have accomplished a great deal.

My grandfather died in 1979, so she spent 30 years without him. After he died, she stayed active in the senior centers, played cards, etc... She loved to play games ,but most of all, she loved to win. Up to the end, she could still kick ass. Around 1980, she bought an RV and her and her sister would drive across country. She also dated. One day I went to my parents' house to visit and my grandmother happened to be there with a "gentleman friend". She pulled me aside, and asked me NOT to mention her age. Apparently, she had told this man she was 10 years younger than she actually was (she was 87 passing for 77). Too funny!!

I feel so blessed to have had her in my life. I will always miss you Grandmom.