More Death

Yesterday my last living grandparent passed away.

She was in her 80's. She had had Alzheimer's for the past 12 plus years. It had gotten so bad, that she couldn't swallow anymore. And she couldn't walk, or speak, and didn't know anyone really anymore.

She was my mothers step mom. I was lucky I had 6 grandparents. My fathers parents (his dad died 7 years before I was born). And two sets on my mom's side. Her mother and step father, and her father and step mother. I was always treated like their grandchild. Never a "step" So they were always my grandparents.

My Grandma was a hard person to know and to love at first. She was a somewhat "mean" lady. As I am an adult and look back on it. I would bet a 100 bucks she was bi polar, to say the least.

Grandma had these chihuahua's, 3 of the bastards. And they all were so fat, they just sorta rolled. Well her lovely babies would bite you every time you came around. Then grandma would yell at you for making her dogs bite you. Grandma, would never let us help her cook, and god forbid if you spilled anything on her table cloth. She also wouldn't let you watch t.v. Must have been why I spent most of my time at my aunts house which was right next door.

She did teach us about plants, that woman could grow almost anything. And we could go help her pick fruit in the back. She did jelly's and jams, and canning like nobody's business. Her stuff was the best.

As we got older, that's when you could tell that in her own way she loved us. I don't think she really knew what to do with younger children. And when they moved away, back to Tennessee. That's when her soul seemed to settle down and she became someone you wanted to love, and who loved you back.

I remember when Alekx and I were younger, single, and living together in southern Arizona. I would call grandma about every 6 months and ask for a care package. What I really wanted was "grandma jelly". Gosh did we love those care packages.

She would send some jelly's and jams, and canned stuff. Captain daddy always got the canned or pickled cauliflower and okra. (seeing as Alekx and I were like ewwwwwwww) What?? we were young. hehehehe And we didn't have an appreciation for homemade dill relish yet, so he got that too.

But grandma would also send little (sorta weird) things in the care packages. She would send soap and shampoo, just to make sure we washed. hahahaha She would send boxes of rice. She sent stationary once and put a note on it saying now we had no excuse not to write her. She even sent stamps. I remember she sent a pack of paper napkins. You know the 1.89 one's you get at the store. Her explanation was. Good girls and ladies use napkins not paper towels. Paper towels are for cleaning, napkins are for eating. hahahaha I use both for both. She was a hoot sometimes, when she never tried to be.

I didn't have the best relationship with my grandmother. She was a very hard person to know, accept and love. But I did love her never the less. I am not sad so much of her passing. I am actually very happy. Happy that she gets to go be with the love of her life, my grandfather, and to go be with my mother, and all the others that she loved and loved her. I'm happy she isn't suffering here on earth anymore. She is now free...

Rest in Peace grandma, you were loved, and always will be.

May you all have a blessed Wednesday today. Hug the one's you love.