Excerpts from A Travelling Book
Sent to us by Morgan Thomas
I must start by saying that picking one story to describe my GG is impossible. There are so many things that come to mind when I think of GG. I always remember when all of the family would be eating a late breakfast at her house up on beautiful Torch Lake and she would wake up from her “beauty nap” and come out into the kitchen. Her face would light up when she saw us all. She loved having us all there and sometimes I think that she took those naps so that when she woke up and made her entrance, all eyes would be on her (which of course they were). She always loved the attention, and we loved giving it to her.
Easter was always so much fun at GG’s House. Maybe it was because it didn’t take too long to find the Easter baskets in her - not so large- house. HEHE. I also loved cookie decorating , cooking and the family bonding time. I’ll never forget the time we cleared the furniture out of the living room so we could all do somersaults and head stands!! I couldn’t believe that GG even participated. She was always spunky and energetic. I loved those qualities about my Great Grandmother!
Another thing about GG was the she didn’t have to say much for you to know how she felt! If she was disappointed, you knew it. That was one thing I strived never to do- let down GG. I remember once, when Alicia, my sister, and I were having a petty fight over my Great Grandmother’s Wood lincoln logs, GG stopped us and pulled me aside. I don’t remember exactly what she said but it wasn’t mean or condescending. It still made me feel horrible. She possessed that gift and I never wanted her to have to use it again!
Ahhhh and who can forget GG’s stories? It’s Hard to forget them since she enjoyed telling them so often. Days as a head pastry chef in Ohio and providing fish dinners for her friends were among her favorites! As much as these stories became a tad monotonous, we welcomed them compared to her Bowel movement stories!!!!
Something that I was so thankful for was the ability to live with GG for a few months when she came to stay with my parents and me after she left her home of over 65 years! They say you don’t know someone until you live with them, and it is very true. I really grew to respect GG even more than I did before, I mean, who else would I wait on hand and foot? Even when her back hurt, she would always be enthusiastic about coming to my choir concerts and volleyball games. She really loved her family, and we really loved her in return. I can’t say enough good about GG, since she was simply and honestly a good person.
It was difficult near the end to see GG so frail, but she was still fighting up until the very end. Of course, I can NEVER forget the last time that I saw GG. Nana, Papa, and I were all in her room at Trillium Hospice Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We were in her room singing her favorite hymns. She had been unresponsive all morning and it was about time for me to head back to college. As I was getting ready to leave, I told GG how much I loved her and gave her a kiss. Just then, she opened her eyes and said, “I love you too, honey.You don’t know how much my family means to me.” That was the best gift I could have ever received.
I truly believe that I was given the best Great Grandma there has ever been. I learned so many things from her that I hope to pass on to my kids. GG will never be forgotten, She made sure of that!
