one last day

[Childbride]

tomorrow, i go south to help throw a surprise 91st bday party for gram.

i sit here, reflecting... how do i make it the Perfect Day.

i have Plans.

i take my recorder. i have to record hours of history... decades of history, and i start tomorrow.

my brother and i have a most excellent party planned for her.

i think, maybe, that we get too busy... and should stop at night, and wonder.

how we should make tomorrow the perfect day.

life is short.

[sunvalleylaw]

Have an excellent party! Remember, life is also too short to worry a bit about perfection. Concern yourself only with making the day wonderful, which I know you will do, for her. "Perfect" does not exist in the mortal world, and is subjective and overrated when stated in human standards. Don't be too busy worried about it being perfect to enjoy it with her. And have a great time! I know you will.

[Childbride]

gram is not certain i am coming, albeit i talked to her wed night. she is having cognitive difficulties.

my stepmother called to make sure that i was coming.

there is no Perfect. ['practice makes perfect... ' bs, practice makes Better...just as in Life]

i practice to be the best grand-daughter that i can, to play a concert for her, to have extended family celebrate the wonder that she is, and to look at the moon in the front yard of the ranch tomorrow night and know that jon and i did a Good Thing.

[mrmudcat]

You...............will make it a wonderful day.....................tell gram theis picker said hey!!!:socool

[Kazz]

I'll be darned.....you did it again CB.....I'm gonna hafta quit reading your posts....my eyes get all leaky when I do and that is just bad for my Sarrkazztic reputation:socool

[peachhead]

I've had similar thoughts here a lot lately.
I hope everything goes very well for you tomorrow!

[street music]

CB, I just a chance to get back on for a few minutes and read your post. I know everything with your grandmother must have been great. I could cry thinking about my own grandmother as I sit here. Hope you have a great time visiting with her and family.

[Childbride]

i'm so tired i'm loopy.

tropical storm olaf ran amok in texas and dumped inches of much needed rain in huge, scary thunderstorms this weekend.

last night, half of the peeps showed up for her party, but it turned out delightful. when i got there, [i white-knuckled driving both ways this weekend] she was reading all of her bday cards from family, my inner circle, and a couple of special forum friends. :thankyou

peeps couldn't get there b/c of the storms. but we had an awesome party for her, i recorded 1.5 hours of history, and played for her on my lp ultra and microcube for about thirty minutes after everyone had left. people left early b/c they were nervous about the weather.

last night, the thunderstorms were so wicked, i couldn't sleep. thunder and lightning hit the house constantly.

and i was deeply concerned, b/c

[...]

if you look at the ranch from the sky... there's a creek that runs from the farm-to-market south-west diagonal north-east.

i woke up at five thinking... [o, expletive, i'm going to get stuck]

gram made me wait until one thunderstorm rolled through until i left.

there was 1.5 feet of water when i crossed the creek, and the entire pasture all around her house was flooded.

on the way back, peeps were hydroplaning and going off the road big time. yeah, end drought. it just never rains slowly?! too much, too fast. but never look a gift horse.

i have a relative that took pics, and i will forward.

it was a good trip. but i'm exhausted, and going to bed shortly.

i would do it again for her in a heartbeat. there's something about gram sitting at the head of the table, with her 'kiss me, it's my birthday' button blinking, smiling and loving that family gathered for her, that makes me know i did good. :)

[piebaldpython]

Ya know you did good CB........we never had a doubt that you'd put a smile on Gram's face......:applause

I tell ya, Texas and Florida gets some of the worst driving weather....seemingly more so than other states. Never been to Texas (do they let IGGLES fans IN the state??) but have driven thru hellacious Floridian T-storms that made me quiver. lol

[Childbride]

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m159/luvmyshiner/helen_bd_09_002.jpg

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m159/luvmyshiner/helen_bd_09_003.jpg

:) this woman means the earth, moon and stars to me...

[mrmudcat]

Glad it was a blessed day!:happy

[sumitomo]

That's Awesome!!!.I always like reading the before and after's,always gives me a new look on things.Thanks for sharing these experiences with us C.B..I know I'll be looking forward to the next.Sumi:D

[Tig]

:) this woman means the earth, moon and stars to me...

Wow, she makes 91 look easy! :yes We can only hope to do so well at just 81! Keep the visits going. Nothing pleases a grandparent more.


My aunt and my grandfather are turning 90 on a few months. They are the last of their generation in my family. She is the last of 5 sisters. I'll be traveling to Bastrop, TX for her birthday in November, and to Goodrich, TX in February for my grandfather's.

Of all the people I've met in my life, the two best men happen to be my dad and my grandfather (actually a step-grandparent, but that makes no difference). I treasure every visit we have, as do they.

Grandfather, "Pop":
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254acce8319d3a5.jpg

My fun Dad who is 76, going on 26:
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254accea01101fe.jpg

[Childbride]

Wow, she makes 91 look easy! :yes We can only hope to do so well at just 81! Keep the visits going. Nothing pleases a grandparent more.


My aunt and my grandfather are turning 90 on a few months. They are the last of their generation in my family. She is the last of 5 sisters. I'll be traveling to Bastrop, TX for her birthday in November, and to Goodrich, TX in February for my grandfather's.

Of all the people I've met in my life, the two best men happen to be my dad and my grandfather (actually a step-grandparent, but that makes no difference). I treasure every visit we have, as do they.

Grandfather, "Pop":
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254acce8319d3a5.jpg

My fun Dad who is 76, going on 26:
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254accea01101fe.jpg

Tig, thanks for sharing. and yeah, the whole 'last in a generation' thing is why i think it so hugely important to record the knowledge and life experiences before me.

i wish you safe travels on your upcoming bday visits!

(actually a step-grandparent, but that makes no difference).

i would, imho, posit that there is a whole lot more to being a good role model/family member than Biology, sometimes. love is love, and being there is being there.