My Granny's 77th birthday was Saturday. Since I celebrate my birthday for different lengths depending on my level of energy (the longest was six weeks, the shortest was two weeks) I figure it's only proper to let her have a long weekend's celebration. She IS 77. WE are very *lucky* that she's here to celebrate with us. There is a vast sense of blessings that we should feel bestowed upon us that she was there to spoil and be entertained by.
This is my Granny. She also goes by Snowball. It started as a rumor that there would be a brunch. That extended family would be invited.. but the lives got in the way and some of her daughters didn't realize they had plans and other people planned weddings and well.. life isn't fun if the plans aren't messed with a few or six times.
From there we (I) decided that there would be a dinner out. I gave two choices.. one was in Lafayette which would have included a drive to and from but yummy food the other was a closer drive and one of her favorite restaurants. I knew when I made the suggestions which would be the choice. Arrangements were made and I got permission to bring in a cake and the people were great about accomodating me. We all know how much I appreciate getting my own way.
Hissy and Buster and the rest of the family were all invited. Life being what it is we had about a 50% attendance. Acceptable, I suppose.
Hissy, for the first time since she's mobile, behaved beautifully. While getting ready Buster, the bestest kid in the world, searched the toychesttub for the perfect take along toys to put in the magic purse to pull out if we needed distraction.. sometimes our toys are hits.. sometimes huge misses. This time we lucked out. The kid was so good I almost forgot to have a panic attack.
You almost forget for a minute why her nickname is Hissy (and she's even startin to look up when you call her that!)
We had a nice evening with the restaurant being filled with people from our town.
Smoke break escapees without Hissy
From there we had planned a second dinner on her actual birthday after a morning of hair appointments and visits of the different people in different places.. she even drove by my house and assumed (correctly) that I was still sleeping --
side note.. when the phone rings at 818 am I decide to sleep as late as possible and thus ensues the phone and cell ringing more than its rang ever since I moved home. 4 times on the house phone and 6 on the cell not counting texts and ims. I was not amused.
That nite we had crawfish.. Stelly's in Abbeville has been providing some really nice selections and are closer than Kips when we're already home... plus Kbird and I were already in Abbe for some Wally world shoppin.
There are no pics of crawfish. Just know they were perfectly perfect.
When I returned home that nite I started to bake the birthday cake. My Gran has some particular tastes lately.. since her last stroke she's really got a sweet tooth and we've allowed her to pretty much eat anything she could possibly desire. She specifically decided this time that she doesnt like icing (recent thing I swear) and that she wanted a coconut cake.
I remember my Gram making this cake.. it's a simple yellow cake and then while it's cooling you take a can of Ancel Coconut in heavy syrup and warm it with a stick of butter on the stove and pour on top of the cake.. the juice sinks in and life is beautiful again.
I did three layers and managed for them to be beautiful and even and when I went to warm my Ancel I decided to throw in vanilla beans with the butter.. wow. It was flippin amazin.
Monday was her wedding anniversary. Poppa's been gone seven years now. We don't realize how fragile life is ... I so wish for my niece and nephew that they have the opportunity to build a relationship with their great grandmother while they can. I know that Gram was--- for the longest time -- my favorite family member. I know she's not very portable. You have to go to her.. and even if you manage to get her out she does tire easily.. but she's so appreciative of the effort and the attention.. I won't go #3's route and say she's dying.. I am just saying this:
she's here. And she's trying to relax and we need to enjoy her while we can.
She's my granny.. and sometimes she is cross.. and sometimes she curses.. and sometimes she's sad for the people that we've lost.
How can we not honor those who brought us up? Raised us. Covered for us? Stood by us? Cooked for us? Baked german chocolate cakes from scratch for us? How can we forget that she's had a great amount of loss parntered with some really bad runs of poor health?
I guess back when Poppa got sick I decided that nothing is promised and I wanted to live for no regret. And I remember what it was like to not be able to be home for a holiday or birthday and wonder what I was missing. I also remember being far away and not being able to reach home in time. I don't want to live that way.. I can't force anyone else along. But then again I wont be very patient for the pity party when it's too late.
It's all about choices my loves. Live today to not cry tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment