Though she isn't in the best of health these days, I am very blessed to still have my Granny with us at the age of 95. She will be 96 years old in November. My Papa passed away in 1986 when I was just 11 years old. He had Emphysema and Alzheimer's Disease. Any one of those would be a horrible condition. But to have them both was heartbreaking for us to see.
Though Papa passed away so young (he was 72), I still have fond memories of Granny and Papa and our family all being together in their teeny tiny house that was built in the 1940s, I think. Back then, we had weekly dinners on Sunday afternoons....the entire family. Cousins, aunts, uncles...EVERYONE. And the occasional guest too. For me, it was always an exciting occasion and I never missed a Sunday until I moved to Florida in 2010. Though now, it's done 1 Sunday a month....the 2nd Sunday.
For many years, Granny would cook the entire dinner all by herself---as you would expect a Southern Lady to do---all from scratch, including biscuits, "hoe cakes", cornbread and cakes and pies. There was NEVER a shortage of food. Their house smelled HEAVENLY as she had cooked for hours, I'm sure. Somehow she always made it look so simple and effortless. The adults would gather around the dinner table and the kids would eat in the living room. Holidays were the same. Now, because Granny is unable to stand and cook, we all bring food to her house for her. Today, it was held at the rehabilitation facility where she is getting stronger every day. And, Im told that she really enjoyed it.
Every Sunday, every birthday, every Easter, Every Christmas has been held in that house with my grandparents. It's as much a part of my life as my own home and I have just as many memories there as from my own home. Ice cream floats with Granny and Papa while mom was out working 2nd shift. Granny fixing my hair and making me look pretty. Papa asking me to count his money for him LOL. Or, Papa paying me to get all of his cigarette butts out of the yard so Granny wouldn't fuss at him anymore. Playing with Granny's jewelry and admiring some of their heirlooms in their back bedroom. SITTING ON the kitchen table to help Granny bake biscuits or some delicious dessert and stealing a taste while she tried to act like she didn't see me.
People don't do those kinds of things with their grandparents(much less with their parents) anymore. It's like a lost art. But they are memories that I treasure and I look forward to every time I get to spend with my Granny. Because I know those moments won't last forever.
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