Memories

Sorry it's took me most of the day to post this.  I'm quite bad about checking the blog, so I had a lot of catching up to do.  These stories are terrific!  Great idea, Tom.  I wanted to share a few stories highlighting Gramma's sense of humor.

When she was moving out of the house on 5th Ave, I happened to be in town one weekend and so went over to help box things up.  I was relegated to the bathroom.  I found a strange looking brush, sort of like a brush to manage a horse's mane, but smaller.  Gramma happened to be walking by the bathroom when I found it.  "Gramma", I said.  "What is this brush for? It would be a perfect foot brush!"  I tend to suffer from very dry feet.  Gramma said, with a totally straight face, "That is my denture brush.  It is not for your feet and I would appreciate it if you never bring it anywhere close to your feet.  Now put it in the box and move along."  Of course I was mortified, but couldn't help but laugh, because, you know, laughing is my favorite.  She joined me for a few chuckles.  Classic.

When I told Gramma I had decided to go to St. Olaf (a Lutheran school) for college, I think Gramma was a little disappointed, especially since my other top choices were good Catholic schools like Carroll and Gonzaga.  She never gave me any big speeches about the dangers of being out "in the real world", but only said "I don't care what you do in college, you will not come home a Lutheran!"  Although now looking back on it, it seems funny, at the time, she was dead serious.  I guess her tolerance goes only so far.

She never called me by my real name.  She never even put it on a card - it was always Randi and occasionally Randa.  In one of my sassier moments, I informed her my name was Miranda.  She explained that pet names are reserved only for those you really care about.  That's why she always called me Randi.  To this day, no one outside of "the family" - not even my dark side family or Nathan - calls me anything but Miranda.

It's very strange to me to think about the world without Gramma.  She was such an important part of my life.  She is why I have such a love for older adults.  In my mind growing up, Gramma and her friends were the best people on the earth!  No one's opinion mattered to me as much as Gramma's.  Although I know I did things she did not agree with at times, I never felt anything but love from her.  She was home to me as much as my parents are.  I have never met such a great conversationalist - she not only listened intently to what you were saying, but cared about what you were saying and would treat you like the only person in the room when she was talking to you.  I will miss everything about you, Gramma.  Love, Randi.