A PROUD GRANDMOTHER

It is a fact.  I am the grandmother of 10.

 

I love all of them with all my heart.  My  arms are open waiting for them to come see me. 

 

God Bless them all. 

 

Ashlee, Loreal, Bianca, Mathew, Shane, Jacob, Nicholas, Conner, Christian and the baby, Melonie. 

WE LOVE OUR TORI

It was July 27, 2013.  The day of Tori, my niece's baby shower.  My sis Brenda and I sat together out on my father's front yard surrounded by big trees that gave us shade.  It was about 10:00 a.m. when we all gathered there for the joyous occasion.  Ashlee was the party planner and did an amazing job decorating the yard and trees with streamers and baby shower decorations.  The tables were covered in pastel colors to match up with the colors of pink and lavender which happened to be my niece, Tori favorite colors.  The food was good and also a big cake to fill our sweet tooth.  We played games such as baby shower bingo and toss the ball.  We all laughed so much.  Tori looked so radiant and beautiful wearing a cute frock dress that accentuated her large bulging baby bump.  When she stood up to have Ashlee measure her baby bump she giggled  and smiled for all of us to see.  Tori has and always will be a very special person in my heart.  I love her with all my might. 

Brenda and I shared some inside jokes and laughed so much.  We all have trials and tribulations and tons of issues going on in our lives but we put them all aside and in the back burner in order to focus on our Tori.  I JUST WISH MY NETTLE POODLE WAS WITH US. 

THE DAY SHE FOUND OUT

I REMEMBER HOW SAD MY JEANNETTE WAS ON THE DAY THE DOCTORS TOLD HER THE HORRIFIC NEWS THAT SHE HAD END STAGE BREAST CANCER.  NO, NO, NO, THIS COULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO MY BEAUTIFUL YOUNG DAUGHTER.  HOW COULD IT BE.  WHERE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN.  I  HAVE BEEN ASKING MYSELF THAT FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.  FOUR YEARS OF CRYING AND FEELING SO SAD TO HAVE LOST HER. 

I THANK GOD FOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS

RIP Miss Mary

Back in 2007 I had the pleasure of having a nice neighbor.  She was 76 years at the time.  One day as I was walking to my car we met.  She told me she was a widow and a former school teacher.  She lived an extreme healthy life style.  Everyday, she would walk 12 miles.  Six miles in the early morning and 6 miles in the evening.  She lived alone in a one bedroom house.  I admired how thin she was and how much stamina she had. 

She had a large family yet nobody came to visit her.  During Thanksgiving, she would travel long distance all the way to Kentucky to see some of her family.  Every holiday she was all alone and at times I felt sorry for her.  She lived very frugal.  One time she invited me into her home and it must have been 105 outside but inside her home it felt like as if I was in an oven.  I asked her if her air conditioner was working.  She said, "Oh, it works just fine however, I do not use it due to high electric bill."  I was stunned looking around her living room.  She had two formerly white sofas that were a lighter shade of beige and needed repair.  Her dining room table had one chair.  A flute leaned against her living room wall.  At times I could hear her playing her flute.  Lonely sad music.  She had plenty of income but chose to live so frugal.  She did decorate the outside of her house with beautiful plants surrounded by a second hand bench she found at a yard sale. 

I moved away six years ago.  Today, I found out she died on July 3, 2013.  I asked my friend what happened.  She told me that "Mary" fell down and broke her hip one day as she was walking on her second 6 mile of the day.  After that the Osteoporosis kicked in and left her hunched over almost all the way down to the floor.  She could not walk anymore.  Her family never came to see her but when Mary died, they all came down to take her remains to Kentucky.

I think about her and thank God I have a loving family and a bunch of friends that care about me.  I remember Jeannette and how we all showered her with love and wanted nothing more than to have her win her battle with cancer. 

I thank my God everyday that I am blessed.  Truly blessed.  Even though I no longer have my Nettle Poodle.

 

THE SCRAPBOOK IS COMPLETE

It was a pleasant and eventful day today in Fresno, California.  I finally finished my scrap book about Jeannette.  It took me almost 4 years to complete. 

Can't wait to see what the family thinks of it. 

Missing my Nettle Poodle. 

We Love Tori

so much love here

 

Our family loves Tori:

 

Time to get all the things ready for my niece (Tori) baby shower.  She is having a girl in October.  I am so happy for her.  She looks absolutely beautiful.  We are all traveling to Corcoran on Saturday morning.  It will be held at my dad's house. 

 

 My dad asked me if he could be attend.  That was funny.  I told him of coarse he could come and after all, it was his house. My dad is so cute.  He said he bought a mirror for Tori.  It was funny to me because who thinks of giving a mirror at a baby shower.  Like nobody.  hahaha. 

 

 

 Anyway, I am glad he wants to be with all of us.  So far the people attending are:  Ashlee, Bianca, Diana, Angela, Rene, Brenda, Dad, Tori's mother-in-law, Angela's daughter -in-law. and of coarse Me.  It will be fun.   I know if Jeannette were here she would go out on shopping spree and buy Tori's baby tons of things.  That is the way she was.  Such a giving and loving person, my Nettle. 

Tori and her little brother, Daniel.

 

 

MISSING MY NETTLE

Having my first cup of coffee right now.  It is already hot outside.   My phone rang about an hour ago as I was busy making my bed.  I imagined it was Jeannette calling me to say she was heading to Fresno to see me.  When I answered it the person the other end hung up.  I know one day I will see Jeannette again.  I will run to her with open arms and hug her so tight for so long. 

Life is sad without her.  Missing her so much today.