Just a few months short of her 91st
birthday.
Her name was Geraldine,
but I called her Granny.
but I called her Granny.
I don’t think I ever thought she would die. In all honesty, I thought she would out live me. I have been taken a back at how sad I am and how much I now know I will miss her. She was the most independent woman I have ever known; set in her ways; not a touchy, lovey, dovey type; but you knew where you stood with her and she would tell you exactly how things should be. I admire the way she never second guessed herself (unlike me).
I remember as a child going to her house and always reaching for the red photo album that held pictures of her in her hot pants and go-go boots. She had gorgeous legs, and was quite a beautiful woman. I loved those pictures; when she passed I asked about them and no one knows where they are. I secretly think she destroyed them; she thought they showed a wild side of her, but I thought they showed a young woman, gorgeous, enjoying every moment of her life.
She worked hard her entire life and retired from the Arrow shirt company. She was an excellent seamstress and made many of my Mothers clothes. She was also an excellent cook; I think any one who knows me has at one point or another had a piece of “Granny Cake”. A few years ago my sister and I sat down with her in her kitchen; we were making Granny's Cookbook. We had so much fun listening to her stories and trying to write down the recipes, kind of hard when she would say, a pinch of this or a pat of that, but now whenever I look at the cookbook, I just have to laugh, knowing all the ingredients that she left out.....on purpose!! Sadly, there will never, ever, be another Granny Cake, she took that with her.
She sat Royally at every family dinner, sometimes taking her hearing aide out and pinching Kelsey (who always sat next to her ) telling her to let her know if anything worthwhile was said. She thought we all talked too much... She was classy, always dressed in her Alford Dunner and the latest fashion in shoes and handbag. I never saw the woman without lipstick except for the last time I visited her in the hospital. Even though she was only days away from passing on, she was flirting with the male nurse, telling him he was the best looking man she had ever seen, and him eating it up telling her, she was his favorite girl.
She drove her Park Avenue till she turned 90 years old, and worked a word search puzzle every day of her life, she read countless numbers of books, and played cards with best friends, Bertie and Gertie (no lie) twice a week, of course she was very competitive especially when it came to cooking! If you made something that everyone liked and raved over, she would go home and figure out how to make it better, then make it and call you up and tell you all about it. Most of my life I spent Christmas Eve at Granny's. Brunswick stew, cornbread, potato salad, barbecue, ham, and of course Granny's coconut and chocolate cake. She also did a killer chocolate pie, but my favorite was always the sweet potato pie. We would sit on the screened in porch at her old house and later as we grew in numbers piled into her living room at her new place. She was like a Queen holding court and opening all her gifts, half of which you knew she didn't like.
She was a perfectionist, her house so clean and organized you could eat off the floor. I actually tried to clean for her once and was promptly fired. She would frustrate the Pope if given the chance, but at the same time she was there for any sick friend or neighbor in need. She was a caregiver, true from the heart. I thought for many, many, years that she she just did not like me. I think I frustrated her, and I think she preferred my Sister, and of course everyone knew that my cousin, Jerry was her all time favorite. Not too long ago, before she was really sick, I stopped by to say hello. It was, of course, the wrong time because The Young and The restless was on, so there was little conversation and I could tell she wanted me to go. I stood up to say goodbye and she surprised me, she stood up, grabbed my arms and looked me right in the eye and said, "I really, really, do love you!" I will never forget it or how much it meant to me.
I can honestly say, I never heard her raise her voice, I never heard her sing. I did hear her words of advice that I have kept close to my heart, some that make me giggle to this day, and I did hear her many, many, times say how proud she was of her three kids, and how much she loved them. They taught us all the meaning of Honor thy Mother. They did it very well. I will miss this woman very, very, much, and I will think of her often. With the death of a family matriarch, I pray there will not be the death of a family. There will be no more Christmas Eves at Granny's, no more milestone celebrations in her honor, cousins will loose touch, an era will be gone..... Goodnight Geraldine, you left a beautiful legacy, your family. You will never be forgotten, and thank you for telling me you loved me.
