Stare
Posted on January 25, 2012 2:35 pm under Grandma Tidbits
Tags: Three Word Wednesday | 8 Comments
“Don’t stare.” my mother told me.
For two weeks, I had hugged the news close to my heart. Grandpa was coming to live with us. The day had finally arrived and my father had left to fetch him. Soon the car crawled up the drive and my feet ached to run and greet him. My mother’s hand restrained me and my mind filled with confusion. Why couldn’t I look at Grandpa?
In the weeks that followed, the admonishment was repeated. Don’t stare at the food dribbling down Grandpa’s chin. Don’t stare at his lumbering walk or fumbling fingers. Don’t stare. I longed to spend time with him, to sit nearby, to look at his beloved face, to listen and be heard. Don’t stare.
Read more »
What’s In A Name?
Posted on December 6, 2011 1:33 pm under Grandma Tidbits
| Comments are off
Do you have trouble remembering names? I have struggled with this for years. I rarely forget a face. I can tell you how many children a person has, their favorite color and where they went to elementary school. Their name will evade me. It happens with folks I havent’ seen in a while and those I saw yesterday. Once I tried to introduce a coworker with whom I had worked closely for several years. His name instantly disappeared from my head and he had to introduce himself. He thought it was hilarious. My sense of humor was strained.
Disability Hindsight
Posted on November 17, 2011 3:25 pm under Grandma Tidbits
| 2 Comments
How long could you live without a paycheck? I never wanted to find out.
Although my employer paid for long-term disability insurance, the benefit wouldn’t fully replace a lost paycheck. Employees could pay for an option to increase the benefit and I felt it made sense. My health was good and I rarely missed a day of work, but my income provided a home for four generations. That extra deduction from my paycheck provided us with a secure financial future. Or so I thought.
When a virus caused permanent heart damage and strokes followed surgical intervention to save my life, I was even more thankful that I had made that small investment. Becoming permanently disabled was hard enough. I didn’t need to worry about finances.
Read more »
The Sensitive Type
Posted on September 23, 2011 11:47 am under Grandma Tidbits
| Comments are off
I’m allergic to metal. The sensitivity began to manifest when I was in my teens. Gold chains left a ring of rash around my neck. I switched to silver. That worked for a while, but by the time I was in my twenties, it also triggered a reaction. The allergy is hardly life threatening, but it certainly is annoying. It appears if the hooks of my bra rub against my back. Metal framed glasses are out. Resting my arm against a metal trimmed car window, created a rash that extended from my wrist to my elbow. Surgery requires stitches instead of staples. The list is endless. Read more »
Late Bloomer
Posted on September 13, 2011 12:40 pm under Grandma Tidbits
| 1 Comment
I was 36 years old before I owned my first pair of jeans.
I grew up in a conservative community and the local stores didn’t carry women’s jeans. Girls with narrow hips could wriggle into mens jeans, but those things would never fit over my thighs. Besides, nice girls didn’t wear jeans. My mother even made me read a pamphlet entitled “Why Nice Girls Don’t Wear Jeans”. It was authored by some monks. Guys, who ran around in robes, were giving fashion advice? Read more »
