My Gram

My paternal grandmother died when I was twenty.  She fought cancer for several years, hard years.  I loved her but was overwhelmed by the situation, didn't know how to react, and was caught up in my own life.  She wrote me cards and letters over that time, and I always felt guilty that I was so bad at calling or writing her back.  I wasn't grown up enough to deal with her illness.  I had one wonderful visit with her during that time, and I treasure those memories.

Yesterday I got a bug to declutter, and went through old correspondence.  In it were all the cards and letters she wrote from that time, and earlier.  A rabbit-themed fold-out birthday card for my 19th birthday--she said "I know, I know, you're 19, but I couldn't help myself."  I loved that card.

Reading her writing now, with greater understanding and experience, is like having a conversation with her.  I read her thanking me for a quilt I made her, how it kept her warm and loved.  I read about the gifts I sent, with my mom's help, and I feel sure that she knew I loved her.  And still do.  I always mourned that we couldn't know each other as adults.  But I trust that I will see her again, with her red hair restored.

Eleanor,  Frank Weston Bensen, Wikimedia Commons

The card my Gram used most often

Post #301

I just noticed and thought it deserved a post.  That's a lot of project updates, random thoughts, and whatever else I write about.  I've been really bad at blogging lately, mainly because life has been hard.  I'm focusing on activities of daily living, which is what Social Security calls the stuff you need to do to get through the day.  They're all about limitations to your ADLs.

Eating, getting to medical appointments, and otherwise taking care of myself and the cats has been the main thing.  And keeping up with friends, mostly online but some in person too.  Things are going better this weekend, and I'm very happy about that.

I bought a new spinning wheel but don't have photos worthy of posting yet.  I'll need to move it into the sun--yes, Seattle's having real summer weather!  It's lovely.  And hot.  Ah well ;)  Take care everyone, and thanks for hanging in with me.

Vacation-Bible-School

Of any three incongruous words, these have to rank high on anyone's list. What kind of vacation involves bibles AND school?!? Yet each summer in the US, many churches run a week-long VBS and many parents send their kids. I suspect free childcare is at least part of the lure. Now, I believe in God and think it's a good thing for kids to be exposed to grounded spiritual beliefs (ie, no cults). But VBS doesn't sound like happy fun time to me. I was a kid who ran around, played with neighbors, biked to not-so-nearby towns, and generally had fun having fun all summer. There were chores, of course, but also plenty of free time.  School does not equal free time.

Perhaps because I'm a literal-type person, I find it very difficult to gloss over the phrase. Is it a school for vacationing bibles? Or a vacation for biblical scholars? Maybe the bible of school vacations? No matter what, I don't wanna.