Gertrude

There’s a lot going on right now. Precious Youngest graduates from high school soon. Precious Oldest is coming up on finals in mid-May and then she’s leaving for Europe with a friend for a month. My parents are in final negotiations to buy a house a ¼ mile from me.

But I’m really thinking about Nana these days.

These are pictures from last Thanksgiving just days before she turned ninety three.



Here she is surrounded by most of her great-grand children.








I love this picture – note her eating cheese and crackers AND drinking a nice glass of red wine.








The last few years her eyesight has not been great and her hearing was very poor but her mind was sharp as ever. You did NOT want to take that woman on in Rummikube; she’d kick your ass.

On April 2nd my mother and I went to see the apartment where we planned to move Nana. We mentally arranged her furniture. We admired the view of the garden from the window. We put down a deposit. Her assisted living facility was going to be less than ten minutes away from our homes.

I know this timing is probably for the best. Less stress for all involved. I believe in the end she let go, she was ready to leave. But I have to tell you, it’s a little sad nonetheless.