Visit With Grandma

[I want to take this opportunity to wish my younger brother Gary, aka The Enforcer, a happy 54th birthday since today, April 7th, is his birthday, and I forgot to send a card. Hea, he's got $10 of my money though since he won his son's NCAA bracket tourney. Since he's retired from GM, I imagine he'll spend today feeding the ducks at the park across the street; or heating up glass of warm milk, wrapping himself up in a comforter and watching Matlock. Happy birthday, bro!]

My grandma moved into assisted living over a month ago. This took some convincing because even though she is 97-years-old, she remains fairly strong-willed. Moving out of the home she had lived in for over 50 years wasn't easy, even if it was rather lonely there since my grandfather had passed away about ten years ago.

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I visited my grandma in her new home after the move. The house where is staying in now used to belong to the rock star Madonna's family. Remember, Madonna lived in Bay City for a time during her youth. So now I can say I spent time in Madonna's bedroom for what it's worth.
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Not sure how many senior citizens live in this particular home but it seemed like maybe seven or eight. Grandma has a bedroom by herself with a view of a park across the street out front. She says she used to pick tomatoes in the field there when she was just a girl. Now the farms are all gone in this part of town.

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It seemed like all the residents there had their own reclining chair in the living room and a walker to get around. I felt as if I were in some video game, ducking aside while the residents passed by me with their walkers. Sort of like being in a live version of Pac-man game in slow time.

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Anyway, there was not much in her room when I visited: her bed, a rocking chair, a nightstand, a dresser and a few pictures around was what I recall. The picture I uploaded here was one of them. My dad took the original photo for me from grandma and gave her back a copy. I don't remember ever seeing that picture of me playing the accordion, but then again my memory probably isn't much better than grandma's if it's better at all.

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That's my grandma on the drums, grandpa and my uncle playing the saxophone. Of course, that picture was taken at least 30 years ago. But I like it because I look rather fit there, don't I? And it's nice having a picture of me and grandma playing music together. She really did play the drums too.

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When I visited with grandma last, she entertained me with the usual stories, tales about her family, about her visits to the doctor, about her youth. I think she embellishes at times. But, hea, I do here on my blog too. She probably figures nobody's the wiser. I know I do.

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Too bad grandma can't make it to my son's wedding coming up next month. I'm practicing my accordion so I can play a few polkas at the reception. My dad is practicing his saxophone. I believe my brother Gary is going to join us up on stage. We did have to find a drummer. My nephew Billy is going to volunteer there. It'll be just like the old days. Well, not quite but almost.

[Pardon the elipses, the . . ., as Blogspot seems to be messing with my formating today]