Today in Michigan

52 degrees outside in Michigan on June 7, 2013. Is this summer? Not by my standards.  It is what it is however and will not change for me no matter what I do.  Instead of moaning though, it is time to get on with things.  Bought a coffee table, put it in the cottage and it looks great.

Now on to meaningful things. It has been a week since my grandmother, Esther, died. She was 98 and went quickly and peacefully.  It is the end of an era, she was kind, thoughtful and the most non-judgmental person I know.  Parents love their children without reservation, but grandparents have a special role in their grandchildren's lives.  I know my grandma loved me, and I sure know I loved her.

She left school in the 8th grade and went to work on a farm as a domestic. She eventually became a cook and what a cook she was.  Home cooking was her speciality, pot roast, turkey, potatoes and baking all the baking, yum.

I get my love of handwork from her, she could crochet, make jewelry, quilt and sew clothing. My grandmother had patience and a certain stillness that never left her.  I always loved sitting with her and watching her work, she taught me her love of handwork and I have the same love.  She always said she would have liked to knit, but never could learn. I always knew she could have learned, but she was too busy living her life.  I only made her one thing, it was a pink shrug that kept the cold air off her back and neck. She wore it and liked it, but it kept growing and I wasn't around to make it smaller.  I have it now and will always know that when I wear it she is hugging me and I hope when she wore it she knew that I was hugging her.

It is funny the things you remember about people when they pass away. I remember the taste of her pineapple upside down cake, and playing Scrabble with her.  In the first game I remember playing with her she used the word teat, how we laughed.  She beat us with the smallest words in the best places, and she taught us to cover the whole board for the good of the game and not for our personal score.

I guess that sums her up, she taught us that even when playing a game we should make sure everyone was having fun and had a chance to win.  I'll always remember the things about her that made her uniquely her.