Grandma's 94th Birthday

Lots of friends and family showed up for Grandma's birthday party, even though it wasn't intended to be a big bash like the one we threw at the community center on her 90th. She got lots of kudos and little gifts at church that morning then came home to a houseful and lots of food. It wasn't a surprise however. In fact, though she'd been told she didn't have to fix a thing, she'd made dumplings (which she just calls noodles, and of course she makes them from scratch), creamed corn, baked yams, and a huge cherry cobbler. Besides all the immediate family, Grandma also invited a few other friends and some distant relatives nearby. One of her cousins is 80 and I swear Grandma looks more like 80 and he looked more like 94. She's a true wonder, I tell ya.

Just a reminder that at 94, Grandma still lives in her own house and pretty much does her own thing. She's busy all the time with visitors. I mean, she knows everyone in the county and all their relatives, past and present, and people like to drop in to say Hi. She played the piano at church the Sunday before because she's the backup for the regular pianist who had to be away. She still writes the occasional obit for the local paper, not just for relatives, but because the newspaper asks her to for folks who haven't had anyone else step up to do it.

Grandma also keeps up with current events and TV shows and such. Just mention anything going on right now and she can talk intelligently about it, giving a well-informed opinion and a heap of common sense related to the event. She actually shocks me when we channel flip into a sit-com or such and she can identify characters on sight, as well as laugh about her favorite episode.

So, when I brag about Grandma being alert and active, I ain't kiddin'. She may be physically old but she's still motoring around on her own two feet, cooking like always, and smart as a whip with memory better than anyone else I know even on their good day.

I ended up on a road trip with Grandma, Mom & Dad. She needed to come back with us after her birthday so she could go to pick up new glasses and have them adjusted. It's about an hour and a half ride over the river and sundry hills and dales, past farms and such. Mom was noting all the high points, like stock animals and all their babies out right now. There are some unusual farms along the way, with goats or llamas or even buffalo, but seeing as how it's horse country, one might have expected to see some colts follicking in the fields. Mom actually said, "Hm, you'd think there would be some colts out today." and Grandma said, "Well, I haven't seen any horses, so chances are there won't be many colts." In fact, she cracked little funnies all along the trip. I sure hope I'm that quick-witted at 94! The truth is, she actually told some real jokes and I can't remember them to tell you what they were! sheesh