“DECORATION DAY”

When I was a little girl I helped my Grandma Onie (Grandma Nott) decorate the graves at the cemetery.  We would pick “flags”, now known as Iris, and put them in canning jars and take them to the cemetery for each grave.  There weren’t many then.  Just my great-grandparents and some great-uncles…….but we decorated graves.

As the years went by it eventually became known as Memorial Day and when Grandma could no longer do the graves I took over for her.  I enjoyed seeing where people were buried that I had known.  There became more and more of them………and I kept decorating graves.

Memorial Day was a holiday for vacations too.  We nearly always went camping for the weekend.  That was the holiday, in 1958, when Papa had his terrible accident that they thought he would never survive.  But he did and we had many more holidays for making memories……and I kept decorating graves.

Then came the day when we lost Papa and we had one more grave to decorate……for some reason I was unable to continue decorating the rest so my past endeavors had to be sufficient…….I stopped decorating graves.

I continued to help Liss decorate Papa’s until this year when I didn’t return for the holiday.  I missed hearing his name called off with the other veterans who have passed….I missed visiting with old friends who had also gathered to pay tribute…….I missed the walk to Papa’s grave to sit on his stone for a few minutes…….I missed seeing how pretty the urn looked for the last time…….the beautiful Korean Lilac will be the decorations in years to come, as we had intended……..I missed the picnic afterwards…..I no longer decorated graves……

But I thought about Matt, Emma & Ethan sitting on Papa’s stone in my place and I smiled……a new tradition has begun…….and it’s a wonderful one……Papa and I are both happy about it.  All are welcome to sit on the stone and visit with him (us)……..and we continue to decorate his grave…..

Old traditions end and new ones begin, and that’s the way it should be……..nothing stays the same.

My love to all of you on this Memorial Day 2007, GG Jan

Chinese Freeze Tag

 Lori, Paulie, Matt, you have been tagged…..

 I am tagging Lori, it’s time to start a blog……and tagging Matt and Paulie, you all have to write 10 things about yourselves and send them to 10 other bloggers…….hopefully you know more bloggers than I do…….of course Matt has already done it……

Thanks Grandson Matt……..I have been tagged and am supposed to tell 10 things about myself and send my blog to 10 other bloggers…….HA, I dont know 10 other bloggers, but here goes……..

1.  I was born in Stockbridge, Michigan a  long, long time ago…..since then I have lived in Eaton Rapids, Munith, Stockbridge, Leslie and Tavares & Leesburg Florida……not bad for that many years.  I don’t know where or when my next move will be.  I have given it a lot of thought and nothing is clear at the moment…….

2.  I married young but it was the right thing to do and I had 56 wonderful (mostly) years with the love of my life……nothing is completely perfect but it was close. 

3.  I am very fortunate to have 3 wonderful daughters and their great husbands…….I am looking forward to visiting with all of them in June.  They are all very successful, thoughtful & loving people.  I think their father had a lot to do with them being that way.

4.  Now for the grandchildren, 8 of them.  The two eldest Kevin & Kyle live in Texas, I just heard that Kevin & Holly are building a new house in Fate, Texas……I am so excited for them.  Kyle & Cindy moved into their new home last year and I am looking forward to seeing both of them when Kevin has moved into his this fall.  Korey & Angie also have a new home in Michigan & Kimby is nearby in Ann Arbor and I will see all of them soon.  Matt lives in Georgetown, KY with his family (read his blog for all the detaiils).  Ben lives in Jackson but plans to move to Leslie when they get done renovating the house they are working on.  Adam & Drew are both in college.  Adam at Lawrence Tech in Southfield and Drew at Community College in Grand Rapids…….I am so proud of all my “Grands”…..

5.  Now for my “Greats”, there are 7 of them.  I just got new pictures of Travis, and have recent ones of Ryan and Mallory, what more could a great-grandmother ask for.  Then there are Haven, & Mason in Michigan and Ethan and Emma in Kentucky.  I look forward to seeing all of the Michigan and Kentucky ones in June, cant wait…..If no one minds I would like to think of Elizabeth Humphries as one of my greats too…….she is in Florida and I love babysitting her occasionally. 

6.  I keep myself busy with dancing mostly.  I have 2 or 3 lessons a week, sometimes a half hour each sometimes an hour.   Today we worked on the Tango and West Coast Swing.  There is a Showcase at the studio June 1 that I will be dancing in.  Today I went to see if my knee would be able to take it and I think I did OK.

7.  About my knee, I went to a new orthopedic doctor yesterday and he told me I do not have a torn ligament, I need a NEW knee.  Isn’t that great???  Not at all what I wanted to hear.  So, I am going the cortisone shot way to see how long I can prolong it.  What does my nurse grandson think about it?  Any opinion Korey?  I know it is going to happen, just not yet.  I may have the other one re-done at the same time.  Two of my friends have offered to stay with me when I get home from the hospital.  Carsons wife Kristin and my friend Roma.  One days and one nights.  I thought that was very nice…..

8.  I did not join the theater group this year, just wasn’t in the mood for acting I guess.  I do “Good Samaritan” work.  It involves taking people to the doctor etc., but only occasionally. 

9.  I went to the movies today, “Georgia Rule”.  It was not what I expected but was good.  I don’t like going alone.  I would like someone to hold hands with……but their hard to find.

10.  Now to wind this up…….I am going to Las Vegas June 7-11 for the first time ever.  Going to see “Mama Mia” and maybe “O”…..I am excited about the trip…….then June 26 I am flying to Michigan for a months visit.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone, including my stepmom Frances.  We are planning a trip to Turkeyville to see “Nunsense”…….a girls day out trip which of course includes a turkey dinner.

Emma’s Christmas Card From GG

I mentioned before how much I love the stories about things the ‘greats’ have said or done…..here is a good example of one that Matt sent to me…… 

“Wanted to tell you about Emma this weekend…

Ash had a speech tournament, so it was just me and the kids on Saturday.  She walked up to me with a Christmas card (don’t know where she found it), and said, “this is from Florida.”  I didn’t even know she knew what Florida was…she’s never been, and we talk about you, but I don’t remember specifically talking about Florida.  Anyway, I said, “It is?” and she said, “Yes, GG sent it to me.” “

A Word From GG JAN

This is my first experience with blogging (thanks to grandson Matt) and I want you to know my reason for doing it……I have many great-grandchildren, hence the name GG, and many more to come I am sure.  Some who will never know me personally…..and I want them to know something about me……and this seems a good way to do it…..of course the rest of my family might learn something about me too.

I want them to know how important family is to me, how much I love them, how each little story I hear about them is so important to me…..I tell and retell them to friends. 

I want them to know who my friends are, and how much they mean to me and how much they have done for me…….I want them to realize someday how important dance is to me and how much it has done for me, in so many ways……

Those are my reasons for doing this……

My love to all of my family but especially to the “greats”……..present and future……GG