To Grandmother's House We Go

All day on Thursday the clock moved significantly slower than usual, denying me the quick work day I was hoping for.  Friday was Veteran’s Day which meant 4:00PM on Thursday began my much needed three day weekend.

Around lunch time, my husband reminded me that we committed to helping my grandparents decorate for Christmas on Friday morning.  Humph.  I didn’t want to decorate for Christmas in the morning… I wanted to sleep until 9:00 and get up and make coffee and get back in bed with a warm mug.  I wanted to wear my pajamas until noon and watch movies I didn’t have time for. 

But to grandmother’s house we go.

Mammy and Papaw moved into their new- down sized- condo in May and Papaw is finally starting to remember where things are in the kitchen drawers.  The dementia is getting worse, but he still laughs and sings.  Even when he’s asked to take the garbage out to the garage and comes back ten minutes later- garbage bag in tow, and asks what he was doing with it- Mammy tries to stay patient. 

The whole town knows about Mammy’s Christmas decorations.  They probably don’t know that there was entire bedroom-sized closet that housed them all during the off season.  There used to be a Christmas tree in every room- even the bathrooms and kitchen.  Decorating for the holidays is a big deal- a lengthy, time consuming deal.

After her heart attack and stroke five years ago, her left side doesn’t work like the well-oiled machine she once was.  Her constantly shaking left hand makes simple tasks frustrating and deflating- including decorating for Christmas.  Knowing it would take her twice as long as usual, she decided to start extra early this year- que helpers.

What was once a tall, plump, beautiful tree is now a small, simpler, fiber-optic… sapling?  With Papaw still sleeping, Mammy sent Nick (my husband) outside with specific instructions to evenly disperse both blue and white lights in the bushes and up the vine growing on the porch.  That left the two of us to decorate the baby tree.  We unwrapped ornaments- colored bulbs, glittery snowflakes, glass balls, and shiny trimmings filled every flat surface in the living room as we pondered how we’d get it all to fit on the tree.

As we brought the little tree to life with color and light we laughed about how old some of the ornaments were.  My personal favorite- the set of 8 clear glass balls painted with a glittery white lacy pattern.  “We got those the year we were married.  They’ve always been my favorite.” 

We finished the tree just as Papaw woke up.  He greeted me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, his white mustache tickling my skin.  He offered Nick coffee… three times… and Nick responded each time as if it were the first, grateful for the offer.  Papaw didn’t even realize it was lunch time. 

Mammy was heating a pot of vegetable beef soup on the stove, and after smelling it all morning, I couldn’t wait to fill one of Mammy’s big blue bowls with steaming soup and slice myself a piece of hot bread.  As always, Papaw complimented her cooking.  Mammy reminded him that he was the one who chopped up all of the vegetables the day before and he didn’t have a good time doing it.  “Well what else was I gonna do with my time?”  he said, “count quarters?”  Whatever that means…

Papaw called me Lynette (my mom’s name) a few times- but corrected himself each time.  He calls Nick by a few different names… boss, big guy, partner, and my personal favorite- Ivan.  He claims he knows Nick’s name and he just likes the others for fun.  I suppose we’ll never know.

But today, I’m thankful he still knows my name.  I’m thankful he laughs at himself when he can’t remember where to take out the trash.  I’m thankful Mammy is patient.  I’m thankful for the glass Christmas ornaments with the lacy pattern.  I’m thankful for an old vegetable soup recipe, and to be able to enjoy it in good company.  I’m thankful for the way Papaw slurps his coffee.  I’m thankful for my husband’s caring heart. 

Most of all, I’m thankful to have grandparents who need their home decorated for Christmas.  What a perfect way to spend my day off.