Grandma Mitchell

My Grandma is here visiting again and I made sure to take a picture this time for posterity's sake.  This is my dad's mom, my only Grandparent I have left.

I never knew my mom's dad, he had a heart attack before I was even born.  He was a Farmer and his wife, my Grandma Nettie, I was very close to & even lived with for a few months (another post).  She was always smiling, so warm and loving.  Her kitchen oven had a roast, bread or cookies coming out at any given time.  She passed away while I was living in Hawaii 17 years ago.

So my Grandma Mitchell at 88 years old is the sole survivor.  Her husband Tom passed away about 2 years ago, he was 94.  My Grandma lives on the bottom floor of my Aunt Dawn Marie's home in Utah.  My Aunt Dawn works and travels a lot, her kids are grown, and since my Grandpa died Grandma is often alone.

She may be old, slow and have poor vision but she makes the effort to come visit, she says it's too quiet at her house.

This is funny because growing up she got after us a lot for doing what kids do, make noise.  Now she can't get enough of the noise and thinks all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are just wonderful.

My Grandparents used to own a camper and would drive out to California every year to come visit.  Us kids loved climbing into the camper, playing cards, having a treat or just pretending to drive.  My Grandparents were not Mormon and drank coffee every morning.  I loved that smell.  I still do.

My Grandma has come to visit often lately and cries every time she leaves, wondering if it might be her last visit.

I wasn't always close to my Grandma Mitchell.  I still remember some of the cutting remarks she made to me through the years.  I can only assume she didn't have a warm, nurturing relationship with her own parents.  Her father was a heavy drinker but she says her mother was an angel.  My Grandmother's name is Jeannette & had one sister Marie, just like my sister and I are named.   Now she lavishes praise on me about my cooking, parenting & what great kids I have.  I'll take it.

She has also found God somewhat.  She let's the ladies from the LDS church where she lives visit her and goes to church with us every time she's here.

Her body may be breaking down but her mind is sharp and she is constantly apologizing for being  a burden.

It is work, and you definitely have to slow down to a snails pace when walking with her but it's nice to be loved, and she does that extremely well.