Grandma Adele

My sweet Grandma Adele died this past week. She had colon cancer that spread to her liver. I went to see her a few weeks ago and was amazed at how good she looked, at what a good attitude she still had about life and dying. She was very matter of fact about leaving this life, very optimistic...in fact, she got rather upset if anyone even tried to be sad or cry. The day she found out that she had cancer and had two months to live, her response to us all was that she was going to go home to eat all her favorite foods...and she didn't want anyone "boo hooing" about it! Even so, I found myself shedding numerous tears over the past few days as I've thought about Grandma Adele.

I think of Grandma Adele and think of color. She always wore the most colorful, fun clothing and big jewelry. In fact, my sister Katie purposely wore a bright pink skirt and big pink hoop earrings to the funeral in Grandma's honor. She had a cabin in Star Valley called "Twice Glad" that was on a golf course...which meant that on most summer days you could see her riding around in her bright pink golf cart.

She loved to garden. "It has been mostly rainy weather up here, but we have had a few good days mixed in. Enough good days to get 14 flats of flowers planted...it's going to be real pretty. We have loads of daffodils, tulips and other spring flowers blooming now...next will be the gorgeous iris and peonies and after that all the flowers we have planted should be blooming. This morning a darn moose was about to tramp through the flower beds but Alphie barked him away...boy does he think he is tough. I am sure if the moose had turned around he would have made tracks for the patio. He really thinks he has the upper hand with the squirrels but they just look down on him from the railing and then run up the path like "catch me if you can"...I do believe."