My Grandma

My grandma died today. I haven't seen her in a few years. She had Alzheimers. My last visit with her (and her roommate, Myrtle, who also had Alzheimers) is a favorite memory of mine. My grandma knew who I was and remembered Henry too. She and Myrtle talked and talked, sometimes about the same things over and over, not realizing they were repeating themselves.

One of my favorite parts of that visit was that Myrtle kept asking Henry if he was from Canada (he was wearing an "I Am Canadian" shirt.). After about the 10th time she asked Henry the question, my grandma said "For heaven's sake Myrtle, quit asking him the same question!"

My grandma did all kinds of great grandmotherly stuff. Here are some of my favorite memories:
- picking green beans with Grandma in her HUGE garden
- watching Grandma crochet while the Wheel of Fortune or Family Feud was on TV
- eating Grandma's chicken soup
- at Grandma's house we got WHITE bread and we could put SUGAR on our cereal
- eating Grandma's chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the freezer
- going to "The Green Farm" for Christmas each year
- playing in the hay loft at "The Green Farm"
- playing with the barbie and other doll clothes she meticulously sewed for us
- the thick blanket Grandma crocheted for me for my high school graduation gift
- going to church really early, Grandma passing us a mint from her handkerchief, and then leaving church right away to go home and have a REALLY yummy meal

I keep thinking of more, I'll add them later.

Gertrude Jeanette Kempema Blankespoor
1921 - 2006