Thursday, September 13, 2007

Death Day part deux

Well, my loyal readers, the title of this post may seem familiar as today is the 2nd Anniversary of my late Granny Nan's death. I wrote a post last year to tell about my Granny's death and so I again let you know I will be celebrating her death by thinking about her life.

I told Diana that I wouldn't be sad today and I am keeping that promise. I have heard of people reacting to the day of death as a day of mourning. I know that today is just another day in the lives of millions of people so me holding onto grief won't serve a purpose. So instead I will share a happy memory and carry that with me the entire day.

My Granny was a mean woman. I was constantly at her house and when I would bathe there, she had a ritual that haunts me to this day. I would sit in the tub for an hour taking a "bath", which means I would play with my Star Wars figures and my toy plane. I suppose you could say that I cleaned myself, but in truth I relied on the water to do the work.

Nan Vaughn always had different ideas. I had an inspection after every bath. I passed on almost everything except I always forgot to clean behind my ears. Who remembers that? I can't see or smell back there so what did I care? Well, Granny cared because as hard as I tried to convince her otherwise, she insisted on taking a wet rag and pretend the back of my ears were a pan with baked on grease.

She would pull my ear as far away from my head as she possible could and scrub until she could see pink. I don't know how dirty it was back there, but by the end of my torture session, I don't know how they could have been cleaner. I think back and wonder if there was ever any dirt back there at all or did she just enjoy messing with me. I guess I won't ever have the answer to that question, but truthfully, I don't want it.

So, if you have a minute and have ever met Nan Vaughn, just sit and think of her. She would have liked that.

That is all,

Newt

4 Ripples in the pond:

Addy's Daddy said...

Knowing Granny Nan, it was probably a combination of dirty & wanting to mess with you!

I think that last year I recounted the tales of Granny yelling at Grampa Pete, but this year I will recount a gentler memory. Close to the end of her life, Jess & I went to pick up a washer & dryer she was selling to us & of course it was a requirement that we sit & talk for awhile. Well, Granny always wore these night coat things all the time, like a dress with bottons all the way up the front. Well, she sat in Grampa Pete's old chair to talk to us & the whole time, she kept flipping the corners of her dress over her knees like a little girl (she also had little clips to keep her short hair down like a little girl's). It is a image & memory that I always think of when I think of Granny & one of the first things that Jess & I both thought of when we heard that she was sick & had passed. I miss you so much, Granny Nan!

Trinity said...

Yep, she was a fidgeter.

Anonymous said...

dad said
we had hardwood floors in the house & they were granny's pride & joy.at work,i get to relate my memory of granny to customers looking at hardwood floors.i still remember granny would get on her hands & knees every saturday with a rag & a paste wax in a yellow can(i can't believe i can't remember the name of that wax!)shining her floors.i never heard her complain about this & i can't remember a time she made us kids do this chore.sorry girls,they just don't make em like that anymore.anyway,i knew granny would be the reading this post & i thought this would be a good way to let her know i think about her a lot & miss her.

Anonymous said...

When your Children come into your future you will beable to tell then about your granny and they will know her through your love of her. Jessica's Big Gramma loved her so much and she would so proud of her now. As I am sure your granny is so very proud of you for how your life is going.