I've been able to spend some time with my precious Maw in Law. I am a terrible daughter in law and don't call her nearly enough but she loves me all the same. She is seventy five years young and a HOOT! She is a talented artist and avid gardener. She has a six foot high privacy fence surrounding her back yard that she built by herself. Her back yard has two huge Koi ponds that she dug herself. She rides around St. Augustine collecting bricks, rocks and broken bits of concrete that she has lined her ponds and many walkways with. She has a vegetable garden, roses, flowers and plants every where and even built a large gazebo in her front yard. She is not a very good house keeper and is the first one to admit this but lives alone with her four dogs, three cats and thus far none of them have complained. Her house isn't a wreck... just in need of good powerful leaf blower instead of vacuuming. It's just not important to her. What's important to her is her art, her animals, her gardens and ponds.
She used to live in Sacramento and the first time I met her was when Tim and I spent our honeymoon in California. We flew into San Francisco and worked our way up the coast for a week. She and Tim went somewhere for the day and I stayed at the house. I decided to surprise her and while they were gone spent a good six hours cleaning her house. I did it all...living room, kitchen, bathrooms, windows and mirrors. I dusted and vacuumed. I mopped the kitchen floor and scrubbed the bathroom floor.The dogs all followed me around like they thought I was robbing the place.
Tim and Betty got back from their excursion and came in with groceries for dinner. Betty set out to cooking and we chatted with her and drank some wine. We ate, and I helped clean up after dinner. We sat outside for bit and talked, went inside and watched a little TV and then turned in for the night.
Betty never even noticed that I had cleaned her house! (and I never mentioned it...except to Tim)
Tim and I still laugh about that. That's just Betty...and that's one of the many reasons I love her.
She is getting older, paid her dues... has her priorities and being a neat freak ain't one of 'em.
When we visit now, she comes to the place where WE are staying. (I'm not cleaning again) She has come over most every night this week after we get home from the beach. I have shown her pics of all her kids and grand kids on Facebook, videos of Massey when she was on guard, funny things on youtube we thought she would (and did) like and just sat around talking.
She doesn't wear a lick of makeup, her fingernails are usually grimy from gardening , hauling rocks or building something. In other words..."She's MY kinda girl!"
She had cancer a few years back and had one breast removed. She makes no attempt to hide it and always looks lopsided in her baggy shirts. She is the most loving unpretentious humble person I have ever met. I am very lucky to have such a great Maw in Law...especially because I am most certain to be exactly like her in twenty three years. (If I'm lucky)
She has two sons that live down here in St. Augustine and they sometimes get on to her about the way she is. It doesn't phase her, it doesn't hurt her feelings and certainly hasn't changed her way of thinking or living.
Quite frankly, I think if a woman shoots six children out of her vagina, she should have a free pass for life!
I have made myself a promise to keep closer in touch with this dear sweet eclectic and yes.. crazy lady who I love dearly.
My baby girl left today. I was sad but excited for her adventure. Tomorrow is our last full day. I am thinking about setting the alarm for six and being in my beach chair in time for the sunrise and refuse to get up until the sun sets behind me.
A big thank you to every one that helped us get here. Friends and family who have vigilantly been by our side for the past few years. People who have supported us...sometimes quite literally and people who have simply encouraged me every painful step of the way.
Seems with help from you all and blessings from The Big Guy upstairs, we've turned that corner. We can breathe, we can answer the phone again, we could take this delightful trip.
"Love is all around no need to waste it.You're gonna make it after all."
Til next time...COTTON
PS...The last line I borrowed from the Mary Tyler Moore Show theme song (just sayin)
1 comment:
Post a Comment