Enjoying the Twilight

[f4f3]

Not long back from visiting my Gran. She's 87 now. Lives on her own, on the 12th floor of a tower block which overlooks the street where she was born, and the church in which she got married. It overlooks my Grandpa's place of birth too, and, although she doesn't mention it as often, the hospital where he died, 20 or so years ago.
Her short term memory is just about gone now. She mentioned how blue the sky was at least half a dozen times in the brief time I was there. But she remembered my name, she knows her way around the kitchen (although I forced her to let me make her a cup of tea), she plays bingo in the tennants' hall downstairs, and makes her way to and from the shops. She remembered that my parents first house was in Maryhill, 45 years ago.
She was really pleased to see me, and pleased that she got my name right. She remembers my brother and sister, and her grandchildren.
"No bad for 87," she said.
I replied, without thinking, "Aye, well, you deserve it." Just the sort of anodyne thing a grandson would say. I meant it - she worked until she was in her sixties, raised a family, had what was by any standards a life of poverty growing up, she lost a son to a road accident, and my Granda was a bad man in drink (or so I've been told - he stopped before I was born. He never talked about AA, respecting that tradition, but I heard something about it through my mum).
"Well I've tried never to do anyone any harm" was her reply.

I was a wee bit humbled by this bird-like old woman.

Comments

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

She sounds like an indomitable lady. I wish her well. :)

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

She does seem to have outlived 85% of the buildings around her home :)

[fugney.livejournal.com]

Your granny sounds lovely, but these are the sort of things that make me afraid to grow too old. But then again, I would like to the dawn of the 22nd century....

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I think she heartens me, instead of making me fear age. Mostly becuase she's still happy, I guess, and still surrounded by those who love her.

And I bucked the life-expectancy of most of history by making 2000. 2100 is an interesting challenge, though.