Marmee

Marmee-an amazing woman and my loving grandma. She lived on her own in this house on the hill up until earlier this year when she had some health problems. I have so many fond memories of Marmee and 600 Woodland Avenue. I remember traveling up to Grove City as a kid to celebrate Christmas with all of dad's family. The house was so big that we all could stay there and wake up together on Christmas morning. I remember playing in the barber chair in the nursery, yes there is a real deal barber chair in the playroom/nursery! I remember Marmee popping her bridge out of her mouth to joke with her grandkids. I remember going into the bathroom that's off of the kitchen and looking at all of Marmee's beauty products in there. I have so many more memories floating around my head about this place, this house, this amazing woman.......

Unfortunately, Marmee is getting older. She just had surgery in order to remove cancer from her breast. She now lives in a nursing home and the family is selling her house. She knows some of her kids some of the time when they come to visit. She went from being the outspoken hysterically wise woman to being a woman of very few words because she doesn't understand or remember what you are talking about. I am so glad that September, Morgan, the girls and I took a road trip up to see Marmee earlier this year to see her. It was bitter sweet because that's when I realized that the Marmee that I grew up with was fading away. But it was so sweet to see her in person and visit with her even if she didn't know who I was. Marmee is the kind of woman that you just want to be around. She has such a loving caring spirit and it's just nice to be around. She always has amazing stories about the past to share.
As I said, her kids are working on getting the house ready to sell. Dad wanted to give all of us some things that we can remember Marmee by. Marmee had two stain glass windows in her kitchen. One of watermelons and the other of strawberries. Dad brought me the watermelon one! It's the perfect gift to remember Marmee and that house! I hung it in my kitchen (with Jerm's help) this morning. Every time I walked into the kitchen and saw it in the window I just smiled as great thoughts of Marmee went through my head. Dad also brought me some china and cookbooks among other things.

Here's dad visiting with Marmee on his last morning before he left the burgh to drive back to Florida. He said he had a hard time leaving because she was having such a good morning. She was talkative and responsive. Maybe he caught a little glimpse of the old Marmee....
Watching loved ones get old stinks but at least we have memories to keep us smiling.

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