My grandmother

I really am so in love with myself, and 've spent too much time in front of my mirror telling myself how wonderful I am that I decided today to get out and spread the love.

I took myself off to the nursing home to see one of the special people in my life. My 93 year old grandmother. She is one wild character and I proudly accept the fact that I most favor her in temperament and personality. Everything you see and read in this journal is indirectly her fault.

God we laughed and cried so much today. We talked about Holly Beach, Louisiana, she is the grandmother that we would vacation there every summer with, and we cried about the loss of it from Hurricane Rita.

She always would talk about going back and I said I would take her whenever she was ready. She would joke with me about finding a boyfriend there and her stealing him from me.

She is such a wise woman and she said through the tears that at least we have our memories. We held hands and prayed together. She is the person I get my strongest moral beliefs from. I feel such strong ties toward her because we are so much alike. I was not always a favorite grandchild of hers but I think she saw a lot of herself in me, which caused her much dismay. As I've matured, she has seen a different side of me. And I am so proud to call her grandmother.

We both love music and love to dance. They had a band at the nursing home yesterday. I wish I would have known. I would have danced with her. The last time we did that we had such a great time.

She said to me that she hopes when she gets older (like 93 't old and she also has a sister who will be 100 in April) that she doesn't want to be silly. I told her 's already silly. She's always been silly. Her sense of humor is so loved by everyone. She is so lively, and a trip to see her was just what the doctor ordered for me. She has a way of helping me count my blessings in life.

Naturally, I have to tell you about a conversation we had about a year ago. She felt that I was old enough at 46 for her to tell me certain things. She told me one time my grandfather went to his aunt's house and discovered them "doing it" standing up in the kitchen. She is giggling while she is telling me and thinks she is going to shock my senses with this information. She then informs me that she has never "did it" standing up.

She proceeds to ask me, "Sharlene, have you ever "did it" standing up?"

I said choking back the laughter, "Grandma, at 92, I think you are old enough for me to tell you, that, yes I have."

In French she says "Oh Mon Dieu!" (Which means Oh My God)

And me, being the imp that I am, looks down at her in her wheelchair and asks, "Have you ever "done it" in a wheelchair?"