One New Years I came to Queens and

Grandma Ruth and Elijah











Grandma Ruth was playing the memory game with Muffy. I could not believe the change in this woman from the grandchildren to the great-grands. She and Muff were giggling and playing. Grandma Ruth enjoyed them to the utmost. She kept saying Muffy you are too smart for me. Elyse you are so smart showing me your math facts. Nettie you are such a sweet and smart girl and so on and so on. I said, where was that woman when I was growing up. She knew that I was surprised at her change with the little children.
They can be in the room, when I am talking to you. Pete and repeat, she would say, if there were something that she didn't want the children to hear.
It was a delight to see her grow old and become a really adorable great-grandmother to our children. She and I giggled that there had been many days that I would never darken her doorsteps because of her...(you know what). Meanness?
I bet Mom is just as sweet with her greats now. What a splendor to see 2010 and have generations following you, I bet?

When Ethan was born and she was on her way "home to glory". The smile on her face was amazing. Aunt Gail said that is the biggest smile I have seen on her in a long time. I thought I wouldn't live through that birth and the season that followed with sicknesses and death. Grandma kept saying how do you stand that all of these children look like Rosalee? How do you see that Grandma? She always looked underneath things. Things were never just on the surface with her.
Ben was talking with Uncle Charles one day and reminiscing of his fondness for Grandma Ruth. I was rolling my eyes still at his remembrances, even though I missed her. I didn't miss her lima beans. I had never tasted them, like he did. Uncle said, Ruth was trying to show the girls in her nonverbal way what it meant to take care of a man. I said Thank you Uncle for translating Grandma's sometimes crass endeavors to mold her grandchildren. When I think about it, that was what all of that cantankerosity was about?
I was a very mean second grader. Mrs. Peterson stood in front of the class, for religion and said to us. "Think of the meanest person you know?" She said if you keep practicing you are going to be just like that person. You have to pray and stop practicing being so mean. In those days, I used to kick the boys in the shins to make them chase me. I was really convicted and said, I am going to try to be nice and not as mean anymore. I will never forget that challenge. Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.





Who remembers the New Years Tourneys at Rykers Island?