Thursdays with Granny

THURSDAYS WITH GRANNY

My grandmother, 97 year old Clarice Montgomery, is a sometimes
grumpy, sometimes childish, sometimes
mean but always lovable woman who is also
ALWAYS thrilled when I visit her in her nursing home.

When I get there for my irregular visits, she says without fail, “Oh
Brad! I was hoping you would come today.” And happily, she is
always willing to laugh at my jokes. (Well… nearly always.)

During my most recent visit I realized how smart she can be. Who
needs TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE? I’ve got Thursdays
with Granny. On this last visit it was a dreary,
yucky, clowdy wet day in my home town of Denver. It was one
of those depressing days that makes you want to stay home in
bed with a good novel. Ok, I’ll say it; the day sucked.

She and one of her aides told me about how earlier that day
they got their coats on, and went for a “roll” (Granny’s in a
wheel chair) outside in the weather. Yup, you heard that
right. My 97 year old matriarch went out to play in the rain.

I tried a joke. “Did you jump in the puddles?”

“Yes.” But it was clear that this wasn’t what she wanted to
tell me and that my humor was just in the way. She told me
about the smells, the sounds and the feeling of the air. “It
was wonderful, Brad. Just wonderful.” And by the dreamy
look in her eyes — something I’m NOT used to seeing from
this no-nonsense woman — it was clear that it WAS wonderful.

I felt like an idiot. I was rushing round doing errands, one of
which was visiting my granny. She was just another thing to
“check off” my list. I was having trouble enjoying the day; I was
having trouble being in the moment. And granny was waxing
poetic on a short trip into inclement weather.

Yup, Granny is pretty smart. But on that day she was brilliant.

Thanks Grandmother! Love you!

(Now I gotta go put on my galoshes.)
Brad Montgomery
Youngest Grandson of Clarice Montgomery