martinimade

I'd intended to write a much longer post. Then I spent the better part of an hour trying to get the rassinfrassin scanner to work so that I could scan this picture. Then I decided to cut my losses and just take a picture of the picture, which is a silly way to solve the problem, admittedly. Then I realized that the afternoon had just flown by and that there is still so much I need to do. And, so, the short version.

I brought two things back with me from my grandmother's funeral. 

My grandmother is on the left. My great-grandmother, the one after whom my daughter is named, is on the right.

Speaking of said daughter, when she saw the picture, she mentioned how much I look like my great-grandmother. She isn't wrong. My husband pointed out that women were tiny on that side of the family. He also isn't wrong. My grandmother was 5' tall at best. Her mother was about the same. I am a giant, which must have come from the other side of my family. And my daughter seems to be taking after her namesake in terms of height.

After the service, the assembled family all went to lunch, as one does. This picture (and others that must have been taken on the same day) were passed around. My great-grandmother isn't smiling in any of them, nor have I ever seen a picture where she looks anything other than dour. Those who remember her, however, remember a remarkably warm and funny woman. And so it goes.

My uncle also gave me this. It has been passed from my great-grandmother to my grandmother to me. And, eventually, to Maddy. I get a little weepy just looking at it, frankly. While my religious beliefs aren't aligned with what it signifies, my soul aches a little when I think about who had it before me. It's a treasure beyond words.

Our cat McGregor has a few words for you, though. 

Almost all of them involve you turning off that damn light so he can go back to sleep.