Visiting Grandma Murphy

Dad and I went to visit Grandma Murphy on Mother's Day. She's here, just off Route 9 in Hadley. Pat and Art were there, too, and Claire and Rob were due to arrive later. It's a nice place with sunny windows, a lot going on, and a couple of fat cats wandering in and out of the rooms. There's also a piano.

Grandma is SO much better than last time we saw her. She's alert and interested in everything and on the ball. She's happy.

She sang a bunch of songs with Dad. She remembered the words to some of them and read the words to some more in a popular-songs book that Claire gave her.

While we were there, she got visitors from her church-- a mother and daughter who had come to bring her some gifts: some flowers, a potted marigold, and a Mother's Day card handmade by the daughter.

They also brought her a certificate for an award she'd been given by the church's Friendship Circle. She is one of their "Distinguished Women of the Year."

She was pretty thrilled. And I think she's pretty doggoned distinguished, too. Let's hope we can all be this resilient and positive when we reach her stage of life. Grandchildren, if and when you are anywhere near Hadley, go for a visit. Bring your friends and/or significant others. And if you want a gift suggestion bring her a recent photograph of yourself. She has a bulletin board full of pictures of her grandchildren, hung so she can see it from her bed. She has a picture of the Earlville Murphies, but it's pretty far out of date. New ones would be great.