Good night

I was closing the shop tonight when my cousin called me to tell me my Grandmother had just died.
My Grandmother was a strong strong woman; a real matriarch. She insisted that your glass was more than half full. I don't mean that she thought *her* glass was more than half full, I mean, everyone's glass was more than half full. She had no time for complaining or pessimism. She would have none of it.



Once when we were kids she took my brothers and I out to eat, she told us we could order anything we wanted, as long as we ate it. Anything? Yes, of course, anything. You just have to eat what you order because it is a shame to waste food. My little brother, who was exceptionally little then, ordered waffles and a rootbeer float. For DINNER. I think my older brother ordered two pieces of apple pie. I don't know what I had. I cannot remember. But I remember enjoying the wreckless look on thier faces. "Look at US! We are eating WHAT EVER WE WANT!"
She was always fair. There were no favorites.
She was a Minnesotan. And all of the 'love of snow', 'love of summer', 'go play outside' that went with it.

I will miss her dearly. I wanted her to be at my wedding.
I will endeavor to just go on and take the fierce, wonderful, POWER that she passed down, and be graceful about the end of her life.