An Independent Lady

My Grandma Light, my mom’s mother was a very independent lady.

My Dad always said she didn’t especially like men. But she delighted in me when I was little. She showed me off like a prized pig to all her card playing buddies. I made the rounds with her to all the Canasta parties and ate sugar cookies till I was sick. I remember sitting on a chair next to her and watching her play cards, all the while she was bragging on me as if I was an Einstein.

Grandma laughing about something

When I was little my Grandma Light lived by herself in a little house in Gildford, that my Great Grandpa Crites had originally built. She rarely smiled let alone laughed and I’m amazed we have a picture of her really laughing. She’d had a pretty tough life, but I never heard her complain.

My Grandma by her house in Gildford

In her later years she moved to Havre and lived with my Aunt Francis Welte. On her 89th birthday I went to take my Grandma for a ride in the car. We drove to the Bear Paw Mountains out south of Havre. After the drive I went to her side to help her out of the car and I offered my hand after I’d opened the door. She looked at me and stated flatly “I’ll Do It Myself!” 89 years young and still independent. Bless her heart. These are the people I learned from.

“I’ll do it myself!”

I still like sugar cookies, but I haven’t been to a Canasta party for a long time. Miss you bragging on me Grandma…