ALMOST HOME

I'm sitting in the airport, waiting for my connection flight back home. Lori, Rachael and I had so much fun hanging out with Grandma Annie, even if we were in the hospital the whole time. Grandma Annie developed quite a reputation in the two weeks she was there. The doctors, nurses and therapists really favored her over any other patient. I can't count how many people pulled us aside to tell us how sweet our grandma was and what a riot she can be. There was one patient there who told Lori and I that Grandma Annie is the only other patient there that said hello to him, and she did so every time she saw him. It was obvious that it meant a lot to him that she was kind. One of the physical therapists told me that when she first got there, she was sitting at her table to eat and was having a hard time feeding herself so the patient next to her kept staring at her. He said that after awhile she must have had enough because she looked at him and said "don't you have somewhere to be?" That cracks me up, because I would have said something too, only I wouldn't have waited so long to do so. Grandma, much like the rest of the family has no filter on her mouth and never fails to shock you. Grandma was telling me the stories about how much trouble she had trying to get pregnant when she was younger, when she shocked me once again; she said "but Helen... all her husband had to do was hang his pants on the bed post and she'd get pregnant!" She is a crazy old lady. She told us that all of us grand kids and our kids and our husbands have to sing a song together at her funeral, and she wants her casket heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. She spends a couple of weeks in rehab and she knows everyone in the hospital. That's so like Shannon; to be friendly with people and try to make friends even though you know the friendships will never go anywhere past rehab. Lori and I think we make better northerners because it's not natural for us to be overly friendly with people, like in line at the grocery store or in casual passing. We prefer to mind our own business and stick to what we came to do rather than make friends. I gave a nice, friendly southerner a tiny taste of northern hospitality this morning. It wouldn't have phased a northerner, but probably forever changed this poor girl. We went to Panara Brea*d for coffee and they didn't put a lid on Lori's cup because it was overflowing with foam. When I tried to do so myself, foam spit into the air and all down the side of the cup and all over the counter... (but it had to be done). The lady was like "yeah, that's why I didn't put a lid on it" I was like "yeah, well I'm going in the car, I don' t have a choice but to put a lid on it." In a very genuine voice she responded with a "sorry". I felt a little bad that she had to be subjected to our way of life, but I can't be as nice as they are forever, it was bound to wear off sooner than later. I sure did like that everyone was really nice to us though! I like Oklahoma, I think I might go back!