Grammy

When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time in my grandma's jewelry box and closet. She had all these cool clip on earrings (she didn't get her ears pierced until her 60's!!!), fancy shoes and dresses, and the ultimate-a mink stole (which I wouldn't be caught outside in as an adult, as a kid, though: BEST. DRESS. UP. STASH. EVER.). I'd parade around Camelot (my grandparents house) in my finery and have tea parties in the back yard. My grandma made all these things happen for me.

In my teens, I didn't dress up anymore. But I still loved Grandma's house. There was always something peaceful about the place. I loved going to see the irises and daffodils bloom in spring or to sit on the lounge chairs and read a book. I still loved her jewelry, though. Turns out amid all of the gaudy costume stuff I had adorned myself with as a teenager were some truly priceless pieces.

One of those was a hand-knotted graduated pearl necklace. It's the kind that has one large pearl in the center that rests between your collar bones and then gets smaller on both sides as you go around to the clasp. I was allowed to wear it at the house sometimes and once even got to borrow it for a week. I loved that necklace. So imagine my surprise when on my 27th birthday, that necklace was inside my birthday present with the words "You're just so special." I still get all tingly thinking about it. And wearing them to my wedding as my something old (turns out my grandpa gave those pearls to my grandma as a wedding gift when they got married in 1948) was an absolute blessing. I find myself wearing them now when I am down or need to feel loved...works every time.

My grammy is one of the most wonderful women I know. She is kind, understated, and compassionate. She has a very strong sense of right and wrong and works hard to take care of all of us Augusts (and those who married in) in her own way. She won't say anything about someone if she can't think of something nice. She always looks beautiful. I just adore her.

I'm about to head over and see one of my heroes. I try to see her at least once a week (although it's been four since I saw her last) and I call her every few days. She's 87 and since my grandpa died almost two years ago, I am reminded that life is short and I won't have Grammy forever. However, I have her for now. And that makes my life better in too many ways to count.