From Gram to Gram

I am in Anchorage at present, sitting on the back patio of an amazingly put together European style hotel.  The patio opens up to a lake and then the mountain peaks of Anchorage.

On the flight in the gentlemen seated next to me, in our little sardine cans the airlines like to call seats, recommended a place called the Sea Galley, a place he said I had to eat.  On my return from the client at abut five this evening I was exhausted, and very hungry and so when I pulled into the hotel I ran in and asked the young lady at the front desk which of the restaurants listed on the GPS she would recommend and she picked the Sea Galley, so off I went.

As it turns out, Anchorage's Sea Galley is a cross between Jesse's Restaurant in Hanover, NH and The Old Pier restaurant in Newport, RI, two places I have spent many a night, or late afternoon, with two very unique and special people.  From the fresh bread and all you can eat salad bar, to the fresh Alaskan King crab legs and prime rib.  Oh, and I can't forget to mention the baked potato that I loaded with butter and sour cream just in case my cholesterol was getting a little low.

The cab legs were a suitable substitute for fresh lobster out of Narragansett Bay, and the meat, potato and salad, would have been complained about, but enjoyed immensely.  They may have well have been sitting there with me, oh how I wish they were.

Thank you again for getting this far with me.

A Rose By Any Other Name

Nini Rose.  Dr. Gamso.  Rosie.  Grannie.  Speed Racer.  Aunt Rose.  Rose.  Gram.  Mom.

They definitely broke the mold, or maybe there wasn't one at all, perhaps completely free form.

Roses.  Gardens.  Statues.  Frog.

Tuna Salad.  Sourer Kraut. Hot Dogs.  Ham and Swiss.  Omaha Steaks.

3 Day Coffee.  Neglected Dishwasher.  Yellow Plastic Placemats.  Orange Chicken.

Bagels on the deck.  Put out the cushions.  Fire up the grill.  Burgers and dogs.

Book after book after book.

5:00.  6:00.  7:00.  News, news, news.  

Westerns, mysteries, sad tales told on Lifetime television.  "This is so strange, so scary" "why don't you turn it off and get some rest" "maybe in a few minutes."

"Can't you stay for a few more days."  "You need to just rest for a few days."  "Be patient something better will come along."

A decade spent alone more than not.  A decade of taking chances.  No stairs.  People around.  No fall.

Many people had many views of the many sides of Rose, but Gram did not deserve to be this unhappy for this long, and without question did not deserve to reach the end in so much pain, and without her passion, communication.

I truly wish I could have been more convincing.  Even if just to have you around for a little while longer to have you look at one more time with your "you are crazy man" looks, and the exact words to match.

Farewell Gram.  I love you.  We all love you.  Mom loves you the most.

Thank you again for getting this far with me.