My Grandmother is dying.
Everyday she loses a piece of herself. Bit by bit her life is being taken from her, and there is absolutely nothing she nor we, her family, can do to help her.
It's sad and it's true.
My grandmother has Alzheimers. She is no longer the woman I grew up loving and admiring. This is very sad to say BUT it is very honest and very true. Some days I see the woman who used to inhabit her body, and other days I am forced to stare at a woman who I no longer know, one who I think does not even know herself.
[Uh-Uh and I -- 2007]If she find's out I put a picture of her up without her make-up on she WILL KILL ME--Alzheimers or no--she'd cut a bitch if she found out.
[oh and excuse the squinty eye syndrome that I've got goin' on--it's a problem sometimes]
The Story of Uh-Uh:
We call my grandmother Uh-Uh.
Yes, like when you tell a child "Uh-uh, don't touch that, no, no." That's where my Uh-Uh's name came from. No we don't call her Maw-Maw, or Mum-Mum, or Ni-Ni, or Nana. Sometimes we squeeze a Granny in here or there, but to everyone in my immediate family, and amusingly to many of my friends, my grandmother is called Uh-Uh.
When my cousin T [the first of the four cousins] was born my grandmother would often watch T at her condo--it's more like a townhouse, but if you knew my Uh-Uh you would say she lived in a CONDO too... it's more fancy-schmancy when you say Condo versus saying Townhouse, and my Uh-Uh is not a normal woman who resides in an ordinary Townhouse.
So getting back to the story:
Grandmother [cuz she's not been named "Uh-Uh" yet] liked (and still does like) things. She collects and buys things. Now these things are not just knick-knacks and woo-has, these are nice things. Like china, and vases, and antiques, and other extravagant items from her travels around the world (yes, the woman traveled AROUND THE FRIGGIN WORLD--I'm jealous too).
Well cousin T was a grabby baby, and since she was the first baby born [of the four cousins] she got it all, and "No" was not in her vocabulary. Upon arrival to grandmothers home cousin T had to unfortunately learn "No" the hard way. Grandmothers house was never baby/toddler proof, and to the day we moved her out, over 20 years later, it never was made to be baby/toddler proof. In order to save her lovely priceless items, grandmother had to tell cousin T "Uh-uh, don't touch that--No, no, you can't play with that" an awful lot.
Upon a visit to grandmothers house, Aunt R with baby/toddler cousin T in tow met grandmother at the door. Grandmother greeted them with a "Hello!," and cousin T greeted grandmother with a "Hi Uh-Uh!" And so the name stuck.
After telling the poor, touchy child "uh-uh" so many times, the phrase turned into a name, and the stuck with all four of the grandkids.
So, when I talk about my Uh-Uh you know that I'm talkin' about my granny. My much loved, much missed, yet still around, but not all that much the same woman she mentally used to be, Alzheimers stricken grandmother.
And NOW!
Are you ready?!
It's the first installment of Uh-Uh's Flashback Friday!
Does your Grandma Blazer smell like mothballs?
Because mine does!
[Ack!]
A close-up of the Grandma Blazer.
It's a great brown tweed blazer with black lining around the collar and above the pockets.
My Uh-Uh and I are very much alike in many ways--especially in our clothing sizes (but thank JESUS not in our shoe sizes--she wears a 12, I lucked out with an 11)--YAY Vintage clothes in good/near mint minus the mothball smell condition!!!
Do you see my shoulder pads?!
I need to take this to the tailor and get them REMOVED! I have enough shoulders for this blazer without the added help from the 80's shoulder pads.
More of a close up...
Do you flip the collar of your Grandma Blazer? I sure as hell hope not because that look is LAME!
Does your Grandma Blazer smell like mothballs?Because mine does!
[Ack!]
A close-up of the Grandma Blazer.It's a great brown tweed blazer with black lining around the collar and above the pockets.
My Uh-Uh and I are very much alike in many ways--especially in our clothing sizes (but thank JESUS not in our shoe sizes--she wears a 12, I lucked out with an 11)--YAY Vintage clothes in good/near mint minus the mothball smell condition!!!
Do you see my shoulder pads?!I need to take this to the tailor and get them REMOVED! I have enough shoulders for this blazer without the added help from the 80's shoulder pads.
More of a close up...Do you flip the collar of your Grandma Blazer? I sure as hell hope not because that look is LAME!
That ends today's flashback. Check back next Friday and each Friday after that for more of Uh-Uh's Flashback Friday fun!! And for more memories and stories and old pictures from the Uh-Uh archives!
