Annie

Ang took the kids to see their "Mawmaw Annie" at the rest home often. In a place filled with sickness and sadness, I'm sure the sight of 3 very loud, fast moving and quick talking kids caused a 50/50 mix of fear and delight depending on which resident you asked.

When Trot was a little over two and Rakes was probably just getting ready to turn five, while on one of those visits to see Annie, Ang turned her back for probably 15 seconds.

In those 15 seconds Rakes grabbed a flashlight off a nightstand, he and Trot snuck out the door and made their way down to the room of, I assume, a perfectly nice gentleman. When Ang found them, Trot was merrily unrolling this man's toilet paper at about 35 sheets per second while Rakes was standing over the thankfully sleeping man, shining the flashlight in his eyes and yelling "Wake up, Grandpa!"

Annie loved that story and loved seeing her "babies" as often as she could and the kids felt the same way.

Annie passed away early this morning. She'd been sick for a long time and while someone you love dying is never an easy thing, Ang and her family were glad they had her for 87 years.

As I get older I find myself being asked to be a pall bearer at more funerals than I like and even though it's an honor to ME it's not really easy to say yes every time.

But for this sweet, gentle lady full of love and warmth who for some reason thought Heckle and Jeckle were the greatest thing since the microwave?

It was a really easy decision.

Safe travels, Annie.