Simone Marie

Today would have been my Grandma's 81st birthday. I miss her so much. She passed away on June 6, 2004. I can't believe 6 years have passed. Wow. Six years.

My grandma was a constant light in my life when times were hard. She was one of the few people who loved unconditionally. You know in Bridget Jones' Diary; when Mark Darcy tell Bridget he loves her "Just as you are?" That's how I felt my grandma loved me. I didn't have to be pretty or polished. I could just be me.

I miss her little suite in my parents' basement. I miss her British comedies - Are you Being Served? Keeping Up Appearances, One Foot in the Grave. I miss Yahtzee. We'd play Yahtzee for a good solid hour, game after game. She liked to complete an entire card before we quit. Sometimes we'd have to rush through the last round because Everybody Loves Raymond was coming on. And she loved Raymond.

She was so strong, for all that she had been through. She was born at the start of the Depression and lived through WWII. She was blown off a bridge. Her best friend was killed - her home was nothing but a hole in the ground after an afternoon bombing.
She was a part time single mother of 5 kids, Grandpa was often away for work on the tugs.

Her generousity knew no bounds. She'd give you anything in a heartbeat.

She loved to go to ABC Family Restaurant for dinner. One of her favourite stores was The Bombay Company. The ladies who worked there loved her so much that they bought her a little Christmas ornament one year. Two of them came to her wake.

She loved Jesus, and you knew it.

Sometimes I feel like it's not fair that she never lived long enough to see me walk down the aisle on my wedding day. I wish she could have held my boys on her knee. She sure would have loved them to bits.

Her name was Simone Marie - she was one of the most beautiful women I have ever met.

Happy Birthday Nana.

Love you forever.