h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A little past midnight this morning, my grandmother died.

She was 101 and had been in a care facility for the past two years. It was difficult to watch her fade away there and honestly, it's a bit of a relief that she's finally gone.

Before that she was full of vigour and could easily be mistaken for someone 20 years younger. She lived alone (at her insistance) and drove her little red car until she was 98.

She taught school and married my paternal grandfather when he was her principal in their little school system (she taught in a real one-room schoolhouse).

Her family can trace its roots back to the American Revolution, making her a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

She also played basketball at her teachers' college and was always very proud of that, taking a special interest in college basketball (men's and women's) when it was on television right up into this past March. Thought she never did like what she called 'that darn dunking'.

A died-in-the-wool Democrat, she couldn't stand 'that Bush fellow' or his father. In fact, while she maintained an excellent voting record, I don't think she *ever* voted for a Republican.

Her name was Grace and I cannot hear the hymn 'Amazing Grace' without thinking of her - I think she would like that...

RIP a fine old DAR by the sounds of things.

There is one hymn that means a lot both for the birth of my elder nephew and the death of my father. It was sung at Church the Sunday after my Dad's funeral as the last hymn and my brother (nicknamed Nails as in 'hard as...' by his Rugby Mates) had to vacate the church promptly in tears with the rest of us following.

What a lovely journal. Sad but so uplifting. A long full life, and part of what is almost 'romantic' history to us here across 'the pond'.

You must have been very proud of her. She sounds like she was a fighter, and I agree wholeheartedly with her about the "Shrubs" as we call them!!

May she rest in peace and thank you for sharing the sotry of her life with us.

Websailor