A lovely evening.
 

Couple of days ago I got a call from a friend who asked if I could rescue three plantings she had. She is an avid gardener and even has enough to can and freeze from her vegetable garden tucked secretly next to their pool.

We arrived at seven and were greeted warmly and sat down to talk about her grandchildrens new dog, (she wished it had been a rescue) her brother's ventures into their family tree, (He is a seated professor at Wake Forest and he is 86) She asked about whether I visited Laurelville, Ohio often and I said that is where my grandfather was born and she said, yes, that is the reason I asked. (She remembers everything and keeps up with her daughters roommate in college, checks her financial holdings daily on the internet and makes me feel so old.)

She talked about her recent hiking venture in the mountains and she mentioned that she thought the new sofa was nice but there was nothing wrong with the old one. (She is VERY green)

She cooks a lot and we talked about some of the herbs she grows and uses in her yummy Ohio stuff.

We talked about her lovely great granddaughters, all three beautiful little girls who go to Chinese school one evening a week in California, study still another language, and we watched a skating segment of the nine year old that to me looks like she is champion material. But I can't get her to BRAG about them. I did it for her.

She is interested in all kinds of American History and reminded us of Morgan's Raiders who had gone through Southern Ohio during the civil war and told us that her grandparents had hidden a horse from them.

I didn't know who Morgans Raiders were but she said they were like Sherman and his march to the sea, and I got an interesting history lesson.

I bring this all up because next week is her birthday. I won't name her, but I know for a fact she will be 101.

Happy Birthday girlfriend and treasured part of the good things of The Villages and in THE WORLD. We love you so very much.

GG your post put a smile on my face today. Great way to start the day.

Thank you for sharing. It restored my faith in human nature, following some of the rather unkind comments people left, in regard to my thread about a lost pet roaming Pelican golf course. Smiling now :)

So nice to share time with friends. What a gift! Happy birthday to your friend Gracie!

`What a beautiful evening indeed!

Warms the cockles.

Gracie, thank you for sharing your lovely evening and a bit about your wonderful friend. We should all be so lucky.

What a beautiful woman. God bless her. And you for telling us about her.

Sounds like an amazing lady. Thank for you sharing. Hope she has a great birthday!

If and when I make it to 101 I sure hope I remember my name let alone history of Morgan's Raiders !!!! Sounds like an amazing conversationalist. Glad you had a nice evening.

GG, any way we could get her name and address, and just flood the gal with birthday cards? Figure a way and let us know.

:BigApplause: That's a great idea. Count me in.

God Bless her. If we could only insert a memory stick to capture all wisdom and knowledge she has in her brain, we would be all that much wiser.

I wish I'd been a fly on the wall. How interesting, and heartwarming. Imagine all she's seen!

sounds lovely indeed, gracie, and i am sure you were a wonderful treat to her, too! it always makes me a little melancholy to think of all the knowledge and experience that becomes unavailable to us whenever we lose anyone. hopefully your friend will tell her stories for a long time to come!

I guess this means that living to be over 100 can be a good thing after all, providing the person takes good care of themself.

What a nice positive story. A breath of fresh air on TOTV. Your evening with this wonderful friend reminded me of the times I sat down with my grandfather to get bits of family history and wisdom.

He was a coal miner who lived through the depression with personal stories of the bloody days of prohibition and gang wars over territory control. The coal miner's struggle for decent wages and working conditions and the organizing of The UMWA. Interesting times he lived and worked! I wish now that I had recorded some of those conversations but I do have the memories. Gracie, cherish those moments.

This story reminds me of what my parents and family knew about the depression and WWII. They never talked about it.

Sound like an amazing lady who is staying mentally sharp. She would be a great addition to TOTV with all that great life experiences.

I too vote for the b-day card idea.

C'mon, gg.........give it up.....lol

I can't because this is a public forum. She is the mother of one of our frequent posters. She lives in Amelia. Plus she might skin me for telling her age.

Oh well, it was a good thought, anyways.

It was. You are the best.