Switching Teeth and Moving Out

Grandma and I back in January 2011 not too
long after Grandpa passed away.

I know some of you have already heard this story because part of it was posted on Facebook, but I wanted to get it on here to keep with my other post.

Three weeks ago, I was on my way to Pine Bluff for church camp when it hit me: I need to help dad out with Grandma.  Hmm OK... I will fit that in my busy schedule.  So, when I got to my mom and dad's house, I told my dad I would help.  I remember him looking at me and saying "OK... just whenever you want to come over."  He was a little taken back, but he was excited at the same time.

Later that night, Mom and I went to camp, and she told me just before I walked in the door that they were talking about someone coming to help out with Grandma.  WOW... talk about good timing -- Thank you Lord for that one.  I had no idea that discussion had taken place until later.

So, the next week, I held true to my word and went to stay with Grandma.  The minute I got there, she told me that I couldn't stay because she was moving to Dermott.  I said OK.  I walked in the house.  She had everything pulled out of the cabinets, closets and bedroom drawers.  She had most of it packed in Walmart sacks.  I just looked at her and smiled and told her that she better put all that back up before Gary(my dad) sees it.  She said "that man" is coming back to kick her out.  The same one that switched his teeth with hers.  What a tale this was turning out to be.  I found her teeth in a cup on the sink.  I washed them and put them in the bathroom in a different cup.  She didn't fall for it.

Dad had left a watermelon for her to eat.  So, I proceeded to cut it open and slice up some pieces for her to nibble on during the day.  She couldn't eat it without her teeth.  This bothered her.  I went and got her teeth.  She told me again that those teeth belonged to this man that used to live there.  I'm thinking grandpa?  I don't have a clue what she was thinking.  Anyway, they were hers, but she still wouldn't put them in her mouth.  She went on and on about how would I feel putting someone else's teeth in my mouth.  Every time she said this, I would laugh and think of that commercial a few years back about the people that got their teeth mixed up with each other.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYOdwDMYVPc

My Great-grandparents

I forgot to mention a special moment on Facebook.  We found some pictures that she had hidden somewhere.  One was of her mother and father, my great-grandparents. This was a special treasure to me.  She shared with me who they were.  She wasn't quite sure why they were sitting on this car.  The man in the window was her uncle, her mom's brother.  She said he was a rascal.  She said she had found that picture and had been looking at it and thinking about her parents.  That meant a lot to me.  My great-grandmother reminds me of  my youngest daughter Molly because she looks like a very small framed woman, and the shape of her face looks like Molly's at a glimpse.

As the night went on, I kept reminding her that she needed to get that stuff put back up in the cabinets.  Within the hour, she had everything back in place.  I'm not quite sure where she put it all.  I put her teeth back in another cup in the bathroom.  I told here that I was going to bed, and I would be in the back room if she needed me.  She came in there a few times to see if I was there.  The last time she came in she told me that she would wake me up in time for school tomorrow, but I would have to walk because that man over there -- again talking about my dad -- took her car away and was selling her house.  She said she had to move to Dermott and he kept coming over and packing here stuff up for her to leave.  She finally turned and said she was going to bed.

A few minutes later, I heard her in the kitchen.  I went to check on her.  I asked if she was ok.  She said she was really upset about that man coming in and packing up her stuff and getting her teeth.  She had strategically placed a chair in front of each door in case anyone came in during the night and then asked me if I wanted a hammer and flashlight.  I said "no" and turned and went to bed.  I watched as she closed the door to her room.  Very sad to know that the thing that scares her the most is being by herself at night.  She is fine during the day.  She just gets lonely at night and wants someone there to protect her.  I remember thinking how many times she had gone to that room to sleep at night and about how Grandpa would follow her not to long after her.  Then she would get back up and check to see if we had gotten the hint and had gone to bed.  Haha!

My defense!

When I got back to my room, I looked around and found a bat, cane, two hammers,  and a couple of flashlights.  I felt safe.  Thirty minutes later, I got hungry for more watermelon.  I tried to sneak into the kitchen.  When I turned from the fridge to head back to bed, grandma was standing in the hallway with a cane ready to smack me down.  As I said on Facebook, she reminded me of one of those wrestlers on WWF!  -- "In this corner is the Watermelon Girl, and in this corner is Cane Carrying Grandma ready for a smack down!!!"  LOL

The last thing that I remember that night is her starting in on me for wearing britches in her house.  I tried to explain that they were pajamas.  I quickly realized that it was not a battle that I was going to win.  So, I promised her that I would not wear britches again to her house.  Growing up, she always insisted that we wear nice skirts to her house.  Blue jean skirts or britches were not acceptable clothing in her home.  I smiled and agreed with her, but I could still hear her mumbling.

I slept wonderfully at grandma's house.  I got up and found her dressed and eating a banana in the living room.  She had forgotten that I was there the night before.  She still did not have her teeth.  She couldn't understand why this man would break in and take her teeth and pack up all her shoes.  I told her that I thought I saw her teeth in the bathroom.  She quickly ran to the bathroom and checked them out.  She said they belonged to that man.  There went that trick.

This week, we are making a special trip to the dentist to get new teeth. I promise to have all details up by Thursday night.  LOL.... This will be the first time for her to go anywhere with me.  I'm looking forward to it.  I love challenges!!!