Aunt Ruby

This morning we lost my father's only sister.

Aunt Ruby was the 2nd of 5 children, my birth father being the oldest. One brother was 11 years younger than her but he was killed in a car accident about 15 years ago.

She was 94 2/3 years old. I live in the same town as her and have had a lot of good times with her and her family.

It was not unexpected, but we are never "ready" for that news.

Ruby grew up in Oklahoma during the depression and knew how to work and survive.

Once not too long ago someone was chiding her for always working. "Sit down and relax." " It is not in my nature," she said and she did not slow down until age forced her to.

Any good life should have had a bit of cane raising and Ruby did her part. I love her.

To the Honorable Walt Minnick, US Congressman.

My wife has Alzheimer's.

I have guardianship of her, you know the stand before the judge, trade a pile of cash for a paper with his signature and a stamp or two, that kind. I naively thought that would cover all contingencies.

Our health care clinic says that the Social Security has the wrong date of birth for her and that I should check with the local SS office and straighten it out.

I entered a whole new world. I am not remotely anti government, but wow.

They don't recognize my guardianship. They don't recognize a POA. All they recognize is her signature. Right now she could sign her name, but that is a short term deal. The lady said I could take a paper home and have her sign it, even with an X, and bring it back in. I said I could do that right there.

She hesitated and said that would not work.

They gave me a form for getting a new SS number. That is the last thing I want or need. And, interestingly on that form there is no place for her to sign. I as her guardian was asked to sign.

Now my question. What am I to do long term. When she is really totally incapacitated, am I shut out of her records for the rest of her life? Do I forge her signature?


Her name is Miriam Bertha Spears Griffith
Birthday January 18, 1937

Dave Griffith guardian

These three portraits are of Josh my 4th grandson by birth, but at 6 foot 2 or more he is the tallest of the lot.
Griffy his little brother is the only grandkid who has chance of catching up with Josh. TIme will tell if he succeeds.
This is Josh's portrait (by his talented mother) before the Senior Prom at his high school.

I can't find Fergie

I can't find Fergie the Frog.

Illogically I asked Miriam about it. She obsessed, but has no idea, of course.

She kept telling me that Fergie was in the garden, but he is a stuffed toy that vaguely looks like a humanoid frog and gardens are not part of his plan.

He was a gift from daughter number one for the teardrop trailer and he sits up in the corner of the galley carefully watching all that I do.

Still, he is gone. Not stolen. He was not taken in by the Animal Control person. He is right where I put him, but I am not able to find him. I will, but not today.

I found a picture of him, but he is slouched over in a very undignified manner.

One of the towns we drive through used to be two towns about a mile apart. There was Milton and there was Free Water. Along the way they joined into the long name of Milton-Freewater. During their festival days each year the name morphs into Milton Frogwater and Fergie the frog is the mascot.

So if you find a green frog with a very small back pack, who looks like he does not know where home is, let me know. In the meantime I'll look again in one of my studios.

I'll bet he is hiding in plain sight – right where I put him!

Here we are with Lora and Amy.
In the background, at the bottom of the canyon is the mighty Snake River.
The day was as blustery as the clouds suggest, but it was wonderful to be with family.

burial

Aunt Barbara died in January.

She was with her family in southern California when she passed. They had a service for her then, but she wanted to be buried with her husband, my uncle Wayne.

Wayne was killed in a car accident a bit before he was going to retire to live his retirement here in Idaho.

Today their 4 children came up for the burial of her ashes with her beloved husband.

Uncle was 12 years younger than my father and he did not have children until his late 20's, so his children and mine are precious close to the same age. Uncle was a pastor and health educator.

Aunt Barbara once calculated that they had moved over 40 times! She lived in our town for 14 years I believe, and that was the longest she ever lived in one place in her life. Her father was a pastor also.

So today I got to see cousins I don't see often. Though they were sure they would come back here for a visit some time, there really is no one here but cousins, and they don't know us too well.

I had the distinct impression that I would likely never see them again. They are good people, I am honored to be related.

We will keep in tough by email.

It was a beautiful spring day, a good day to honor Aunt Barbara's memory and to reconnect with cousins.