So, Kenju, guess where I am?

....so I sit down this afternoon, and see my blog friend kenju left a comment on Friday night's crybaby "why doesn't anyone think I'm attractive" entry (which wasn't the original reason for the posting, but nonetheless...)

The post was a friendly nudge that she would visiting a place near and dear to my heart....Smithfield BBQ.

Well, dear, as I post, at this moment....my wife is bringing me...Smithfield BBQ!!!

Whoo hoo!!!

We spend Easter in North Carolina; another keep weekend trip, and certainly bittersweet.

Last weekend, my sister-in-law called and told my wife that my Grannie, who's been in poor, declining health for awhile now, looked at her and said, "...you tell Robbie that if he wants to see me, he needs to come down."

When my wife told me that Sunday night, it floored me, quite frankly. The fact she even was thinking of me was very touching. So, the wheels start spinning as to when to try to get to see her. We ended up shooting for Saturday and came down after my wife got off of work yesterday afternoon.

We arrived in Four Oaks and I took a quick trip through "town" and back to Grannie and Grandaddy's farm where I'd vacation every summer in my very, very early years (5, 6, 7 years old). Whoever owns it now has done a masterful job keeping its originality but also making it modern with beautiful fixtures and features.

My favorite part? One of Grandaddy's old tobacco barns was still standing. Not well, mind you, but still standing. :)

We met sis and headed to Benson to the nursing facility and when I got to her room, I was stunned by her appearance. I didn't think she was going to be as far downhill as she was. So, I took a moment while going in to readjust, and told my Aunt Edna my doctor may have told me not to talk for two weeks, but I every intention of talking to my Grannie. :)

We stayed about 1/2 hour and my cousin Terry, who I of course didn't recognize, came in to relieve my aunt so she could go home. He would spend the night with her. She tried to speak but we understood very little. I did, though, hear her say "Jesus", so I believe it will be a short time before she heads home, but I was very happy to say she was not in pain; the only problem other than the overall health was sores on her ears from lying on pillows hour, after hour, after hour. Her Parkinson's did the most damage; without it she probably would be ticking right along, albeit with limited mobility. But when it got to the point several weeks ago when she fell at Aunt Edna's house, where she lived and my aunt couldn't pick her up, it was time to place her in a care facility.

When Grannie passes, it will almost end the Four Oaks era of life; save Aunt Edna, the Strickland (Frank and Cleo side) will be gone.

And this was the first time I had been bedside of a relative since I lost Mama 4 1/2 years ago. I made it.

Several weeks ago I had to trains of thought:

1) I don't know if I can handle watching someone in the same condition as my Mama was for nine days.

2) I don't want the next time to see my Grannie be with her in her coffin.

Well---Grannie (and I shouldn't be surprised), answered it for me. And I'll forever be grateful for coming down.

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Easter 2007; I'll post in a bit. But first (kenju!!!), I've just been given a Smithfield BBQ sandwich and hush puppies.

LET THE GLUTTONY BEGIN!!