I’ve decided to dedicate this blog to my grandma. She really is a marvel and an inspiration to us all. She’s 89 in June and, because of the steep hill where my parents live, is pretty much housebound. Her balance is poor and she can’t use her triangular walker on the hill so unless one of us drives her to the centre, which is flat, she can’t go out.
However, she’s always positive, no matter what. If you ask her how she is, she usually replies “Oh I can’t complain, I’ve got my health and my wonderful family, I’m really very lucky.”
It makes you realise that you need to make the most of life and appreciate what you have. She’s got some wonderful stories about when she went trekking in the Himalayas, her life as a midwife and the many travels she did by herself after she was widowed in 1987.
So I’m taking a leaf out of my grandma’s book and appreciating what I have.
To do this, I threw away a load of crap that I don’t want/need. Most of it will go to the charity shop, so hopefully someone else will enjoy my old rubbish. I also packed up all my ‘house’ stuff into two boxes and put them in my parents’ loft. I’m desperate to finally get to use my spotty things, but don’t want to risk them getting broken in a shared house. This gives me more room for all the new clothes I bought this weekend.
I even managed to be positive about the vile weather we’re having – we needed water after all (hosepipe ban? HA!), I didn’t have to go out in it and hopefully tomorrow it won’t rain so I can wear my suede boots,
Everyone’s saying I’m a much nicer person recently but all I hope is that when I’m nearly 90 I’ll be able to say that I’m healthy and happy, surrounded by people who love me.
If this video doesn’t make you smile, then you’re dead inside!
My Stage is the World 
Your grandma sounds ace. When I was a kid I knew this old lady who drove a pink open topped jaguar. She had dalmations. And she’d take them for a walk by driving slowly through her estate (the downton type of ‘estate’), with the dogs running alongside the car. I remember thinking…’now that’s how to live one’s later years!’ You have the total freedom to be as eccentric as you want. I can’t wait!!!
By the way, beg borrow or buy a copy of Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh. It’s got some great stuff in it, that your post reminded me of.