Phone Call from Heaven

Today I went to see Charlie. I do that often. His grave site is sunken down because of the rain from the weekend. I left him another seashell and a gerber daisy.

After visiting, I went to my parents' house for lunch. My brother, Billy, stopped in with his family. I had brought with me a play cell phone that Charlie bought for Sarah the last time he was shopping. He loved to surprise her with little things - the way he did for me.

I gave her the phone, she played with it a minute, then was off to bigger and better things. That's just the way it is with a very nearly 3-year old (September 11th, she'll be 3!).

When it was time for her to leave, she grabbed her new cell phone and pushed a few buttons. It made a ringing noise. "It's Uncle Charlie," she said. "What's he doing?" I asked her. "He's painting the sky and the water with Jesus and Kevin." 'And Kevin' is what she says instead of "in heaven." She brought the phone to me to say hi to Uncle Charlie and Jesus. They told *me* it was time for *her* to go home and take a nap. ;)

So there you go. Today, I, Susan Hetherington Senior, got a phone call from Charlie and Jesus 'and Kevin.'

a very special day

on july 29th, 1912, my grandmother was born.

she was an amazing woman. strong, patient, religious, generous, stern when she needed to be, but so funny, too. she and i joked a lot, i loved to get her laughing. "ah, yer kiddin," she'd say with a flip of her hand when i'd tease her. then she'd laugh from the tips of her toes.

it's been a year since she's been gone and i still miss her a lot. i hope she knows how special she was to me.

happy birthday, gram.