102 Years.....

What an accomplishment, not everyone lives to the ripe old age of 102. This was taken the day after his 102 birthday. It's harder now to get a good picture of Grano because, well because he is 102 and things just don't work like they used to.

In this photo he is waiting for lunch. I have to say about Grano that he sure can pack it away for someone who can't really even see what's on his plate. He has the survival instinct, he just feels around until he finds something on his plate then he eats it. Not unlike little kids when they are learning to feed themselves. They haven't exactly gotten the pincher grasp down but somehow they get the food in.

This sweet face is 99 1/2 years younger that Grano. This visit I was struck with something that I don't think about often. The Elderly. We really enter this world completely dependent and I think many of us leave this world completely dependent. The thing that struck me was how important raising those babies up to be productive and useful seems when they are born. When people get old and need as much care as an infant we often start to feel like they are a burden or even that their quality of life is low. I'm wondering how to change those thoughts. It seems much easier for me to relate to a baby then it does to someone who either can't see me or hear me. This just seems crazy. I have been around more babies then elderly people, I think this contributes to my "uncomfortableness" around people who are old. If their mind is not as clear or present as it used to be should we just go along with the story they are talking about, we do with our kids. Why do we feel the need to make things so "right" with the aged? If they are not always mentally present does it matter if we "go along" with whatever they are talking about? Just some thoughts about aging.

In this picture the Little Man and Grano are 100 years apart. Despite not really being able to see the plate or the food on it, Grano holds his own drink for drink and likes to eat.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Grano and Little Man. It was the last time Grano really held one of the kids and I think he really enjoyed it.

Grano is 102 in this picture. We went fishing and he still keeps a liquor locker at this game reserve. I try to think about some of the things that Grano has done religiously to keep himself in great health and he was always working on it. I think alot of salmon and cocktails as well as a few vitamins along with some exercise and maybe throw in some sort of hormone shots, maybe you too will make it to 102 years strong !!!