Feb 29, 2008

Leap Year = Great Grandma Elwood.

My Great Grandma Elwood was born on Leap Year in 1907 and so I'll always associate February 29 with her (odds of being born on this day are 1 in 1,500). She was 95 when she passed away and today Heidi, my sister, and I were talking about her. Heidi remembered that she always had packs of five stick Doublemint gum. I remember her tying one end of a piece of floss to a loose tooth and the other end to a doorknob and then slamming the door to pull the loose tooth out --- then she'd give us a quarter. She would always monitor the food everyone ate at family parties (e.g., that one didn't eat any vegetables) and she would tell me I wasn't growing taller because my waist length hair was weighing me down. She was a master knitter (way before it was in vogue) and would make the best dish clothes and afghans. She was a die hard Democrat and loved the Utah Jazz. When I was a kid, she came to stay with us once and I remember being fascinated that she could take her teeth out. I also stole the car (pre-16) for the first time on her watch - luckily I got home safely and with no damage. I'm thankful I have so many memories of her and am sure she was celebrating today.

*No digital photos of Grandma Elwood --- add another mark to the New Year resolution of converting photos to digital.

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