Twenty years have gone by....

A long distance grandma, 

my memories are quite select,

a bit foggy for precise ages.

When you were but a babe

we whiled away an afternoon on your great Granddad's 

verandah at the farm at Milestone.

I think it was on that same trip 

we drove to Aunt Kate's beach house

at Fort Qu'Appelle. 

On the way we sang 

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

When you were about eight,

you visited me in Kelowna 

with your dad; 

you drew a picture of me 

on green construction paper with yellow crayon. 

(I still have that drawing.)

And on that same trip

you and I went shopping on 

that visit to Kelowna -  

you bought a watch 

with your very own money.

Then when you were twelve

you stayed 

in the camper with me 

at the edge of the orchard 

when I worked at the fruit stand,

you ate fresh Gala apples 

from the big red wooden bin.

We walked one evening on the road

and talked about video games (your topic) and

Star Trek (my topic)

We went to a movie (Dukes of Hazard)  after the

fruit stand was done on one day.

When you were sixteen - or was it seventeen - 

you drove

me to supper at Boston Pizza in Regina

just when the Rider's football game got out!  

And when you were eighteen,

I proudly watched your graduation from high school,

celebrating with a family barbecue 

at your Grandpa's cottage at Regina Beach.

You and I had supper at a Pub in Regina last summer. 

We discussed Stephen Hawking's theories.  

Your excitement was contagious!

I know there are many more memories 

tucked safely away in my mind.  

I treasure them all.  

Being a long distance Grandma worried me

afraid that we’d never know each other.

Guess I didn't have to worry!  Love you Jon!

“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children.

One is roots. The other is wings."

~ Hodding Carter, Jr.