GERRY'S POEM

When I was seven, we moved to a private lake in Ohio. Second only to Key West, this was my favorite place as child growing up. I never remember whining to my parents,"I'm so bored, there is nothing to do." TV was just beginning and we were not among the unfortunate ones to have one. You read right, UNfortunate. I do watch TV now but I also feel it is the great "imagination" thief and a thigh builder. But I digress. If we weren't swimming, fishing, boating, exploring or just playing games, we were pretty much worn out from having just done those very things.

The lake was where I met Sis. She and I were the only two girls our age at the lake though there was a wealth of young boys. This fact did not escaped our appreciation even as seven year olds. Sis and I became fast friends and spent a lot of time in each other's homes. That is where I met her mom, Gerry.

Gerry was marvelous fun and I enjoyed it a lot when we all three did things together. She had a great sense of humor and I often thought of her as almost a big sister but definitely as a second, non-demanding parent. Still do. Even in teenage years when the last thing you want is a parent figure in your face, it was always a treat when Gerry took us somewhere.

I kept moving while Sis and Gerry stayed at the lake. In high school, I would often spend my summers at the lake then go back to Florida the rest of the year. I have previously written how I enjoyed my gypsy lifestyle when growing up, but rather regretted not ever being able to know how the people I met,"turned out." Sis is one of the few that I know how she turned out. Sis married twice to my once and while the miles were many between us, we remained close.

Gerry is going to turn 97 in September. She is amazing for her age. Still funny sense of humor, goes RV camping, plays cards with her friends, is a lifetime member of Weight Watchers (she took off quite a bit of weight and has kept it off for at least 30 years.) As a hobby, she makes little people and animals out of old wine corks, hearing aid batteries and yarn.

You can see how creative she is.

This is Gerry, Sis and I about 2 years ago.

Gerry also dabbles in poetry. This one she wrote for her 95th birthday shows her self-deprecating sense of humor

Age Never Stops

September 15th, I'll be 95
I don't like being old, but glad to be alive
I started this poem early :If my mind wasn't clear.
I didn't want you to know that I wasn't all here

So many things seem to go wrong
When my right hand doesn't knock things over
My left hand will:
All this....while I am standing still.

Some one said, old folks need to learn balance
Hold on to something, raise your knee up in the air.
Then let go
I hold on to a table next to a chair...I let go &
Fell backwards between the table and chair.
I did learn something,don't pay attention
to what some folks say.
They aren't old and they don't care.

My daughter took me to play cards.
A couple hours later she came to pick me up and
She said.."I have something to show you"
You won't believe it but it s true, look at my shoes
She had on one shoe black, the other brown
One shoe hers, one shoe mine
Size 10 and size 9

I laughed so hard I couldn't stop
Then my senses returned and I thought
If one shoe was mine, what did I have on??
I don't want to admit it but I had the other
Pair on...one black, one brown.

Someone said I'll bet if anyone saw it they wouldn't tell you
It didn't take me long I said
How much do you want to bet that you are wrong
My daughter said, we have been living together too long.

Gerry Moffett
March 2007

Gerry was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and will have surgery on the 29th. The doctor said she has the health of a 76 year old. She is amazing.

Those of you who pray, please put her in your prayers for a smooth, successful operation. I know that she will soon be back to making "little cork people" and looking forward to all those dances promised to her when she reaches 100.

I love you Gerry, you are amazing.