The Cabinette

Today my Dad is bringing home his mother from her cabin up near Monticello. Since before my Dad was born the Shapies have spent every summer in a tiny two bedroom cabin a few miles from Yasgur's Farm and since I was young and mistakenly called it the cabinette, we've dubbed it such.

I love the cabin. It's falling apart. My father and I spent an entire weekend prying, sawing, nailing and reconstructing wobbly boards and old stairs on the decks this summer. The floors are uneven, everything creaks and half the doors don't close properly on the inside due to the shift in the foundation.

But I love the cabin.

I also love my grandma.

Mima is, as Julibean, Dan and I like to call her, a stand up broad. She is constantly giving everything of herself to those around her and never asks or expects anything in return. In fact when Dad and I took to fixing the decks (so she wouldn't trip over a loose board) Mima continued to fuss over how we were doing too much.

I thought it was fun. In fact, I haven't wielded a hammer since my days with Habitat for Humanity and those are some of my fondest memories of high school. And yes, I walked away from the weekend with a sore arm and blisters on my hammering hand but it was worth it and I really do enjoy carpentry.

I'm glad that Mima will be around this week/weekend and I hope she doesn't fuss too much about us wanting to spend time with her. Sometimes she gets overwhelmed by too much attention because she's not used to it. I guess it's difficult for people who have spent their life taking care of others to allow someone to take care of them.

But I'm also glad that we'll be able to spend Rosh Hashanah with her and she won't spend the new year alone. There's nothing this little Catholic girl loves more than some Jewish soul food.

Bring on the brisket!

And to all my actual Hebe friends and relatives: L’shanah tovah tikatevi v’taihatem. May you be sealed for a good year.