You Go, Granny...!

I hope that everyone had a great holiday yesterday with lots of food, family and maybe a nap thrown in for good measure!

All was pretty quiet at my Mother's house, with only Mom and myself there to eat all that food! There were supposed to be others there, but in usual fashion...they didn't show, even after saying they would! But that's OK...just more dessert for me!

Baby Sis and her husband were in the big parade in downtown Houston! They do this every year and at least this year, they had some decent weather for it! Heck, they even got to be close to Santa! I hope that she put in a good word for me with the Big Guy! I need all the help I can get!

I found the following story and thought it was pretty cool! I wanted to share it with you, because it shows just how even the most tangled screw-ups can be worked out,when folks like this granny's family get it in their head to force the issue!

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Gladys Malarkey is back from the dead - just in time to celebrate her 105th birthday.

The centenarian, who also goes by Toots, was declared dead by Social Security earlier this month.

"They thought I was dead," Toots said, slapping her knee at such nonsense.

Her granddaughter, Bev Ridge, 64, of Lehigh Acres, Fla., explained that several weeks ago she received notice that Toots' bank account was overdrawn.

"My first thought, was Oh no, it's probably fraud,' " Ridge said.

But then she learned Social Security didn't send Malarkey's monthly check. The agency somehow determined Malarkey was no longer living and canceled her $1,100 payments, which cover her expenses at her assisted-living residence.

"When I first called about it, they wouldn't talk to me because I wasn't a payee," Ridge said. "I'm pretty sure they thought I was trying to steal her checks or something."

A payee is a representative appointed to receive benefits for someone who is unable to direct his or her money.

Ridge said a Social Security employee went to the home of Ridge's deceased mother, who shared Malarkey's last name, and was told by neighbors that the woman had been dead for years - not realizing they were talking about a different person.

Ridge offered to bring her grandmother to the Fort Myers Social Security office as proof. Instead, Social Security sent a representative to her.

Patti Patterson, spokeswoman for the Social Security office in Atlanta, said such mistakes are rare. She said the agency receives death notices from family members, hospitals and funeral homes, and they're usually verified with a death certificate.

"As soon as we become aware of a situation where our records are incorrect, we immediately take action," Patterson said. "I know this was really upsetting to the family, and we're working with them to take care of any concerns."

Malarkey, for her part, seems to have few concerns. Despite failing eyesight and hearing, she spends her days joking with friends, taking shopping excursions and listening to "little records," as she calls CDs. She hums to her favorite song, "Somewhere My Love," surrounded by her great-great-grandchildren's drawings - mostly sea horses, which she loves because "they're so rare."

When she was born in a small coal-mining town in southwestern Pennsylvania, the American flag had just 45 stars, only 8 percent of homes had a phone and the average life expectancy was 47 - which Toots has surpassed by 58 years.

On her birthday Tuesday, she looked forward to savoring chocolate cake, listening to live piano music, donning a new gown, dancing the two-step and being surrounded by friends. It's all part of her secret to longevity:

"Live with love in your heart and a smile on your face."

Now, I want to tell you that this old gal certainly has a positive attitude about life! Karma has a way of watching out for people like this! Positive attitudes attract positive results! My hat's off to this lady and her 64 year old grand daughter who made sure that granny was taken care of in time for her birthday!

You know, there's an old saying that "what goes around, comes around" and I believe it for sure! So let me just say this! If you say you're going to do a thing, then do it! Show respect for your family, especially the older folks!

Practice the Golden Rule! Remember that one? Basically, it says that you should treat others as you want to be treated! Want folks to remember you when you are older? Want folks to show you respect? Want to put a smile on the face of an older family member? Then you know what to do...and you know what I'm talking about!

Hey, sorry to get off on a tangent this morning! How about we get some fresh coffee and sit in the kitchen for a bit? A little chilly outside this morning, ya know?

If you want, I can even get you a piece of pie! How about pumpkin? Cool whip on that?