Life in Assisted Living

My 96 year old grandmother lives in a lovely assisted living home in OH. She's been there for several months now and has had quite a few new experiences.

Some background: She grew up and spent her whole life in a tiny farm town in IL,. She's a religious, modest, sheltered woman who taught school for many years and probably has never uttered a curse word in her life - maybe a 'dang' but I doubt it. She's probably only had one sip of anything alcoholic and that was some champagne after my first wedding (that sounds weird - but it's true - first wedding). And it took a lot of explaining and gesturing to explain to her what balls (testicles) were one Xmas - long story but freaking hysterical (DO NOT TELL HER I TOLD YOU).

Anyway - point being she's old school and I think it's great she's getting to see some things at this home she wouldn't have otherwise been exposed to. I also find it a tad humorous I'm not gonna lie b/c it's my grandma you know - but good for her for broadening her horizons at such a ripe age. Here are some examples:

• A few months ago she saw Romeo and Juliet for the first time at a local playhouse/college
• I believe but can't prove it that she 'flirted' a tad with an elderly gentleman who lives at the home - harmless of course but oh so cute
• Recently she spoke of going to 'church' one Sunday - a group of youngin's (20 somethings I imagine) came to the home with a local pastor or youth group leader and had a church service for the residents. She doesn't want me to tell anyone but she said it wasn't much of a church service as they just played BINGO and didn't even ask any Bible related questions and she said she'd never seen so many tattoos and piercings in her whole life. I told her that I think the new wave of Christian is trying to attract a younger audience and it's 'cool' with God/Jesus to be tattooed and pierced. She quoted chapter and verse of where it says in the Bible that we aren't to 'disfigure' our bodies and I dropped it. Finally...
  
• Today she told me the residents were entertained yesterday by a group local belly dancing students. 20 odd belly dancers shimmied and shook for an hour plus in front of them. She told me that she turned to one of the gentlemen residents after it was over and said, "well we sure didn't fall asleep did we?"
  

I'm trying to imagine my grandmother watching belly dancers - but bless her heart she did.

You're never too old right.