Tuesday, February 11, 2025
HomeTheGoodStuffThe Good Stuff by Shelley Bennett

The Good Stuff by Shelley Bennett

by Shelley Bennett

Today is my grandma’s birthday. I think she would have been 92. I can’t believe it’s been almost 10 years without her.

If you knew my grandma, Joann Simpson, you know she was kind, generous, sassy, resourceful, and fun. My grandma was always busy; working in the kitchen or her sewing room, organizing a group or activity at church, or planning a family dinner.

At lunchtime, she would set up her TV tray with a sandwich and a cup of soup and watch “Days of Our Lives.” This was usually followed by a nap or “rest” for me as I would just stare at the ceiling for half an hour while she dozed.

Then it was time for chores: feeding the animals, watering the garden, getting dinner on the table. I don’t know how she did it all!

Today as I talked about the grieving process with my students, I realized that at some point I have reached acceptance. We discussed how grief doesn’t end or stop. There is no timeline that it follows. You just learn to work around it.

In my case, it has been healing to see how my grandma’s personality and character traits exhibit themselves in my kids. Jacob has her gift of cooking and baking. He can follow any recipe or just throw ingredients together and they will turn into something delicious.

Light and fluffy scones, thick and rich caramel sauce, a perfectly grilled steak. It comes natural to him.

Landon has her appreciation for nature. As he took me for a walk along the river yesterday, he pointed out things that had changed since last week. A broken branch, cats hiding in the brush, the depth of the water.

He doesn’t just go outside, he notices things that I would never see.

Sofia is a good baker too, but she really shines in the “running-a-tight-ship” department. When Sofia is home, our house is picked up, the carpet is freshly vacuumed, the dishwasher is unloaded, and there are warm cookies cooling on the counter.

Then she adds the extra touches, like decorating the entry, lighting a candle, or fluffing the pillows on the couch, just like my grandma would make time to do.


Thank you to my brother Casey for pointing out that I missed one of my favorite teachers last week when I was naming buildings after people. Mr. Ed Bertotti was my Geometry and Algebra II teacher. Math was not my forte, but he tried patiently, every day, to teach me about proofs and formulas.

I would definitely dedicate the math side of the 300 building to honor his memory. There would be a desk in the hallway with his name on it. In the bottom drawer would be a small TV playing a continuous loop of the 1986 World Series.


Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be newsworthy, please submit it to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”

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