The Art of Folding a Blanket

There are certain things that Granny--in all of her 102 years of age--is just better at doing.  I watch her fold her blanket every day when she wakes from her nap and before she goes to bed.  I am amazed at how neat it is.  She can barely balance standing up, yet she takes one corner and matches it to the other corner perfectly.  She takes her time--there's no rush to get it folded and put aside.  I, however, can stand easily, but I'm telling you--my blanket folding NEVER looks as neat as hers.  

I said she does it every day, but that's really not true.  She used to do it every day.  There are many times now that she goes to bed and leaves it in a pile on her chair.  This is how I know her health is declining.

Sounds silly, huh?  

She's always been meticulous.  Even with the amount of stuff she has in her house, most boxes are labeled.  In the last few years, I can tell her memory is fading in and out because many drawers are full of random things instead of being organized.  She fills her walker with all kinds of odds and ends.

I'm learning to tell without her speaking whether she's having a good day or not.  She won't admit she's tired or that her mind is not as sharp in the moment. But, the way she handles her blanket speaks for her.  Some days she folds it with a smile, others with determined concentration and more and more, she is not folding it at all.  

It's funny how much you can tell about a person by the folding of a blanket.