My Grandma

           My Grandma was one of the most honest people you will ever meet, sometimes brutally honest. If she liked what you were wearing, she would let you know. If she didn’t like what you were wearing, she’d let you know. But she would always say, “If we all liked the same things, we would all be in a world of hurt.”

            Together with Grandpa, like two peas in a pod, they loved to attend the Grandkids and Great Grandkids sporting events. I personally think their favorite was to go watch Rick and Adam when the played baseball and basketball. And I know that every chance that they could, they would be at that bowling alley watching Adam, Maurissa, Taylor and Abbie when they bowled on Saturday and then when the three older ones got into High School bowling there were there as much as possible to cheer them on as well. Heck, they loved bowling so much that they would even go down and watch Jodi and I bowl and sit up at the counter and split their order of chicken strips and French fries because Grandma said that Grandpa didn’t need to eat a whole order.  I believe that my Grandpa and Grandma attended more sporting events together than other grandparents could ever dream of attending.

            I sit back and remember spending nights at Grandpa and Grandma’s house and Grandma was one to always read books to us and color. Oh, how Grandma loved to color. She would sit and color with us for hours and always give us pointers on how to make our picture come alive.

            Oh, and how together they love to play cards with anyone who would sit down and play. For years and years and years they played cards at least one night a week with three other couples, if not more, rotating houses that they played in. And you never interfered with card night. Grandma would always be so proud when the women would beat the men, but Grandpa would always say “We have to let them win once in a while.”

            Not only did they love to play cards but they love to play all kinds of games with us Grandkids. I can remember them, Mark, Mathew and I playing Go Fish, Crazy 8’s and then when we got older we played dominoes, Rack-o, Uno, and Tri-ominoes. Even after Jr and I were married we would go up and play games with them when we visited.

            Grandma also loved her beauty shop. Heck, I loved it to. As kids, Mark, Mathew and I would go out and use the dryer chairs as race cars because the levers to lift the feet made great gear shifts. Grandma would always call us out there to show us off to her clients who were older ladies which we thought was neat. One day I got this brilliant idea that I wanted Grandma to give me a perm like she did her clients, with short hard to perm gray hair. Well, she did and it would have been perfect if it weren’t the mid 80’s because I looked like Lionel Richie from the early 70’s.

            Another thing that Grandma loved to do was feed the wild birds and sit and watch them. Of course she fussed at the chipmunks and squirrels  for getting into the food but she loved her birds. She always kept the feeders full and was proud of the different birds it would attract. When us Grandkids were growing up she taught us the names of all the birds that visited her feeders and I carry on that same tradition thanks to her.

            Grandma had two favorite sayings that us Grandkids just loved. One was “Ah horse feathers!!!” And it never failed that one of us Grandkids would have the comeback of “Oh Grandma, horses don’t have feathers!” And her other favorite saying was “Oh shit, Roger!!”

            Grandma was also a wonderful cook and I am sure that everyone will always remember her apple salad, potato salad and cheesy potatoes with everyone fighting to claim those perfectly crispy burnt edges.

           

            Grandma, there will never be another like you! I will forever miss you and always love you!