I've been put in mind of grandparents this morning, what with Milly Dowler's sister and mother talking of theirs and Joanne wondering where an entire month went.
I never knew my grandparents, or at least I have only one memory of one grandmother. They were all genuine Victorians, which is a sobering thought.
I was pushed to the front of the small gaggle of relatives toward what must have been my father's mother, lying on a bed from which she was obviously not expected to rise.
"Give your grandmother a kiss", someone - probably my mother - said.
I looked at the long hairs sprouting from moles on the old woman's face and hesitated.
I was also expected to say something, and having heard everyone else say 'Get well soon', after I had planted a reluctant kiss on the wrinkled skin I stepped back and said, "I hope you DO get better, Nana".
Everyone laughed, including my grandmother.
P.S. The bees LOVE the Night-Scented Stock. It is so gratifying to feed urban bees and also have the moth perfume at night.
ReplyDeleteHow does the reference to Milly Dowler fit? Have I missed something this morning?
ReplyDeleteWoman's Hour.
DeleteMissed it. I was busy with the builder.
DeleteDirty cow.
DeleteMy Grandparent saved my psychi when i was a boy
ReplyDeleteAre you sure?
DeleteI have one memory of seeing my grandfather when he was alive...he was eating black molasses from a tin with a spoon....and one memory of seeing him dead...in an open coffin in the sitting room wearing his best suit. So I met him twice. His wife, my Pa's mom was a horrible woman that I met a handful of times and had to share a bed with on those occasions...I did not like her much. I wonder how old your Nana was when you kissed her? I am a Nana now.............
ReplyDeleteI regret not asking you for some night scented stock seeds now...ah well.
DeleteSend me your address. I have plenty of seeds left.
DeleteI had one living grandmother, and I learned to be a grandmother from her. She took me often to her house, and when my brother was born, she took the two of us. A "no favorites" grandmother. My brother was hysterical for Mom at bed time, and nothing changed his mind. Eventually she drove the two of us home and brought me back. The same scenario with brother two. By the time my sister arrived, Gram didn't even try. She had six grandchildren in all, and only one of us was her buddy, to the end.
ReplyDeleteThat's more interaction than I ever got.
DeleteThree grandparents dead before I was six. One made it to my 17th year so I DETERMINED to live very long and be embarrassing my (several) grandchildren until they are well into their forties. I'll be the granny forever running naked with my full moon, I mean under the full moon.
ReplyDeleteIf you get far enough to do that you may not be aware of doing it.
DeleteI never knew any of mine; I was saved that kiss on the hairy mole.
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to find another hairy mole.
DeleteOut of the mouths and all that......
ReplyDeleteTrust a kid to point out elephants in rooms.
Delete