This week we are talking about elders who have inspired us. My grandmother, Patty, has always been one of the most special people in my life. I spent a lot of time with her when I was little. She is one of the one imaginative people I have ever met. Our days were filled with taking care of my dolls, racing down her stairs on pillows, playing board games, learning to tie my shoes, playing restaurant (we had tuna fish sandwiches and lemonade every single day because it is all I would eat). The most vivid memory I have is sitting on her back porch on a hot summer day making my first book.
(My grandma is very camera shy so this isn't us, but it looks exactly like how we would have spent a day together.)I think it was some kind of comic book, which seems weird to me now, but I can remembering grandma encouraging me to go around and sell copies to the neighbors. She swore it was that good. I never had the courage, but her faith in me stuck deep in my heart and helped years later when I started receiving rejection letters on my novels.
My grandma hasn't had it easy. My grandpa died very suddenly at a young age. Her oldest child managed to get control of almost all her money and gambled it away. She has also battled mental illness for most of her life. But you wouldn't know any of this from the smile she always shows the world. I know that without my grandma I wouldn't be the woman I am today.
At 79, my grandma is making new memories with my children. I know how lucky I am that my children are getting so much time with a great-grandparent and we try not to waste a second of it.
Is there a game or tradition you had with your grandparent? Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for Heather's prize pack!!
xo,
Stephanie
www.stephaniehale.com
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7 comments:
good luck with the rita heather!
My grandmother and I always play a card game called Kings in the Corner and Rummy 500. With both my grandmother and grandfather, one of our favorite card games is No Peek. We're pretty big on playing card games.
I totally thought that picture was you and your grandmother, Steph! :)
I'd like to segue over to my husband's mother in my comment, to point out how she always had all the fun board games in her house for her grandkids. Although she's been gone for years, my kids associate many of the classic board games with her, which is a lovely tribute.
My dad's mom lived on the other side of the country, so we rarely saw her...but she visited once when I was little. She loved jazz, and music in general, and would make up songs.
At the time, i was very into the Dr Seuss book "I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew," so she made up a song and dance for us to do about the book. I loved it! I still remember it to this day...
Oh, what a sweet post, Steph! Thanks for the good luck wishes.
I had so many traditions with my grandparents. (Had three sets + greats!) We played a lot of games with Grandpa Davis (like Crazy 8's and FanTan) and he always cheated, which made us laugh. No one let him get away with it. :)
I hope you win the award!! :)
I often play cribbage or Scrabble with my grandma.
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