In Memory of Grams

In the spirit of celebrating Mother's Day, I wanted to share a little bit about my Grandma Lillian (Grams to me).  Grams was a wonderful lady, whom I dearly miss.  I think all the humor genes in our family came from her. Unfortunately, my brothers and sisters got the biggest portion of those genes and I have to be content to enjoy the humor of others.  Still, Grams was the person who taught me my first dirty limericks.  She was always saying something funny, pure deadpan demeanor.  She was great fun.

As I little girl, I loved going to Grams' house. I sat for hours at her vanity, playing with the jewelry in her multiple jewelry boxes and putting on her makeup. Grams had narcolepsy and fell asleep at the drop of a hat. I'm not sure if I was supposed to be playing in her makeup, or she fell asleep and didn't know about it, but I had a lot of fun!

Grams really taught me love of all things creative and was the reason I joined band in high school. She wasn't a writer, but a musician. Boy was she talented. Her and my Uncle Mori played in a jazz band and performed at many events throughout our community. That woman had mad skills. She played by ear. Grams only had to hear a song once and could replicate it on the piano.  Even when her Parkinson disease became so bad that her head and hands had tremors, she would still slide up to the keyboard and treat us with a tune.

She also loved singing. My last few visits with her, the dementia had become so bad that I'm not sure she always knew who I was. However, she never forgot the words to her favorite songs:  Say Say Oh Playmate, Strangers in the Night, How Much is That Doggie in the Window (she loved the "woof woof" part--I can still hear her doing it), and some song about Ka-Ka-Ka-Katie, beautiful Katie (don't really know what this one is called). We had many more, but my brain can't remember the names of them.

She loved singing those songs and would sometimes remember who we were after singing. Then, she could be enticed to talk about her childhood and tell stories about the horse she used to ride to school, Buck. She loved that horse. She and the other children had horse races during lunchtime and Buck always won.

We lost Grams four years ago, but I am so fortunate to have had her in my life. This Mother's Day, don't forget to thank the women who may not be your mother, but had a significant impact on the person you've become.

The best thing Grams ever taught me? She was babysitting me one evening when I was eight years old. Of course, she was asleep, but I played on the floor in the same room as her.  I asked, "Grandma, what's twelve plus twelve?"  She opened her eyes, looked down at me and said, "Twelve plus twelve is twenty-four. Now shut your mouth and say no more."

She promptly fell back to sleep, but I never forgot what twelve plus twelve was!

I love you, Grams!



Great books:

Growing Up Country: Memories of an Iowa Farm Girl, Carol Bodensteiner, A memoir of a happy farm childhood. http://amzn.to/xRpHuY


Michal's Window by Rachelle Ayala - Love, Betrayal, Redemption: King David and the daughter of Saul, E-book: http://amzn.to/yO2mPy Paper Amazon: http://amzn.to/JDklTG B&N  http://bit.ly/JPjoIF

Loyalty Binds Me by Joan Szechtman, A novel about Richard III in the 21st-century, E-book: http://tinyurl.com/79jxh8u Paperback Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/c563k48 B&N  http://tinyurl.com/bsxnaty


Life on the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux - A story of love and perseverence. E-book: http://amzn.com/B006T89A4Y Paperback: http://amzn.com/1470101777

After Ten by Michele Shriver- A story of acceptance, forgiveness and the bonds of friendship. Amazon: http://amzn.com/B005YD4V7Q B&N: http://bit.ly/IgCvvK

Always & Forever by Chantel Rhondeau coming summer 2012 - A suspected murderess must start over - romantic suspense. Excerpt http://awe.sm/5on16