My Grandma turned 95 today. Niel and I surprised her with a visit for a few days this past week. With my hair cut, it took her a few extra seconds to figure out who I was and what was going on when she answered the door. But then her big smile said it all.
Even though we had to leave before her actual birthday, we had a great visit with Gram. Some highlights:
- We strolled through the grocery store together and sampled deli meats while we were waiting for our order, just like when I was a kid.
- Gram, as always, was flabbergasted by the price of tomatoes and pasta. I got the rundown on how cheap they used to be.
- I love watching Gram make espresso the old-fashioned way—in a little percolator pot on the stovetop. She made Niel very happy with her “black coffee” (as she calls it).
- Gram dug out some old pictures (like this one). I loved hearing her stories—including a few that I’d never heard before. Like more about what it was like on the boat when she emigrated from Italy at 12 years old. (She remembers that the trip was exactly 28 days long!) I also learned that back in 1958, when my Grandpa worked for the Brooklyn Navy Yard, he won a prize of $353 for making a suggestion that saved the company over $11,000. I asked Gram what he bought with his award money. “An electric train set for your Dad.” (Who was only 5 years old at the time.) I love that story.
- With my Grandma being Italian and Niel being South African, they each have an accent. (Although I don’t even notice either anymore.) In the past, they’ve struggled to understand each other, but this time they had no problems! That made me smile a lot.
- Gram mentioned a few times that when I was very young, my mom would drop me off at her place each Saturday and we’d go to the movies together. When we were hugging goodbye, Gram asked, “Wanna come over on Saturday and we’ll go to the movies?” That made me cry.
this post touched my heart
wow - what a precious time
By: Gigi on the g&g on April 27, 2008
at 6:11 pm
Great post and great pictures. You made me laugh and tear up all in one sitting.
By: whatireallywanttosayis on April 27, 2008
at 6:27 pm
really?
thanks for sharing in my emotions…
By: alece on April 27, 2008
at 6:27 pm
“Wanna come over on Saturdays and we’ll go to the movies?”
Made ME cry TOO!!!!
I miss my Grandma terribly! I was named after her…
I’m so glad you got to visit with Gram!
By: tam on April 27, 2008
at 6:51 pm
tam — is your name short for something? so sweet that you were named after your grandma. is she still alive?
By: alece on April 27, 2008
at 6:52 pm
“wanna go to the movies?”
Made me go “awwwwww…” and then my roommate asked me why I was sad.
By: Becca on April 27, 2008
at 10:07 pm
mmmm…. thanks, becca.
(for anyone interested, i have more pictures up on my facebook page.)
By: alece on April 27, 2008
at 10:10 pm
Ohhh, how wonderful! Both of my grandmothers are still living, but neither of my grandfathers. I have often wondered about their lives and experiences. I know a few stories, but not much. How lovely that you got this time with your Grandma. Pretty good health, too, at 95, to be walking up and down grocery aisles! What a blessing!
By: annie on April 28, 2008
at 12:18 am
Beautiful! I miss my granny…..she’s in heaven, but we were very close too. I can just see you sampling deli meats……too precious! Gotta love our grannies!
By: sarah on April 28, 2008
at 8:26 am
I’m so glad you got to have this time with your gram! It sounds like it was wonderful… and hearing stories from days long passed is such a treasure.
I also really like the slide show. I’m getting awfully anxious to see my Kitty :)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By: Amy on April 28, 2008
at 8:34 am
“very funny” for two xs reasons.
;)
LOVED these - story and pics. really….
By: mandythompson on April 28, 2008
at 8:53 am
ha ha ha ha! nice, mandy!
(i’m still laughing over here!)
By: alece on April 28, 2008
at 8:56 am
That is absolutely precious! I’m so glad that you got to spend time with your grandma :)
By: Maureen on April 28, 2008
at 10:14 am
Awwww! This reminds me of when I was really little and the things Grams and I would do together! I wish I could have been there. :-(
By: Andrew Ronzino on April 28, 2008
at 10:50 am
if you wanna know the truth, i actually typed “LARGE reasons”…. but then got weirded out.
AND decided to go with the xs joke instead.
just for you.
;)
By: mandy on April 28, 2008
at 11:19 am
btw - this really did touch my heart. my gran-granny is like 94 i think. and every time i go see her she says “send me some mail, ok?”.
i haven’t.
and i feel bad about it.
By: mandy on April 28, 2008
at 11:20 am
HAHA….gotta love the flash
By: Kelly on April 28, 2008
at 11:47 am
so sweet! i always want to savor every time I see my grandma, you never know when they could go. They are such blessings! I’m glad you could be with her, and good job grams picking up on the SA accent at 95!! Thats hard even for us young ones!!
By: Faith Start Essenburg on April 28, 2008
at 5:15 pm
this makes me miss my great-grandmother. we’ve always called her miney. i missed her birthday this year. i feel so terrible still.
i remember when i was a little girl, some of my other grandparents, aunts and uncles would ask me “who’s girl are you?”
i would always say “yours” but inside i was thinking “miney’s”.
thanks for sharing your sweet moments!
By: joy renée on April 28, 2008
at 6:17 pm
so funny.. I caught the “panera” joke too..
But I was moved by the story, especially the ending.
“wanna go to the movies?” how sweet.
I lost my granny last year about this time. We were reunited after 35 years (because of a divorce) we knew of each other, but didn’t realize that during my childhood years we lived 8 miles away from each other. The three years that I did have with her were miraculous.
Thanks for reminding me of this.
By: Heidi on April 28, 2008
at 9:15 pm
my grandma in midland used to take me to the movies all the time. i miss those days as well. but not half as much as i miss my grandma herself. she is still alive but holds grudges against me and my parents for moving away from midland.
By: Hannah on April 28, 2008
at 10:03 pm
nice boobs .. cool grandma … size does matter …
By: the anti-blogger on April 28, 2008
at 11:24 pm
Why am I the only guy who comments here? I’m not going to lie…that makes me feel a bit strange.
By: Andrew Ronzino on April 29, 2008
at 12:01 am
mandy — your comments made me laugh. don’t forget to send your great-granny some mail, k?
faith — that’s totally what i always think, too. it was hard saying goodbye, knowing i may not see her again…
joy renee — sounds like you have a special relationship with miney. and i love that you call her that.
heidi — the “panera” joke! ha ha. glad you caught that. amazing to hear how you reconnected with your grandmother. so special!
hannah — keep reaching out. God’s in the restoration business. (see comment 20!)
AB — i’m speechless. shaking my head, but … speechless.
andrew — no worries. quite a few other guys read and comment on my blog! you are not alone.
By: alece on April 29, 2008
at 12:40 am
Alece - my Name is Tammy Jo. Jo is after my Grandma. I used to hate it. but now that I’m a grown up, and she’s gone, I appreciate it more. Just a little late gettin’ there!
By: tam on April 29, 2008
at 1:34 am
Your Gram is so beautiful. I was never close to any of my grandparents, so I envy one who’d want to go to the movies with you. How wonderful is that?
I’m happy for you that you get to enjoy this time together. Your big smiles say it all. Keep enjoying yourself and making these kinds of memories together.
By: Lisa on April 29, 2008
at 4:36 am
Andrew - i know the name is not a dead giveaway to my maleness - but i want you to know.. I’m hurt - deeply hurt… don’t you READ Al’s comments??
I’m not going to speak for Ed and the NE’er but i suspect they are also close to tears :-(
And if you are anything remotely like your sis - then ’strange’ does not quite cover it, Dude! :-)
<B
By: lovewillbringustogether on April 29, 2008
at 5:34 am
Love: we all know you’re here… we haven’t forgotten you.
AntiBlogger: wow…………
By: mandythompson on April 29, 2008
at 8:36 am
You know for being an Anti Blogger, he sure does get quite a few words in …
By: annie on April 29, 2008
at 12:15 pm
My super detective skills have detected something…
Before, comments from the anit-blogger were accompanied by your picture Alece.
Now, his comment has a nice cup o’ joe by it.
Since the only people who can have a picture on a word press site are word pressers, then I would detuct that the anit-blogger has a blog (or at least an account with word press). That, or he has figured out how to get a picture by his name - in which case I would be much obliged to know the trick. If he does have a blog, it would be fun to read.
I was also wondering if I could get a word press account, just so I could have a picture there, but then put in my website as the blogger one that I still use. hmmm
Hope you two are well!
By: Gigi on the g&g on April 29, 2008
at 12:26 pm
tammy jo — i love that!
lisa — it IS wonderful. my Gram has established an incredible legacy through her prayers and steadfastness.
bub — apologies on his behalf! ;-)
annie — i know, right?!?! geeeeeeez….
gigi — he does indeed have a blog. i’m not sure why his name didn’t link over there… i’ll have to figure that out. and i think (i may be wrong…) but i think you can create a wordpress account (that will show your picture) without setting up a wordpress blog.
By: alece on April 29, 2008
at 1:23 pm
gigi: i detected the SAME EXACT happenings with anti… hmmmmm……..
By: mandy on April 29, 2008
at 1:53 pm
No - worries :-) Do you find yourself apologising for A.R a lot, Leesh? ;-)
You may have your work cut out for you with A-B then huh? ;-)
Will things change much when he takes over the world?
Should i start worrying now to avoid the rush later?
<B
By: lovewillbringustogether on April 29, 2008
at 10:50 pm
antib is quite fiesty…and quite inappropriate for being anonymous :)
this post was so sweet. glad you were able to suprise your gram.
By: danielhodgson on April 30, 2008
at 9:36 pm
Okay, it’s lame that this AlWAYS happens, but that last one was me. I guess it’s not enough to just glance at the user name, I’ll have to count the consoants.
By: yeller on April 30, 2008
at 9:39 pm
bub — yes. why put off for tomorrow what you can do today? start worrying now.
yeller - feisty is a good word for AB. sheeeesh.
By: alece on May 4, 2008
at 1:10 am
OMG, I Love this!!!! It makes me cry.. She is beautiful… and you look just like her Alece, but obviously younger… :)
By: aspaf on July 16, 2008
at 9:24 am
thanks for clarifying that i don’t look 95! ha ha!
By: alece on July 16, 2008
at 9:27 am
hahahaha!!!!!
By: aspaf on July 16, 2008
at 10:12 am