Today would have been my great grandmother's birthday so I thought it would be a good day to talk about her, and my great grandparents in general. They are the next in my series of things for which I am thankful. While I have really been thankful for the stuff I have talked about before today, I can't really express how fortunate I have been in my life to not only know all of my grandparents, but at least 5 of my great grandparents as well.
While I did meet a number of my great grandparents, my memories of most of them are faint. My older brothers recall so much more than I do. I only vaguely remember visiting my Grandpa Geo (who I believe was over 100) and Kalman and his wife.
It is really my mom's - mom's parents (My Nonny and Papa) who I knew the best and the longest. And like a parent can't say they have a favorite kid when in fact they really do, I guess I shouldn't say that they were my favorite great grandparents - but they were.
Here are the things that come to mind when I think about them:
- Everyone called Nonny "Nonny" even if they weren't related to her. Oddly we all spelled it Nonny but she actually wrote it as Nane on the birthday cards that she always sent.
- Papa used to eat the largest bowls of chicken soup - we still remark about it to this day.
- Nonny used to make these brownies that everyone raved about but I am not sure if anyone but me and my Dad really liked them. I still have her brownie pan and it sits in a special place in our kitchen - it is never used for anything but her brownies.
- I remember her telling me about going to see The Marx Brothers in person when they used to perform in Chicago.
- Papa gave a speech at my brother's BarMitzvah that had the whole room in tears.
- Nonny used to accuse me of cheating at cards - but it was really her...
- We had a huge 90th birthday party for Nonny and hundreds of people were there - I can only hope that I have touched that many lives positively
- For the longest time Nonny would never let me drive her around - I don't think she could ever believe that I was old enough
- One of the first times she did let me drive she gave me $5 and told me to fill up the car with gas. Even at 1988 prices, that didn't go very far.
- and I remember the day each of them died just like it was yesterday.
SB
I regret I never had the privilege of meeting Nonny. I feel as if I know her, though, as she is still so often and fondly spoken of by you and your family. She must have been a treasure! It is a blessing to have such a dear person in your life! I am sure a lot of her lives on in the man you have become. That is my definition of eternal life!
I also remember the pottery projects she made that somehow made their way to CO and ended up as ashtrays...and how you can tell the ones from the later years, because...well, you can.
We were talking today at dinner - I came home for the weekend, and had dinner with Dad and Carole, Mom, and Michael, and Carole had baked ice box cookies, and my mom remarked that she used to have lots of Nonny's old recipes in her handwriting - including the brownie one - but they were accidentally thrown away by a friend of hers years ago.
Funny that no one commented on her birthday.
On that note, though, I'm hoping those good longevity genes were passed down to us!
@Ross - I think it is great that you can find joy in spending time with your grandfather. Alzheimer's can be so difficult and him recognizing you is great.
@Gina - She would have loved you and you two would have definitely had a common bond with your flair for baking.
@Mom - Thanks for the comments. Like Gina said their effect on our family has certainly helped make us all the great wonderful people that we are today
@Kelly - Thank you so much. It is hard to not be weepy when thinking of those that are gone but we have our memories (and letters!!) to help us remember and celebrate their lives.
@Jess - I really had forgotten the pottery although I am lucky enough to have an elephant and a pencil holder.
I have some of her recipes as well. And and as good a baker as Carole is, what she makes aren't really ice box cookies, at least not how I recall them. Ice box cookies are nickel / quarter sized and nearly impossible to bite into. Wonderful they both are - but very different cookies.
SB