[June]

Tomorrow is Grandparents Day. The first sunday after Labor Day.

Have a Happy !!

[johnofphilly]

Life's circumstances are often like multiple lampshades over a bulb.

Never really got to know my grandparents who were born pre-1900. At least not directly. They were never that open, close, or honest with me, and I can't even blame them.

They started out fun loving enough, doing the Charleston and raving about the new "talkies" movies. The ones on the father's side got a bad rap by my less-than-whole-truth telling father; although Grandpa was reputedly a mean, ignorant coal miner, which is probably true as it was confirmed enough times. The ones on my dear Mother's side were a little better but still distant. Grandmom was an indulged only child, a first survivor after 12 stillbirths. Married in her teens to a drunkard ten years her elder whom she left a decade later with three children, after becoming a Sunday school teacher at her church. Oh, how I would love to get into H.G. Wells' time machine and check her out prior to the transition.

My dummy parents in the middle WWII veteran generation undoubtedly didn't understand either of their parents at all. Mom's pop died before I was born, hence I had a step-grandpop there.

I guess having had grandparents at all is a bit of a luxury. Further, to be able to research about them, and the world they functioned in. But I don't mean to bore those who haven't - trust me, I possess nothing to brag about, only links to the past, definitive of the human condition.

[S V PELUZIO JR]

I miss so much my Grandparents. But i feel lucky, because i still have a Grandmother. Dad´s Mom is almost 100 years. Their love for us is always special.

Happy Grandparents Day !!

[irene soggia]

I have not met my grandparents.
The parents of my father died before my birth and parents of my mom died when I was too young to remember them.

I have not had this great "treasure"!

I miss them so much, so every guest at the clinic for the elderly when I go for visit, they are or my grandfathers or my grandmothers!

GOD BLESS ALL GRANDPARENTS!

[BrianFStevenson]

My experience of grandparents is very limited - both of my grandmothers were gone before I was born, and my maternal grandfather lived in Sydney - I met him once that I remember, twice all up.

My paternal granfather was a stern schoolteacher of history and English that used to interrogate a small boy over what he had learned at school that day. Luckily, I was always able to satisfy him with coherent answers. He passed away when I was ten. I believe I inherited his interest in books and the humanities in general, and just wish he had lasted a few more years so we could have had some great conversations.

As my friend Irene says, God bless all grandparents!

[erniegy]

I think that most of us seniors were born in an era where grandparents didn't care too much for their children's children. That was certainly my case. Never knew a grandfather, maternal grandma was a frail tiny old lady who only ever turned up at our house for a handout and we very rarely went to her house where my mother was born. Paternal grandma always claimed she had been injured in a huge munitions factory explosion in London in 1926 and took to her bed from then on. My father had to got across the road to sit with her every night to give my spinster aunt a little respite from her constant nagging. I remember him lighting the gas light on the wall every evening and shouting into her ear trumpet, this would be during the second world war years.

At a recent funeral we met a 90 year old who said he lived in the same street as my mum's mother. There were 6 kids and two parents in his 2 roomed apartment, the eldest 3 shared a bed, the others shared the floor. He said he never slept in a bed until he got called up to go in the army!
Nowadays, we see our grandkids every week. The youngest at 4 is sleeping here overnight and I have played with her most of the day.

[Bren]

I only knew my paternal grandmother, the others
had died before I was born. My nan was born when Queen Victoria was on the throne and she told me that when she went into labour with my dad she didn't even know how babies came into the world, it was a real shock for her

[johnofphilly]

The role of grandmother is different now. When we were little grandmothers were "old". They were all about doilies and old fashions. But even then, some women were more sophisticated about NOT fitting the stereotype and looking their age.

These two pictured were taken around the same time - one of them is ten years older than the other 64 and 54.
But if you didn't know each of their birthyears, you'd probably pick the wrong ones to match the wrong ages.

(one of them is Doris Packer)

[donnah]

My maternal grandmother(Anna), helped raise me. She was a somewhat pudgy,grey haired lady who taught me to waltz, embroider and knit. She had a soft heart and was fun. Grew the prettiest flowers on the street. I feel so lucky to have had her. God Bless Grandmas every where.

[Rhodalee]

I never met my paternal grandparents. My grandmother passed away before I was born. My grandfather stayed in Greece, he had two more wives. Had a son with the second wife, 7 sons with his third wife, they all went to the camps during the holocaust. Only two of his sons survived, he did not survive either.

My maternal grandparents I knew. Loved them, I was 2 years old when they both passed away. My grandpa always kidded me, he always stole my ball.