My Paternal Grandmother

A house needs a grandma in it. Louisa May Alcott

There’s no place like home except Grandma’s. Author Unknown

Everyone needs to have access both to grandparents and grandchildren in order to be a full human being. Margret Mead

The walls of divorce and maternal bias kept my house divided when growing up. Getting to see my paternal grandmother was not at the top of my mom’s list. But when dad came to town, we’d visit. Its not that mom kept me completely from seeing her, but the visits were limited. My grandmother read tea leaves, the Tarot, and held séances.

Mom didn’t approve of grandma’s pagan ways. But she kept a Holy Bible in her living room and said grace before meals, always ending each one with ‘in Jesus’s name. Amen’. For some reason, my grandmother had no defined lines when it came to spirituality. She attended a Methodist church and belonged to their Eastern Star club.

Grandma had an interesting life growing up, too. She was the oldest of eleven sisters. She also helped run the family dairy farm after her father died when her youngest sister had just turned one. Grandma and her family survived The Great Depression without a him.

My time with grandma was spent on the Venice beach picking up sharks’ teeth or building sandcastles. At her home, we’d crochet book worms or do needle point designs.

She made the best dinners. My most favorite one was apricot glazed chicken, peas and mushrooms with parsley potatoes, followed by a cheesecake topped with a glazed cherries.

She also kept spiral notebooks full of her family stories that she wrote. Some are in longhand.

Grandma loved birds. Especially cardinals. Bird feeders and baths filled her back yard. Every bird imaginable would visit. Even humming birds.

I cherished every moment I had with her.

When I finally left my mother’s house for good at eighteen, I made an every Friday date with her. We’d go to breakfast and do some window shopping after. However, those Fridays were short lived. She came down with a UTI and became dehydrated. She passed right before Christmas in 1984.

In Secondhand Shoes, Lila’s Gram, is a lot like my grandmother. She comes many times in the form of a cardinal to her granddaughter’s aid. I often wonder if my grandmother doesn’t do the same, guiding and directing my way. ***shrugs*** One never knows. Although, my dad seems to think so.

So guys, when you put your stories together do you weave in your favorite people from your life?

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

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SAVE THE DATE: February 19, 20, and 21st. I’ll be having a Spread the News and Cheer on the Run Away Bride Giveaway. I’ll be drawing 2 winners for a 15 dollar Amazon card and 2 winners for autographed copies of Secondhand Shoes. Stay tuned for more details and who will be helping.

Gram’s Blog

I remember the night I died from a UTI…my, my….of all things to die from, too. Now where was I? Oh, yeah… right before summer began, the cards tried to warn my Lila about that bad fella, Max, and his scallywag friends. Not only did the Tarot try to warn her, but her own intuition flooded in that night. Too bad the cards or, her intuition, didn’t name these bad boys. Unfortunately, that’s how it works sometimes. The fates leave it up to a person to figure certain things out.

In my better days, we practiced the gift of sight on Sunday afternoons. I found it special I mentored her but the child doubts herself no matter what. Very frustrating…(sighs) my, my.

The poor thing endured constant insults from the time she was small by her mother, Babs. That woman’s such a pooh. I’m amazed that she didn’t keep my granddaughter away from me because she sure kept her away from my son, her dad, Rick Bowman. What a shame, too. Because her stepfather, Howie, is no help. He’s a beaten, down wimp.

I can’t believe the woman allowed her to marry Max Butz. They only new each other three months. The fella’s bad news. He looks at my granddaughter like she’s something to eat. What kind of person drives around with drugs and guns in their car?  And, what mother would allow such a nice girl to marry someone she barely knows? (Sigh)

Oh, and then there’s his mother, Edna. Dear God. The woman’s not what she appears to be. Praise the Lord…my bottom! That’s all the woman seems to be able to say. And, she wants my Lila to be a part of the family business. Over my dead body…(chuckles) I’m already dead.

Oh, my!! (sigh) What’s a grandmother to do?

Some how, even though I’m in spirit, I’ve got to get this child to understand that she’s got a real gift and a voice of her own. I’m thankful God didn’t take me to the light yet. I’ve got a mission. Help my poor, Lila. She’s got herself in a real fix. Sad thing is, I can’t always manifest to help her or, send out my birds. Maybe it’s a good thing. She’ll find her own strength that way. Can’t be there to fight all her battles. But, I’ll do my best. Especially, when it comes to getting her to Julio. I like that boy.

Pooh, on what her mother thinks!

I can see Shirley McClaine as Gram.

What do you guys think? Any other suggestions?