1972, in my Grandpa’s arms
2006, my daughter, neslted safely in the arms of my Grandpa
Isn’t life beautiful? It is so beautiful.
Grandpa’s doing better. So much better, they sent him home. I just called Grandma and she said he “ok” but she’s pretty sure that “he’s on his way out.” She thinks he’ll “stick around for Christmas” but won’t be around long after that.
Have I ever told you that my Grandma is the strongest, most blunt and MOST HILARIOUS Grandma to have ever lived? She doesn’t mince words, which can be VERY EMBARASSING when out in the general public with her, but my God, she’s funny.
I’ll never forget the story she told me of when she went back to Germany to visit her family. She attended a very large church while visiting and decided to get up and speak to the congregation. She told the people of how hard life was when she was young, how hard they had to work for every little bit they had and then, she proceeded to GO OFF on “those young, unappreciative brats.”
“When I was a young girl, WE WOULD SCOOP WATER OUT OF THE GUTTERS WHEN WE WERE THIRSTY and you young’ins walk around with your fancy, expensive water bottles, thinking your life is so hard. YOU PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO SUFFER.”
God, I wish I had been there.
The best stories EVER are from when her and Grandpa worked at “The Camp” with “The Koreans.” Oh, how Grandma loved the Koreans.
As funny as it is to me to hear the stories, I can promise you that it was NOT fun for the people who worked there because from what I can gather, my Grandma was slightly verbally abusive. Especially to “the young’ins” because “the young’ins” did NOT KNOW HOW TO STIR THE SOUP, MAN.
Grandma is very religious, very Nazerene. (Is The Nazerine still a religion? Or is my Grandma the Last Naz Standing? I do not know much about The Nazerine faith, but I do remember that dancing is (was?) FORBIDDEN.) She loves to watch Catholic TV, but only to laugh at how misguided those poor Catholics are. (She does not, however, like to watch basketball, because “those basketball players are tatted out, overpaid thugs who sexually assault women and smoke Marijuana.”)
I called her right now to ask her if she needs help with Grandpa. “No, I can manage him just fine, I don’t need any help.”
That’s how she is. She’ll NEVER admit to needing help. She’s strong, probably the toughest woman I’ve ever known, but I can’t help but think at almost 90 years old, she may truly need help but is unable to accept it.
Sigh.
The good news is that Gramps is getting better. Thanks for the well wishes and prayers for him. Now, maybe you can say a little prayer for Grandma Wilma. She’s going to need them, taking care of that grumpy old man.
Your Grandma sounds a lot like mine. A real firecracker. I am so glad to hear your Grandpa is doing better. I hope you will be able to spend some time with him over the holidays.
Great news about your Grandpa!!! I’m so happy for you and your family!! Your Grandma sounds a bit like my Grandma. The part about doing it all herself and never asking or accepting help. She wasn’t so outspoken though. Kinda wished she had been. I’m sure she could have told us some great stories!!
Awww! I love your grandparents!! SPUNKY! I wonder where you get it? *lol*
I’m so glad your Granddad is doing better. I love the two pictures of you and your daughter. That is really special.
I’m so happy to hear that your grandpa is better! “Last Naz standing” – ROFL!
GO GRAMPS! So happy he is doing well and your hero lives on. =)
Beautiful pics Y. So happy your gramps is doing better and I will continue to pray for you and your family.
Sounds like my grandma (who lived to be a whopping 96 years old, although you’d never have known it). We always said she was too mean to die young, heh. Glad your grandpa is doing better!
Last Naz Standing! You crack me up.
I’m glad your grampa is doing better. I love those sweet pictures of him with you and G.
Y,
I’m glad that he’s doing well enough to leave the hospital. I think everyone should have a strong, blunt woman in their life. Keeps people honest. 🙂 I’ll still be thinking good thoughts for you, your family, and your cabinets.
Y, most importantly, I’m glad to hear your Grandpa is doing better and is home again. I’m sure that’s a huge relief for everyone involved, especially your Grandma, who sounds like a hoot.
I also feel compelled to tell you that yes, the Nazarenes are still going strong. I know this because I was raised as a Nazarene, in a Nazarene community (Southern Nazarene Universty, anyone?) and while you are correct and we weren’t allowed to have dances at school, and *technically* we weren’t supposed to swim with the boys or EVER go to a movie theater with the boys because swimming involves wearing swimsuits and THAT would be innappropriate, and everyone knows a movie theater is a dark house of ill repute where crazy, lustful things occur … at least *MY* branch of the Nazarene community allowed the girls to cut our hair and wear pants and shorts (and of course, we swam with the boys and went to movies and most likely I’m going straight to Hell for those henious sins) but I can promise you that I never drank water from a gutter. 🙂
Anyway, my point is that Nazarene or no, I think your Grandma sounds wonderful and I’ll keep both her and your Grandpa in my thoughts.
Kristie, thank you for the Nazerene Update! (Seriously, thank you. Now it allllllll makes sense. My grandpa once went CERAAAAAAZY on me because I was going to wear jeans and a tank top to his church.)
I honestly didn’t know if the Nazerenes were still going strong because I don’t see any of them in our area anymore. (perhaps because I’m not LOOKING for them)
So glad to hear he’s doing better, and my thoughts are definently with your grandma, too! And those pictures are wonderful. I know Gabby will love to see those when she’s older!
You and Gaby look soooo much alike in those pictures! And of cours, go Grandpa!!!!
Glad to hear Grandpa is better! And those stereotypical blue-haired, baking, knitting grannies?
Bor-ing!
The spitfires are much more fun! My Grandma was similar, and I miss her so much.
Y, your relationship w/your grandpa is almost identical to mine. Even with my children.
Those pictures were SOO beautiful and it actually made me cry. Brings things in to relaity that you never know, it might by my grandpa next. I looked at those pictures and just thought about my grandfather & grandmother. The adopted me when I was 2, raised me and did a pretty good job…So of course i also see them as my mom and dad. OK Enough i confused everyone now. Either way Im glad to know grandpa is atleast somewhat better and tell Grandma YOUR going to help her, weither it be for her or for you to help w/the sickness of grandpa and knowing that one day he will be gone.
🙂 {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}
hahaaha! Y- I think my daughter would identify with your description of your grandma with her grandma. They sound exactly alike- all of us kids(not grandkids) call her “the hurricane” she’s an old lady on a mission, a bull in a china shop, she tells it like it is regardless of who’s listening. That’s why they get as old as they do they don’t mess around- us young-ins have it so easy LOL! Your pictures are so very precious!
Your family will be in my prayers.
So glad to hear he is doing better.
Your Grandma sounds like someone I would like a lot. I like straight forward people who tell it like it is.
I’m glad your grandfather is home. I’m sure he’ll be much more comfortable at home. I’m sorry he’s “on his way out” though. That is always hard.
((hugs))
i’m so glad he is doing better. i was doing some random thing today and suddenly thought “wonder how Y’s grandpa is doing”. such is the power of the internet.
Glad to hear he is doing better. 🙂
What absolutely beautiful pictures.
What a sweetie. I’m glad your grandfather’s doing better, too.
I had the horrific moment last night of realizing that MY grandmother has STARTED READING MY FUCKING BLOG! And there are a LOT of curse words in it!
Aaahh — I leave for a few days and when I come back, there’s all this? All these sweet, sweet posts filled with great pictures? All this gushing about wonderful grandparents? I picked the wrong week to ‘take a break’. At any rate, grandma sounds like my kinda gal, and I’m so in love with grandpa. Hope he has a good holiday season. Thanks for sharing these wonderful people with us.
I think I’m in love with your grandmother. Especially if she said “tatted out” and, you know, she’s not too far off the mark with some of those basketball players.
She’s not the last Naz standing yet. We went to a Nazarene church just this morning. They mostly let us dance nowadays. Just be careful…Big Naz is watching! 🙂
“Big Naz”
That’s so great.
There used to be a few Nazerene churches around here, and they’re gone now. The Calvary Chapels have taken over California, I guess.
Y, I had to write you and tell you that you inspired me to write about my grandmother today (would have been her 93rd birthday). Unfortunately, she didn’t get to see me get married, or see my kids born, and I’m still coming to terms with that, but it felt really really good to write about her today. I’m slowly getting that it’s ok to blog about hard things, thanks to brilliant writers like you. I would be honored if you stopped by and read my post. And I’m so SO glad your gramps is doing better and at home, “sticking around for Christmas.”