G is for... Grandparents

I haven't done one of my A to Z posts for a while.  This one has been sat, unfinished for ages now - I've been waiting on us all being well enough to go up in the loft and dig out some old photos. With it being an A to Z I couldn't exactly skip to H and I knew what I wanted to do for G.  

Grandparents.

My daughter happens to be my parents only Grandchild.  It's the same for my husbands parents too.  I know they all desperately longed for a Grandchild (some more openly than others).  In some ways I feel sorry that I left it later in my life to have a family as I realise that my mum and dad, in particular, are getting a lot older now - both 66 this year.

I was lucky enough to have my Grandparents in my life until I was into my 20's and 30's and it's something I'll always be thankful for.  I hope that Mini Cheddar gets to experience that too.

Photo credit: I.ona

My Dads parents lived near us most of my life.  They moved up from Luton where we had moved from when my Mum was pregnant with me and so they lived right around the corner from us for many years. When my Mum went back to work (when I was about 6 years old I think) my Sister and I would go to their house every day after school. My Grandma would always be making homemade soup and I can still almost taste it through my memories alone.  I vividly remember the brown 70's style crockery sets that we used to eat soup and sandwiches from. Grandad would be watching Crossroads on the TV and Snowy the budgie would be chirping away.  Such fond memories.

They were called Grandma and Grandad Fishes by us as they had a pond in their garden which was filled with fish (and frogs).  I still refer to them like that now. Grandad Fishes developed Alzheimer's and passed away when I was about 24. Grandma followed 6 months later. They were in their 70's when they died. I still have a big heavy necklace with a watch in it that used to be my Grandmas. I miss them both.

My Mums parents were very active and went ballroom dancing and on holidays abroad until they were well past their 70's.  They were my Nan (Nan didn't ever want to be called Grandma) and Grandad Balloons because he always had balloons for us to play with when we were little.  They lived in Luton and stayed in Luton so we didn't get to see them as much. The times we did share with them were always so fun-filled though.  When we had stayed with them and were coming to say goodbye, Nan used to secretly stuff £5 or £10 notes into our hands (which was a lot of money back then).  She always used to be so generous as she said she used to take our cousins - who lived in Luton - out quite a lot but we missed out. 

I think because they were so active they lived long and healthly lives. They even made it to their 60th Wedding Anniversary and received a telegram from The Queen. Sadly Nan developed pancreatic cancer when she was 86 and passed away in October 2007.  Grandad followed less than 2 months later at the ripe old age of 91.  He died doing what he loved - going for his daily walk.  I'll never forget getting that phone call in work from my Dad to tell me the news.  I was devastated as I'd only driven all the way down to Luton (from North Wales) a couple of days beforehand to spend the day with Grandad and he was so spritely. Again, I miss them both.

I have to stop and think sometimes and be more accepting of our parents wanting to spend time with our daughter.  Time is so precious and my daughter gets so much happiness from spending time with them. I'm thankful that they want to be there for our daughter as I have some friends who don't have that in their life. I can't imagine what that must be like.

There is no denying - Grandparents are precious. My daughter is lucky enough to have 4 loving and doting Grandparents in her life. I was so lucky to have 4 wonderful Grandparents in my life for so long and I miss them all dearly.

"Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation" 

~Lois Wyse

Part of my A to Z posts

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