Grandma Do

This is my grandma.  Her name is Frances.  One of my brother's high school friends came over for dinner when my grandma was out west visiting us a number of years ago, and this friend didn't know how, properly, to address her.  So to make this friend feel more at ease, Gram just said, "Oh, you can call me Grandma, too."  She was slightly mis-heard, and so the mistaken moniker of 'Grandma Do' was applied that evening.

I got to see my grandma again this past weekend when I was out to visit some friends in Toronto.  We almost lost her to a big health scare this January, so I was pleasantly surprised at the spry strength that greeted me in the form of her hug when I walked in her back door on Friday evening.  She make six of us a meal of macaroni casserole and sausages, and it was absolutely delicious.  Pumpkin pie and Oreo cookies for dessert.

She's undeniably the most remarkable woman I've ever had the pleasure to know.  She's a mother to six (of which my own mother is the second), a grandmother to nine (of which my brother and I are the oldest), and a great-grandmother to my own two boys.

The picture above doesn't do justice to how perfectly and comfortably she fit under my left arm.  It's a feeling of comfort, love, and utter protectiveness that I've only felt paralleled in holding my own children.  Except with Gram there's a great deal of respect and awe added in there too.

I love my Grandma Do.

Comments

[Mark]

Sounds like "Grandma Do" is a lot like my late grandmother. She always had our friends call her "Mimi," just like we did.

That's great that you got to see her and that a few of your friends from later in life got to meet her.

I'm still blown away every time I hear of a family having six children. There's a completely different level of... something... in people like that.

[Moksha Gren]

I remember that health scare and am happy to see she's still running around, fitting perfectly under your arm.

My own Grandma Lu passed away a few years ago, but she was a ball of energy packed into a tiny frame I can only hope to emulate.

I do have to say, however, that the wonderful sentiments and photo shared in the post contrast oddly with the drunken shananigans in the banner ;)

[Simon]

Mark, that extra "something" you're referring to, at least in this case, was, I think, nothing more than a good, strong Catholic upbringing.

Moksha, I have to protest that the shenanigans you refer to were performed under a pall of near-total sobriety, the drinks little more than props in our hands, since the sun was doing such a good job of, as we claimed, evaporating the alcohol before it had much of a chance to get into our systems.

[Mark]

I just wondered why the guys' Charlie's Angels pose was so much better than the gals'.

Hmm?

[Dave]

Simon, I hope you printed this off to show her... ~S~

[Jenn]

She's fabulous because of her name. I've been told that women named Frances are wonderful unique ladies. That's why we named our most recent daughter Frances, you know. :)

[marian]

That's a lovely post, boy. I hope I can be that kind of grandma, if I ever make it that far....

[Amy]

The guys Charlie's Angel pose was better than the girls because the guys do CHEESY better than the girls...

[Simon]

Mark, see my wife's answer to your question. I can't argue with that.

Dave, I think my aunt regularly shows Gram the blog posts that would interest her. I'm sending her some updated pics soon too, anyway.

Jenn, your newest daughter is off to a great start then, isn't she?!

Marian, your boy's, what, 20 now? Heck, you have a good 40 years left in you at least!