The last of a generation
My grandmother (my father's mother) passed away this morning/last night. She is the last grandparent I had alive, though she had Alzheimers like all the rest so it's been years since I've been able to talk to her.
I remember when I was little, she loved to knit. She would always be knitting socks when she came to visit. And we had many different things around the house she'd sewn for us. I'm pretty sure I have at least one doll she made me. I had a matching dress, but I doubt the dress is around anymore.
I also remember she was obsessed with pictures, but unusually good at catching shots at a bad time, often taking pictures of people from behind. At one point my uncles decided to troll her by sending her a picture of all of them from behind.
I assume that my willingness to sew practically anything comes from having so many people in my family who not only sewed, but sewed a LOT, showing that sewing was no big deal and nearly anything could be made. (Both my grandmothers and my mother did large amounts of sewing at times in their lives).
Not all of my memories are good of course, but that's life. No one's perfect.
It's very final to know that someone's gone that you haven't talked to for nearly 8 years. When I was little we saw her once a year when she flew down for christmas or thanksgiving. A few years ago she got too old to fly anymore. She got Alzheimers pretty badly, such that I'm not sure she would have recognized me if I'd gone. Between that and how hard it is for me to fly I hadn't gotten around to going to Alaska to visit her.
Of all my grandparents she will probably be the one I will think of the most often. I have so many things around the house that are from her - cookbooks and geneology charts and books. And she may be the one I will miss the most.
I remember when I was little, she loved to knit. She would always be knitting socks when she came to visit. And we had many different things around the house she'd sewn for us. I'm pretty sure I have at least one doll she made me. I had a matching dress, but I doubt the dress is around anymore.
I also remember she was obsessed with pictures, but unusually good at catching shots at a bad time, often taking pictures of people from behind. At one point my uncles decided to troll her by sending her a picture of all of them from behind.
I assume that my willingness to sew practically anything comes from having so many people in my family who not only sewed, but sewed a LOT, showing that sewing was no big deal and nearly anything could be made. (Both my grandmothers and my mother did large amounts of sewing at times in their lives).
Not all of my memories are good of course, but that's life. No one's perfect.
It's very final to know that someone's gone that you haven't talked to for nearly 8 years. When I was little we saw her once a year when she flew down for christmas or thanksgiving. A few years ago she got too old to fly anymore. She got Alzheimers pretty badly, such that I'm not sure she would have recognized me if I'd gone. Between that and how hard it is for me to fly I hadn't gotten around to going to Alaska to visit her.
Of all my grandparents she will probably be the one I will think of the most often. I have so many things around the house that are from her - cookbooks and geneology charts and books. And she may be the one I will miss the most.