Grandma

 

The other day, I was in the store, and noticed a young child who was obviously with his grandma.

I thought to myself, "Grandma's sure have changed over the years!"

I remember my own Grandma.

She seemed OLD - even when she wasn't that old.

even looking at pictures of her now, I think she looks older than her years.

She wore her long gray hair in a braid and rolled up on to of her head.

Her dresses were long and frumpy - never any pants!

Grandma wore dark, heavy stockings and her

black shoes were never very stylish...but very practical.

Grandma died when she was 87 years old.  I was 12.

At the time of her death she was nearly blind and nearly deaf.

That is the way I remember her mostly - just sitting in her rocker,

being old....and knitting.

I remember her knitting miniature potholders for me to play house with.

She knit big pot holder, scarves, afghans for others.

She was a good cook and loved to have her family home for special meals,

but my memories of that are very vague.

It was always great fun to go to Grandma's house on the farm;

I cherish the things I have that were hers and will pass them down to my kids.

But back to the grandma I saw in the store. . . .

I can't imagine my Grandma wearing blue jeans or capri pants!

Sandals?  Tank top?  No way!!

Shorts?  That would be scandalous!

As far as I know, Grandma never wore makeup;

she never painted her fingernails, and certainly not her toe nails!

She didn't dye her hair or go to the beauty parlor, either.

I can't imagine my grandma down on the floor, chasing her grandchildren

like I have been known to do.

But I am sure she must have told some of the older grandchildren stories.

Grandma Dahlager was the only living grandparent that I had--

Sure, she wasn't like the grandmothers of today,

but she was a great grandma!

After I finished this, I remembered that today was the date of

grandma's birth.  She was born on March 29, 1872 in Valdal, Norway.

This picture of grandma was taken in the late 20's or early 30's, so she would have been in her 50's.  Even then, her hair is braided and rolled into a bun on top of her head.

Below:  Grandma is in her 80's in this picture,

taken a year or so before her death.