Granny Green

This past weekend, I lost my Granny. She was two weeks shy of ninety-nine years old. My dad's mother and my last living grandparent. My dad's parents were the only grandparents I ever had because my mom sadly lost both of her parents by her early twenties. Granda and Granny Green as we referred to them. Having your family live 3,000 miles away from you has it's perks and it's down falls. I've traveled to Europe many times in my life, I've had a strong awareness of how lucky I am to be an American from a young age, I've learned how to make friends into family, seen many walks of life and most importantly to me... I've had a close bond with my intermediate family because we had to depend on each other. However, I did not get to see my extended family very often. My grandparents would visit once a year when they were still young enough to and they would often stay for many weeks at a time. We would also travel sometimes twice a year and stay for a few weeks as well. It was wonderful. As we grew older, our lives began to develop here in the US and ticket prices continued to rise.... the trips for me have been fewer. My dad still goes back as often as he can to spend time with Granny most of all. He has even been known to go to Ireland for the weekend, just to see her.

I have many fond memories of my grandmother and our times together. To me she will always be the epitome of a lady. Everyone adored her. Here is a snip it into the Granny that I loved.

- I'll remember her: orange marmalade, knee highs, the way she whispered when she talked about cancer or someones profession, her broaches, her stories about my dad's childhood, the way she called me JoJo and how her tooth whistled when she did, endless white blouses wrapped in plastic, her change purse, her bright blue row house among the hundreds of dreary brown and brick ones...so many little things that made her my Granny...

- She was an amazing cook and was known for cooking for large parties.

- She was an incredible hostess and many people came to stay with my Gran. She had a room on the top floor where she allowed people to stay when they needed it. In this room, there was a dinner bell. She would feed whomever came to stay and they were notified by the cute little attic bell. We loved playing with it as kids.

- She was a baker like no other. Her coffee cake was to die for and I don't even like coffee cake! I remember whenever we visited she would have tins and tins of sweets she had made ahead of time for us to munch. Her little mini iced cakes were always my fav!

- She admired the queen to the fullest and aspired to dress like her as well. So cute.

I'll never forget her dish towels with the queen's face on them.

- She would ask me if I wanted tea sixteen times a day... every time she asked, I would remind her of how I don't drink tea. To a woman who drinks," a wee half cup,' ALL day long... that does not sink in... so she would just keep asking!

- There was a little convenient store on the end of her street. I have fond memories of her giving Mike, Nikki and I some change and loving the freedom of being able to walk up the street and get some amazing Cadbury chocolates. Flakes, Club bars and Tayto chips were my picks!

- She would always make us the most amazing potato pancakes for breakfast.

- Her strength was endless. She took care of my grandfather who suffered with Alzheimer's and never complained.

- My father is an only child and now that I am a mother... I really admire her for the way she dealt with his choice to leave the country and live in the US. It must have been so hard on her and she never gave my dad any grief. Just support.

- She did an amazing job raising my dad. She spoiled and adored him. She loved,"her Michael." My father is a smart, hard working, generous, emotional and kind man. Truly one of a kind... If I can raise my boys to have half of the qualities my dad does... I will be lucky!

- The moment she gave me her mother's ring. She explained so sweetly how she wanted me to have it.. It meant and means the world to me.

- My graduation gift for high school was a trip over and I brought my best friend, Nicole. By this point she had moved out of her house and I was visiting her in an assisted living apartment complex. I have so many memories from that trip, but my fondest if that I set a 2 liter on her cook top (shocker, soda I know) She has left it on when she made tea, but I didn't realize. Well, long story short... we had twenty some young firefighters in her tiny tiny apartment because they heard two blond American girls were upstairs... it was a riot!

- The memories of my last trip with her will forever be burned in my brain. She teared up as she always did when it was time for me to leave. That was the last time I saw her in person. I feel very lucky that Jon had a chance to meet her, but sorry that my boys did not. I loved how she refused to call Jon by his name... she always called him Sean. I feel like she wished he were Irish too or something. 

- I will miss her dearly and now feel that old familiar feeling of loss. I have been melancholy since I received my dads initial text messages. Mostly from the frustration and sadness of not being able to be with my dad as he goes through the ceremonies and tasks involved. I feel terrible that I couldn't be there for him. I also can't help but feel that the little family we have continuing to diminish... it's not true.... in reality it continues to expand with all these beautiful boys and that's what I keep trying to remember.... She would have loved to spoil and feed these boys!

My Granny has left a legacy that is for sure. She will be missed and loved forever by many! RIP Gran... until we meet again!