Times Remembered
I am thinking of my granny….
A wonderful lady, she brought so much to my life.
One day she came to the kitchen to help us with washing the dishes. We had been twelve at table that day. Rolling up her sleeves, she looked at the stacked dirty plates, cutlery, pots and pans & the detritus of a big family meal.
“Will we just throw them out the window”? She asked.
We all gasped in horror and looked open mouthed at her. I visualised the clatter of the breaking china and the mess that might fall to me for clearing up.
She laughed heartily donned an apron and got stuck in to the wash up. She washed, we dried and not an item was broken. We sang and she told stories. It seemed no time before all the dishes were put away and the kitchen left ready for the next round of tea making.
That was over 50 years ago; I still hear her voice, the laughter and think of her when faced with a pile of dishes.
I too remember my Grandmother when washing up. She abhorrer the habit of drying two plates at once. You dried the top of one and the bottom of the other and then swapped them over. This was wrong in her eyes as you might chip one or both plates.
What a wonderful story Grannymar. I can picture that scene. You should have elaborated a bit on the apron perhaps!
Grannymar, my mum actually threw the dishes out of the window once; she wasn’t given to such behaviour but our squabbling over whose turn it was must have just gotten to her one too many times and the dishes were quietly thrown to their doom. The silence with which she did it was all consuming and we remained quiet ourselves for quite some time. I can laugh at it now though!
I prefer your tale; it sounds so loving and great fun. xx
I love the Irish humour – I miss it so much, sometimes. Your story made me smile….
I remember my grandmother with fondess too. My Mom, Dad, brother and I lived them for a while. She spoiled us. Good memory! I love looking back at the past!
Your story brought tears to my eyes. I hope my grandchildren will remember me like that.. I hardly remember my Granny. She was in her eighties when she died and I was seven. I would love to have grown up with a huge extended family.
I grew up without a grandmother. I kept trying to adopt my friends’ grandmothers. They were all kindly women willing to let me call them grandma, but it just wasn’t the same.
If I could choose a grandmother, it would be yours. Like Maria/Gaelikaa I love the Irish sense of humor and yes, they all brought it with them when they migrated to the United States. Sometime, I will share the family stories about my Aunty Moran.
It is a great honor for your to have gotten the title Grannymar at such an early age. No one can replace your mother. But, likewise, no one is like your grandmother! Mine were both so different – but going to Grandma’s house was always THE special trip.
Grandmothers are magic.
Magpie – Do you hear your grandmother’s voice?
Ramana – The aprons will come at another time, it would have been one of Mammy’s from the back of the kitchen door.
Helen – I can feel the fear in you as you watched the dishes go out one by one. The action certainly spoke louder than words on that occasion.
Gaelikaa – Irish humour is kinda special.
Judy H – some memories are good to recall.
Rhyleysgranny – Listen Granny Pink 😉 no tears, it spoils the image!
Maria – You can adopt me!!
Grannymar,
I can’t adopt you. How can I have a Grandma younger than me!
So if there is to be an adoption, we must reverse the order. I will be your grandmother. This sounds like Pub or Bar talk. We should probably have a few drinks because then it might sound a little more sensible. I can’t stop laughing. Loved the comment.
Conrad – my grandmothers were like chalk and cheese. My paternal granny, I only remember as a dark shadow. Granny above loved bright colours and saw fun around every corner.
Maria – Who mentioned age? I have been Grannymar since 1973! I have my glass at the ready, so here is to the adoption! Slainte Mhath! It means literally “Good Health”.
Funny the things we remember most vividly. Not necessarily the big dramatic moments but doing the washing up and a typical joke. In fact what I most remember about my own maternal granny was her jokes – she had a fabulous sense of humour.
Washing up with a crowd is so much more fun than doing it on your own. My nana had a dishwasher, seriously,must have been one of the first but they owned a pub so a necessity I guess. My other granny was more like yours I think, rotund and bossomy and always in the kitchen.
Nick – I think you granny passed on her sense of humour to you. 😀
Baino – We always had a crowd of helpers for the washing up. Somehow other peoples dishes always seem more interesting.
A true Whistle While You Work kind of woman!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY3aljAO7qU
By the way, I can see that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, GM.
What a fantastic image! I love to wash the dishes! It can be a lovely meditative experience or a social, special one like the one you described. Beautiful!
I remember my grandmother so fondly; she cooked and sang hymns all the time, such as “I come to the garden alone….” Every time I hear that song, I think of her.
Memories of my Granny are many and many are the times we shared washing up. Now at family gatherings it has become a tradition for the men to do the washing up. They actually have a great time, and are very careful not to break to much.
Not that I recall…. except when my sister speaks at times perhaps. I can’t remember my parents’ voices either but that is probably because they were so often raised in anger or full of contempt.
Marianna – I need to stop whistling while I work… I lost my reply to the latest comments. 🙁 I enjoyed the video. It brought back memories.
Ginger – Welcome on board, there are always plenty of glass cloths ready for willing hands to help with the dishes.
Judy – I knew a lady who sang hymns all day. Sadly she developed dementia, still singing but the hymns had new words… ones you would never hear in a church and really shocked her family!
Brighid – I have noticed that the men seem to take over the dishes after a meal or gathering… about time too.
David – I too closed off the unkind voices or those raised in anger.