Fat Grammie

One morning Great Grammie declares, “I am fat!”. “No you’re not” I say. “Yes, I am. I have fat legs!” “Well, if you think you are, “FAT” then I guess I will have to start calling you “Fat Grammie"!  And from that day on my Great Grandmother was better known as “Fat Grammie". 

 It was some years later when both myself and Great Grammie were older that my mother thoughtfully suggested it might be time to relinquish this less than complimentary title! 

My great grandmother had a sharp tongue. Like a knife she could easily and quickly cut one down to size. I tried to please her but it seemed like my actions were never quite what she had in mind. How many times I was angry and upset when I heard her criticizing me after I left the room.Why did she do this?

That being said, my great grandmother was also giving in many ways. Great Grammie showered me with time, experience and knowledge. For some reason she gave extra time to me. Knowing this made me feel special. We played cards like, Kings in the Corner, Solitaire and Rummy. We played Triominoes, Skip-Bo and Majong. It was on her piazza (porch) where she taught me the names and sounds of birds. We watched Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights and there was always a jigsaw puzzle to work on. I tried my hand at sketching and watercolor with her. She shared her past of what her childhood was like and how she came to marry and settle as a farmer’s wife. I learned how to “do” hair by putting hers up in curlers. That was trial and error though as I do remember getting a comb very stuck in her hair once! Oops!

And I remember sitting on my mother’s lap many a night with fretful tears. What if Great Grammie dies?

What's your "Fat Grammie" story?