GRAND-parents

Grandparents are pretty much the greatest thing in the world. I might be a little biased since I have the world's best grandparents. But, seriously, some of my greatest memories are those I shared with them, and some of my greatest characteristics are the ones I obtained while striving to be like them.

Greg and I talk about our grandparents a lot. It's fun to swap stories and hear about things we each did as a little kid. It's weird though because our grandparent-centered stories are freakishly similar... that got me thinking that there's something going on with the grandparents of our generation.

I told Greg about the time that my grandpa asked my sister if she wanted a drink of his milkshake, but it wasn't a milkshake it was a huge glass of buttermilk. My grandparents always had a carton of buttermilk in the fridge in addition to regular milk... so did Greg's grandparents! 

Then there was the time that my grandpa asked my sister if she wanted a bite of celery. Yeah, that wasn't celery either; it was a green onion! He loved to play tricks on people... until, of course, my sister started crying! But then Greg said that his grandpa always had to have green onions with every meal! What the heck?! I distinctly remember my grandpa doing the same thing. Always having this relish tray on the side of every meal. Green onions, celery, a pepper or two. 

Sun tea, orange peanut candy, orange slices, giant tubs of ice cream, pork rinds, Nilla Wafers, marshmallow creme pies, ginormous jars of pickles... the list goes on and on. Our grandparents stocked their shelves with all of the same stuff! It's almost like Greg and I had the exact same childhood experiences with our grandparents. But you know, I couldn't wish for anything better for my husband than to have amazing grandparents that were so much like mine. 

Then I talked to my friend, Matt.

We were talking about our grandmas, and I told him that my grandma washes out Ziploc bags after she uses them so that they can be reused. And then he said that when he was little his grandma washed out the trays that raw hamburger meat comes in, so she could serve lunch to him and his sister on those little trays. (I think that's how you get mad cow disease!)

Outside of the kitchen, my and Greg's grandfathers both wore pearl snap shirts, straw cowboy hats and bolo ties, for dressy occasions, of course! With all they have in common, it makes me wonder if they are friends up in heaven... I'd like to think so. 

It gives me a sense of comfort, though, to know that lots of grandchildren, not just me, share in like memories. Without a doubt, everytime I smell Old Spice (and sometimes Brut), I think of my grandpa, and every time I see an Avon catalog, I remember rummaging through my grandma's make-up drawer searching for a tiny tube of lipstick. 

And even though I like to think only my grandpa smelled of Old Spice (ok, well, Old Spice mixed with cigarettes and coffee), it's refreshing to know that every time a young person my age smells that familiar smell, they are filled with memories that bring a forever smile to the face.

Whatever will we do when that generation is gone? When there are no more pork rinds and marshmallow pies to be eaten? I'll tell you what I'm going to do... I'm going to make sure that my shelves are stocked for my grandkids... and I might just stock them with those very same things. I'll give my grandkids a swig of buttermilk and tell them a story about the good ol' days. That's if I ever get old enough to have grandchildren... yeah, whatever!!!

Me, my grandma and Izzy ~ March 2008