Looking back... (kinda OT)

I think my paternal grandmother, Grandma Mac, could have used a cat. She
was a recluse, much like myself. (Also a lousy housekeeper, much like
myself.) And she had the odd distinction of having been divorced during
WWII, which was virtually unheard of! and never married again. In her
twilight years I'm sure the antics of a cat could have eased her solitude
and provided lots of joy.

Grandma Mac was a wonderful cook and made the best potato soup I've ever
had. I finally successfully re-created it and my dad proclaimed YES, this
was his mom's soup! She also made candies. I can't tell you how many times
I burned my fingers trying to spread out her date-nut coconut candy. She
always had a dish with her homemade candy, wrapped in waxed paper, in a dish
on the table I now have in my living room.

I also don't know (but I need to ask my parents) why, when we were
transferred to Bangkok in 1969, we gave my parakeet to my maternal
grandparents rather than to Grandma Mac. My grandparents lived next door to
each other in a small town in Ohio. Yes, Dad married the proverbial girl
next door Don't get me wrong, my maternal grandparents adored the
parakeet. But they also had each other while Grandma Mac had no one.

I just wonder sometimes about the choices made. Years too late to think
about it, I'll bet that bird (or a kitty!) would have cheered things up
quite a bit for my Grandma Mac. The last time I saw her before she died
(1982), my mom, my aunt Jean and I went to visit. She made that great
potato soup with rivlets and seemed so happy to have company.

She also (rather accurately) told my mom I should have "married that guy
John, he treats her right"). John being my LLL She never met him but I
guess Mom talked about him when we were dating 25 years ago. When Mom told
my father she said that he got all huffy. And here we (John and I) are
again all these years later. Grandma Mac, you were one smart cookie!

Jill

Jill wrote:

I think my paternal grandmother, Grandma Mac, could have used a cat.
---------------------snip----------------------
. In her twilight years I'm sure the antics of a cat could have eased her
solitude and provided lots of joy.
------------snip of lovely reminiscence-----------

Thanks for the story. My grandfather, the one who lived with us,
always took great pleasure from his interactions with the family cat.
I wish your Grandma Mac had had a cat in her life. I'm sure a kitty
would have had a salutary effect.

Regards and Purrs,
O J

O J wrote:
Jill wrote:

I think my paternal grandmother, Grandma Mac, could have used a cat.
---------------------snip---------------------- . In her twilight
years I'm sure the antics of a cat could have eased her solitude and
provided lots of joy.
------------snip of lovely reminiscence-----------

Thanks for the story. My grandfather, the one who lived with us,
always took great pleasure from his interactions with the family cat.
I wish your Grandma Mac had had a cat in her life. I'm sure a kitty
would have had a salutary effect.

Regards and Purrs,
O J

Thanks, O J. I'm sure she would have benefitted from a kitty. I wish I'd
thought of it but I was in my early 20's when she died and I had never had a
kitty. I wasn't much of a forward thinker at that point. She was such a
nice woman; She baked 7 (don't know why 7) loaves of fresh bread every
Tuesday and gave away all but 2 loaves. Looking back she must have been
terribly lonely. I think that is what my father is afraid of for me; I take
after her, and him (in a strange way).

I do have her date-nut coconut candy recipe if anyone wants it. It requires
a really long table to spread it out with a butter knife and lots of waxed
paper

Jill

O J wrote:
Jill wrote:

I think my paternal grandmother, Grandma Mac, could have used a cat.
---------------------snip---------------------- . In her twilight
years I'm sure the antics of a cat could have eased her solitude and
provided lots of joy.
------------snip of lovely reminiscence-----------

Thanks for the story. My grandfather, the one who lived with us,
always took great pleasure from his interactions with the family cat.
I wish your Grandma Mac had had a cat in her life. I'm sure a kitty
would have had a salutary effect.

Regards and Purrs,
O J

On the other hand... my great grandfather (whom I never met) is the reason
my grandfather put up an awning over the kitchen door. He (great grandpa)
lived in the finished attic, drank whisky (yes, a Scotsman!) and read
encyclopedias. And he didn't bother to go down the stairs to the bathroom
when he felt like taking a ****, so he peed out the window which was right
over the kitchen door. LOL

I lived in that finished attic for a while and found that old story very
funny, but I still went down the winding staircase to use the bathroom.

Jill