from the Archives, "Tribute to Grandma Nona"

We’ve been grouchy at each other, cursed each other silently, appreciated the companionship and loved each other immensely.

She’s 55 years older than I am. She’s seen both world wars, the Depression, the telephone, radio, tv and lots of other new-fangled gadgets. And she’s not afraid of any of them. You can spot her any day of the week, writing her memoirs on the computer and chasing about the state with her cell phone.
She’s helped her mother bake bread for the outlaws of the Hole in the Wall country who served as the Robin Hoods of the time. She’s herded cows, sheep, horses and drunk cowboys… Oh! The stories she can tell!

I am the lucky one who gets to share the life of this beautiful lady every day. She is my grandmother: my Rock of Gibralter. Her steady, gentle kindness is a nice balance to my run-a-muck energy that goes zooming off in a thousand directions each morning as the sun comes up.

Grandma slept on my college couch when I stayed out all night and hugged me when I had a broken heart. She made me the only new clothes I had when I was a little girl and taught me how to sew when I was old enough. She believed in me when the rest of the world thought I was off my rocker and she’s never doubted I would come out of a funk.

Grandma Nona is the one who sneaks treats to the cats, dogs, pig and my little one. She is the one who giggled with onery delight at her 90th birthday when everyone had to draw eating utensils from a paper bag for dinner. (Yes, we ate with beaters and potato mashers, giant spatulas and tenderizing mallets). She is the one who can fix anything, give the most sound advice on the planet and make me pray that my genes are graced with just some of her joi de vivre.

For this Mother’s Day, I want my grandma to know that she is the most special lady in the universe. I want her to know that she is loved beyond love in my heart and that I thank her every moment for her undying love and patience that she so freely gives to me and the rest of the world.

Originally published on the first ContemporaryWesternDesign.com site May 2007