Dear Max
Yesterday was your great “gwanny” Elza’s birthday, a very special 90 years old.

Aunty Carla organised a party at Granny’s old-age home for all the residents, with some divine treats (good think these came AFTER the weigh-in with my dietitian).


Granny as always was appreciative – this time of the presents, wishes and party, and despite you telling me that you were going to sing “happy birthday”, you were a little shy and pretty much ignored the goings-on and attention lavished on you.
I wish you could have known your great granny as I knew her when I was a child. Granny Elza was the greatest gran growing up, and often filled in the gap as a mother when my mom was sick.
I will always remember her as the one who:
- gave me my first Cabbage Patch Kid
- had Kevin and I every second Saturday night for the best sleepovers
- made memorable Sunday roasts
- made cover-perfect croquembouches before people had even heard of them
- cut watermelons in the shape of a basket and filling it with melon balls
- taught me the legendary fudge recipe
- had a glass of whisky after work
- had a difficult life but never complained
- looked after everyone with so much care, love and patience
- cut out all my articles I wrote during my first job, and pasted them lovingly in scrapbooks (I still have them today)
- wrote many of my Afrikaans school speeches (this once-kept secret is now out!)
- was often very stoic, seldom asking for help
- showed humility all the time

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2 Comments
Thanks for this wonderful post. So loved reading this. Will read it out to the grandsons this evening who unfortunately do not have all these memories. I wish I could promise them that their kids will enjoy a granny like that, but not sure i can live up to it.
xxx
November 16, 2012 at 6:36 pmCongrats to your Gran, and how wonderful to have had such a lovely Grandmother! Wishing her many more years. PS. My brother is also called Kevin 🙂
November 19, 2012 at 8:32 pm