I'll go first:

My grandmother had several large flower gardens in her yard. They were her pride and joy. One day she noticed that some varmit was eating her bulbs. She set a trap with poisin to kill whatever was destroying her garden. When she found a varmit in the trap, she wanted to make sure that was the one that was eating her bulbs. So my dear, sweet grandmother cut this varmit's belly open to inspect the contents. She found trances of her bulbs, and was satisfied that her garden was safe.

This story had been told over and over in the family. Many years passed. My grandparents were at our house for the holidays. My mother knew that they both loved those orange slice candies, so she had some sitting out in a candy dish.

My grandfather had eaten several. But Grandma wanted to save her share until after her afternoon nap. So she layed her candies on a napkin on top of the chest of drawers in the bedroom before she and Grandpa took a nap.

Grandpa had gotten up from his nap before Grandma, and was in the living room with the rest of us when Grandma entered the room. She was very upset. She looked at Grandpa and said gruffly, "Pop, did you eat my orange slices that I laid on the chest of drawers?!!"

He laughed and said, "Now Mom, you know that I wouldn't eat your candy."

She said, "You were the only one in the room after I laid them there. Are you sure that you didn't eat them? Tell me the truth !!!"

My mother was cracking up laughing. She knew how my grandmother treasured her special candy since they didn't have candy at their house. They had lived through the depression and didn't waste money on things like candy.

My mother said to my grandfather, "Pop, you'd better fess up if you ate those candies. Remember what happened to that varmit that ate her flower bulbs?!!"

At one time she & Grandpa owned a grocery store (when my Dad was small)--I have heard the story many times of how they would roll up the money when they closed for the day--& hide it in her big bun of hair !

When my grandfather passed away, my grandmother had plenty of money. But she still had a hard time spending money on anything that wasn't necessary. I remember taking her to do her weekly grocery shopping one time. She absolutely love cashew nuts. She stood in front of the display at the store for a very long time. She'd put a can of cashews into her shopping cart, then put it back on the shelf. She did that several times. Finally I told her that I wanted to buy those cashews for her as a gift. You should have seen the look on her face. She seemed so happy not to have to struggle with wanting to buy them but thinking it was frivolous. Bless her sweet heart.

Perhaps that is one reason most seniors are considered stubborn, and cranky, to-day,?? When our independence is threatened ( we think ),we panic.. because we've been there..and know the struggle..

Living is very complicated at 81yrs. sometimes, and without a sense of humor, you're lost...( grin )

Haha, my cousin Marion ( yr. younger ) had a passion for onions, and would raid the chive bed.. She was such a cute little red-head, perky and adorable,

Grandma was herding all the little ones to get ready for church, and she missed Marion. My Uncle found her and dragged her in laughing his head off till he cried..... She was in the garden pulling up chives, and eating them dirt and all..

What a "smelly sevice" that was Haha ..and we never had a get-together in later years that it wasn't mentioned by someone..

They had a neat cottage on a corner that had a small park next to it...In summer the neighborhood would "Lawn Bowl" there, in winter the city (fire dept.) would flood it, for an "ice rink"...spent many a day and nite in that tiny park..(by to-day's standards it is a mini park, but THEN it was a HUGE space..

The side porch was screened in, and we would change to skates there, and leave our boots, About 15 Grands so lots of boots..

The attic was only partily finished, but warm and cozy, No permanent partition, just a curtain hung down the middle...Girls side and Boys sde..Had army cots, and feather comforters, ( no heat )..but we were cozy..."Things" didn't matter, we had each other..

Managed with one bathroom...??? How did they do it ???

Wood stoves, no fridge, just a huge ice box..and a large pantry, and the cookie jar was ALWAYS full...

Dining area would seat 15 easily, and don't dare to take a bit till Blessing was said and Grandma, was seated, or you were "konked " on the head with Grandpa's yard stick kept by his chair..

Love, laughter, and hugs, everywhere, and a silent an most precious GIFT that you realized later in life "RESPECT"

I had a very simple but Happy childhood, and many wonderful memories.. I choose to remember only the good ones, cause they mean the most to me now...

I used to spend a week with my other grandmother every summer. Like your grandmother, she worked so hard even to prepare a meal. She'd kill a chicken to fry, milk the cow for butter and milk, pick vegetables from the garden and fruit from the orchard to use. Then came the job of preparing that food so that it could even be cooked. It's just hard to imagine how they got everything done.

My Grandma Watson was a jewel of a grandma. I spent many a Saturday night or Sunday afternoon with her. She was a joy to be with.

Her neighbor had bought a new dress and came down to grandma's to model it for us. She twirled and twirled to show off her pretty new dress. She said "Lea how to you like my new dress?" My grandma replied without any expression on her face "Your slip is showing" and went on about her business. She never did say if she liked the dress or not.

I could talk for hours about Grandma.

I never knew my Daddy's mother. She died when he was young. But I loved his Daddy, we all called him Granddaddy. He was the sweetest man I've ever known. But I didn't like his wife, my step grandma. She was the meanest woman I have ever know. LOL I think she was a witch that hated children. LOL I am really enjoying this thread.

She always had a big garden, canned everything, no big freezers in those days. I can remember shelling black eyed peas by the wash tubs full. I love to shell peas to this day! She raised chickens by the hundreds, and butchered them and put them in a locker. We butchered all of our own meat. Pork and beef. It was also kept in a locker. Pretty much were self- sufficent.

She was very old fashioned! A slang word was considered to be a swear word, there were no card playing around her! It was a sin to play cards. There were no pants in our wardrobes. :-).

But the world was a better place then. You could trust people and be safe almost everywhere. She passed away in 1962.

I have 2 bonnets she made for me way back when. Yes she made me wear bonnets! I hated them!! I think that is why I don't like hats today. I am going to get a couple of wig stands and put the bonnets on them. Otherwise no one will ever see them.

I never knew either of my Grandfathers. They both passed away before I was born.

Well guess I have rambled on enough!