I think my beloved Nana would be quite tickled by the idea of a Grandmother-in-Chief. Heck, if she were alive today, I’ll bet she’d tuck Barack Obama under her tiny wing. She’d probably crochet him an afghan, to help keep him warm and cozy on those long, lonely nights in the Oval Office. She’d send him folk remedies, her favorite recipes, and jokes she’d clipped from Readers Digest magazine. "You’re too skinny," she’d say in her letters. "Tell that wife of yours you need to eat!" But lest Mr. Obama get too too big for his britches, I’m equally sure she’d scold him for skipping Sunday School and for sneaking the occasional smoke.
I don’t imagine my grandmother would have been all that impressed with Barack Obama’s lofty speeches about hope. In her understated, Englishwoman’s way (read: Mary Poppins meets the Queen Mother), I’m thinking she would probably respond with the same piece of advice I often heard. "If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride," Nana would say, "so roll up your sleeves and get to work!" Then she’d tie on an apron and offer to help.
1971 photo of Nana with my youngest sister, Mei-Ling.
Yes, grandmothers are great for keeping a person grounded. “I don’t care if you are Commander-in-Chief…” 🙂
LOL. Exactly. 🙂
Cute Post! Grandmas are the best. And the Readers Digest clippings are all too true!
Your grandma clips articles, too? I wonder if it was a generational thing. I wish I’d kept some of the clippings my Nana sent me.
My grandma used to send me newspaper articles and recipes. I miss getting her notes and other fun things she sent me. Grandmas are the best. 🙂
I so agree. And I so miss getting them. Sigh. Such happy memories. 🙂
I hadn’t heard this news yet! I think that’s wonderful…granmothers are essential.
Grandmas rule the world with rolling pins.
*smiling at the thought*
I like that she’s going to be there, too. And your Nana stories made me smile. I’m glad you had her in your life.
Me, too, Tracy. Nana was my guardian angel.
How cool!
i love that they have extended family with them as well!
I think it’ll help them all stay grounded. I’m liking that thought (and your new icon!).
Thank you!
I love that thought too! The family is stronger with extended family members there!
Yay, for grandmothers! I’m glad she is going to be there for the girls. And I loved your Nana stories! I heard a slight variation of, “If wishes were fishes, then beggars would ride,” !!
Ha! Can you ride a fish? Other than a trained dolphin or orca, that is? LOL
I love how our stories intersect at certain spots. Our lives are so much richer for our commonalities (as well, of course, for our differences). x0
My Grammy was another one who mailed articles (or pictures of kittens or birds or whatever from the town paper…complete with her handwritten comments like, “Isn’t this precious?”)
Yep, exactly as my Nana did. Doesn’t it make you smile whenever you think about it?
It wasn’t like the emails we all get forwarded to us. It was a personal connection, based on what she knew about us as individuals. We’ve somehow lost that meaningful way of connecting with one another, and I really miss it.
I think that people are starting to connect through blogs–much like the old-school letter writers of the Victorian age! My Grammy would’ve loved using LJ…and posting pix of her cats!
Excellent– can’t wait to see the pictures of your project!
Thanks, Liz! I’ll post some as soon as the glue is dry.
Just…be kind to me. I’m not an artist, even though I hang around with some amazing artistic talent. 🙂 🙂