I said I'd post so...here ya go...

Grandma’s stories…(as read at her 90th birthday party celebration)
I remember grandma being a part of my life in a big way when she and the family moved back to BC after grandpa died. We had a pretty small house in Yarrow at the time and several of them moved in with us until they could get settled into their own home. I was in kindergarten, going into grade one – I had red rubber boots. Lucy was going to be in my school! It was all an adventure for me. Before their arrival, I only knew my other grandma and didn’t know that they came in all shapes and sizes. My other grandma was "grandma-like" with permed grey or blue hair, kinda short and pretty quiet. The day the family arrived, I couldn’t believe it – this woman was tall (at least to me at the time), had long black hair, and did not fit any grandma image that I knew. She actually fixed her own car! I was so excited to get to know her.
I never tired of hearing grandma’s stories. This is how I learned important things about our family’s history, their move to Canada, my dad’s life as a boy and the hardships they all had to endure. After they all moved out, our families visited together regularly but my special time with grandma was always one-on-one. I was a bit of a clumsy girl and twisted my ankle a lot. Whenever this happened, we’d go over to grandma’s and she would get out the liniment and massage my foot until I felt better. Her hands and her presence were so strong and healing!
When we had an assignment at school to interview someone about their history, of course I chose grandma. I couldn’t wait to ask those burning questions like: what did you eat when you were a little girl? What did you play with? How did you come to Canada. What was it like for you? I couldn’t get enough of her stories!
My biggest and fondest shared experience was getting to go back to Mexico with grandma in 1983 for one month. This, for me, was a trip of a lifetime. She has always been one of my favourite traveling companions (George is in the top two!) She graciously shared this journey with me which on many occasions meant also sharing a bed (we won’t talk about the snoring), translating conversations (I didn’t speak any German), and comforting me when I became homesick. At the time, I didn’t even appreciate how this could have been difficult for her – and she certainly never gave me the impression that it was.

Grandma taught me to love and appreciate travel – how to pack a suitcase (always roll your clothes), and how to take any situation as it came and make the best of it. I love you Grandma, thank you for your stories !