For almost three years now, I have developed an affinity for scarves of all kinds. I was visiting my daughter when she was studying abroad in Spain and all the locals wore scarves in a variety of fashionable ways. So when Kate and I went shopping one day, we plucked up scarves in a variety of colors and patterns. When I came back to Ohio, I just wanted to wear them all the time.And then a funny thing happened. Not only did I want to wear the scarves because they looked nice, but I needed to wear them. If I didn't have a scarf wrapped around my neck, I got chilled. The feeling would bring back memories of my grandmother, Nana, saying to my dad, "Bobby, please wrap that sweater around my shoulders and neck. I'm feeling a chill." I realized I had become Nana with my chilled necks.
But, I really realized how much I was like her last night when we stopped for dinner at a Pizza Hut. Our server brought out five packages of Club crackers with our salads. Neither my husband or I wanted them since we knew we would have all the carbs we needed when the pizza got to the table. I looked at those crackers, and then looked at my husband and said, "Oh, I'll just take those packets with me and have them with cheese tomorrow. I'd hate for them to go to waste."
And then I immediately followed that with, "Oh crap! That is exactly something Nana would do."
It's true. My grandmother was notorious for saving everything - she would take packages of sugar from restaurants, save tissue paper that presents were wrapped in, save the actual wrapping paper itself. She just couldn't stand for anything to go to waste.
I have many, many fond memories of my grandmother, and last night at dinner, I crossed yet another line in becoming more like Nana.
As always, thanks to Stacey and Ruth at Two Writing Teachers for hosting the Slice of Life Challenge!
Becoming like nana sounds like something to look forward too. There are life lessons there using and not wasting. I too love scarves.
ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteYour post made me laugh. My grandma always had a jacket. It could be 80 degrees out and she'd come into the house in long sleeves and still get chilled. Even funnier was the fact that you put the crackers in your purse and saved them. I can remember at Christmas, my grandmas would save all the bows, tissue paper and boxes to use the next year. I'm thinking it's probably a good thing if we could be a little more like them.
This was a fun story of your nana through your eyes. Thanks for sharing it...and enjoy your crackers.
Cathy
What a wonderful tribute to your Nana. I guess we all become our mothers, grandmothers, and sometimes, even, our mother in laws!
ReplyDeleteOh Karen, I laughed out loud when I read your post. This writing challenge brings back so many memories and I especially like reading those about our grandparents. They played such an important role in our lives. My grandma was quite the character. She was going to Meatloaf concerts well into her 80s. I think I've got an idea for my next slice. :)
ReplyDeleteLove this. I find that I am becoming my mom but see echos of my grandmothers as well. I love how unintended mannerisms can get passed down.
ReplyDeleteKaren, This is fabulous.. slowly we seem to become more and more like those most important women in our lives! Cracked up reading about the crackers! Too funny.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, hope you are resting.
I love thinking about how so many around us shape our lives - and our behavior. In thinking about my grandmothers, I have definitely picked up their tendency to save-everything-because-you'll-never-know-when-you-need-it. (Except I think they were both far more organized about it than I am. I'm thinking mostly about my grandmother saving and cataloging letters, cards, photos. Unbelievable!) And I always have a jacket or a sweater nearby just in case I get chilly, just like them (and my mom).
ReplyDeleteWe must all have a 'nana' who saved everything. I wonder if these past few years' economic times will produce similar habits? You gave me a chuckle with this, Karen. Perhaps the behaviors are just the usual growing older & the needs changing? Interesting to think about.
ReplyDelete