Last night I could not sleep. I’d seen somthing earlier that day which had resembled something that would belong to my grandmother.. if she had the chance to snap it up in a sale. The item was a pair of bright and rather wild red wooly knit gloves with toadstool pattern. I was for a moment hypnotised by their woolieness and redness and… pattern. They instantly brought childhood memories to me of my grandparents, particuarly though gran Stronach.

I think I’ve understood and learned more about her in one night on my reflection as an adult than I observed of her when she was around and I was just a child. I may be romanticising ideas here but heres what I think I’m gathering about the woman I knew as ‘Gran Stronach’.

She had an eye for a bargain, and she was skilled at taking advantage of the privledge of being a seniour citizen (aka ‘old lady’) This included fully practising the art of the trolly, which could hold a substantial amount, more than was ever possible to be carried, this enabled her to do her shopping, gather meat from the butcher, and still browse the sales and buy all thirteen grandchildren’s birthday and Christmas gifts in one go. (or nearabouts) We were always guranteed to have a gift from Gran Stronach, every birthday and Christmas. Her eye for a bargain and personal unique taste made these gifts always interesting. We did not expect to always like what we received but we did expect whatever she had wrapped for us to be surprising, in its own way this was fun and exciting and we always looked forward to seeing what was hidden inside of those parcels even if it was with a tiny bit of dread.. these gifts varied from colouring pencils and books (practicle and acceptable childrens gifts) to the most surreal bedcovers, or american indian style knitted slipper boots (these I liked), pyjamas that smelled/looked like they’d been worn already- and had a stain to prove it.., silky lingerie sets with polkadots and frills (I was 12) and such like to name a few.

I have only a few memories of sharing on such shopping excursions, one was on my eighth birthday when she took me out for the day shopping, I think it may have been to Glasgow. I cant remember very much of that day but I do recal feeling a little surprised at that invite and chance to have a day out just me and gran. The other few were when we were visiting her town and went with her to get shopping, I recall her love for ‘good butchers’, bakers rolls, sales, colourful giant jellybean sweets and always making sure we stopped to appreciate public art and sculpture.

to be continued..

‘Rock & Roll!’

‘It’s NOT SAUSAGE roll, it’s CORNISH PASTIES!’

Posted on December 19th, 2007 by emma
Filed under: scrapbooking