My Oma was sweet, she loved my husband. She told me once that he was a good man because he had kind eyes. I loved that she loved him, when she would see us together she would give me this look, eyebrows raised, twinkle in her eye and a small knowing smile as if to say 'he is the right one'. By the time we got married she was too sick to come to the wedding, but we knew we had her blessing which was enough.
My Opa was stubborn, not in a bad way, but in the way most European men are, he was hard but gentle at the same time. He was cheeky and he had this dry sense of humour that I didn't really appreciate till after he died. Opa was a fisherman, he loved fishing, he tried taking us once, we were told off for being too loud for the fish and, needless to say, we were never taken fishing again.
Opa had the most amazing vegetable garden, which he was proud of (I would be too if I had a garden like that), rows upon rows of veggies that we would help him pick for us to take home or for Oma to use in that night's dinner. He would let us check on the chickens and hunt for eggs even when he knew there would be no eggs he just knew we loved to do it.
Opa used to take us on what would feel like really long walks telling us stories of my Mum and her siblings and when they were growing up, he always had a story, some of them sounded too ridiculous to be true but he told them with such conviction we never questioned him. He was a proud father.
Visits to my Nana and Pa's house were always so much fun. We would spend the days going to the park, playing on Nan's organ and then our cousins would come over. We spent hours in the tree out the back or playing made up games in the end bedroom, then Pa would call us all to the lounge to play the 'lolly game'; a game that in hindsight was totally rigged and worked out perfectly even every single time.
My Opa was stubborn, not in a bad way, but in the way most European men are, he was hard but gentle at the same time. He was cheeky and he had this dry sense of humour that I didn't really appreciate till after he died. Opa was a fisherman, he loved fishing, he tried taking us once, we were told off for being too loud for the fish and, needless to say, we were never taken fishing again.
Opa had the most amazing vegetable garden, which he was proud of (I would be too if I had a garden like that), rows upon rows of veggies that we would help him pick for us to take home or for Oma to use in that night's dinner. He would let us check on the chickens and hunt for eggs even when he knew there would be no eggs he just knew we loved to do it.
Opa used to take us on what would feel like really long walks telling us stories of my Mum and her siblings and when they were growing up, he always had a story, some of them sounded too ridiculous to be true but he told them with such conviction we never questioned him. He was a proud father.
Visits to my Nana and Pa's house were always so much fun. We would spend the days going to the park, playing on Nan's organ and then our cousins would come over. We spent hours in the tree out the back or playing made up games in the end bedroom, then Pa would call us all to the lounge to play the 'lolly game'; a game that in hindsight was totally rigged and worked out perfectly even every single time.
My Pa died when I was only 13 but I have such fond memories of him, I remember him being so tall and he was so kind. He could whistle a tune better than anyone I have ever heard and he had the most beautiful rose garden, there were always fresh roses in the house, maybe that's why I remember their house being so friendly and colourful.
My Nana is amazing. That is the only way to describe her. Everyone that I introduce her to says the same thing.
My Nana is full of life, one of those people that you hope to be like when you are older. She still makes the best lemon slice I have ever had and she still accessorises perfectly. She has a great sense of humour and I am told, a fantastic ability on Words with Friends. She is the most tech savvy 80 year old I know and has better skills on an iPad than I do.
When I was pregnant I rang my Nana to tell her the news, it was one of the best phone calls I have ever made. My Nana was so excited, she told me she wanted to run down the street yelling out the news, telling all her friends she was going to be a Great Nana.
My Nana loves Leo and Leo loves her. I joke with my cousins that Leo is now the favourite grandchild, which I am pretty sure is not that untrue.
I love that my child will get to know my Nana and his Great Nan.
I am lucky that I got to know all my Grandparents, some people never get the chance to make memories like I have.
Leo is lucky too. The past week we have had more days spent with Grandparents than without, Leo will have so many chances to get to know his Grandparents as he grows, hopefully when he is older he will have many great memories like I do.
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