My Granny Reads

Friday, April 6, 2012
My Granny will be 93 later this year. She is one of the smartest women I know. She is funny in the most serious way (that's where I get it) and full of life. Until recently, she traveled more than I do, went out to eat at least once a week, and reads like nobody's business. She loves the newspaper and watching the news. 
We walked to her house tonight and interrupted her....reading. My Granny reads. In looking back, she always has. I remember waking up at her house (to the smell of grits, eggs, homemade pancakes, waffles, bacon and sausage-yes both) and seeing her sitting in the kitchen reading her Bible or church literature. 
I remember her solving word puzzles and reading the paper, Christian romance novels (yes there is such a thing,) and magazines. 
She is smart. She wouldn't tell you that, but she is. I chatted with her tonight about her reading life. 

 What is your favorite book? The Bible.
When did you learn to read? In school, but I didn't have all the books. See you had to buy the books and we didn't have money for such as that. This one girl did but she didn't know anything. Her pa was a German and did all of her work. My teacher learned that one day when she put an arithmetic problem on the board. She went up there and couldn't do nothin. I remember that. I still don't pronounce all the words right but I enjoy it.
Did you like school? Oh yeah. We all did. My pa built what we called the bus. It had a burlap shade. We pulled it down in the winter and in the spring we rolled it up. It was full of people. It took about an hour or maybe an hour and half to get to school. My teachers taught all the grades. 
Did you have books at home when you were little? No and we couldn't see no way. We had a fireplace and kerosene lamps. You couldn't see good. 
Did you have a lot of homework? Yeah, more than your Daddy did when he was in school. We had all his books though. I had one problem that was so hard. My pa couldn't do it, Sister couldn't do it. I sat there and worked at it until I did it. They kept a asking me how I did that. I just did. It was division, a long one too.
Did Dad pitch a fit about doing homework or reading? No. He just did it.
What are you reading now? A book about the old days. I just don't want to stop it (said with an almost guilty little smile!) I'm on chapter 29. It's about the way things used to be you know. 
My Granny reads every day. 
My Dad is a reader, too. He is a big fan of the Bathroom Readers.
My Mom is a reader. She loves novels and magazines. 
My sister T is a voracious reader. She loves mysteries and drama. 
My niece A is a reader. She is "reading chapter books Aunt Wewa!"
I am a reader. Kid lit is my first choice (not chapter books!)
T will be a reader one day, too.
My Granny loves us so much. I love her more. More to come...

2 comments

  1. Oh Lyssa... I love this! Made me think of my grandmother. She loved to read, but she loved even more to write. She would write the most beautiful letters and later in her life, emails. Many I still have to this day. Thank you for sharing this. Brought a huge smile to my day!

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  2. Thanks Kit. I'm sure your grandmother was a special lady! Can't believe she emailed! That would be so great. My Granny isn't writing as much anymore and I find myself holding on to the little things she does write.

    You would love my Granny! I hope you meet her one day! Road trip to Mobile!!!

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Thank you for your comments. Words matter. :)

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