Looking back on this Grandparents Day, I remember my wonderful Gramma Hilde.
It’s been 14 years but we still miss her. I was at work at Kings the morning that she took her last breath. I feared the worst as I left. When I got picked up that afternoon, I got the news that Gram had passed. I was numb.
It was already a hard year as I was trying to figure out my path in life upon graduating from college. Great Grandma and Aunt Nan died within two weeks. I was dealing with unemployment and like an idiot, was holding out for the perfect job. Eventually I was going to have to take what I could find. But enough of that.
My memories include many Friday nights visiting her and watching Jeopardy. When I graduated high school, she gave me a subscription to Newsweek. Having a big family, every Christmas was an Endless Gaffron Christmas. She loved the holidays and her family, including all of her grandchildren.
One of her best meals she made was rouladen. It was a great Sunday staple for years. She also treated us to dessert, her apple crisp. I remember Friday nights having ginger snaps and drinking coffee.
My cousin and her family stayed at a cottage this weekend at Shawnee State Park. Gram loved staying there when we took our vacation. She also loved our traditional Mother’s Day picnics every year, and the pictures of all the grandchildren that we took as a group. Even with the chilly weather and rain yesterday, I have a feeling that she would have enjoyed the picnic and time with her grandkids and great grandkids.
Stylish 🍒 