Whoever first wrote this really understood that grandmothers hold a special place in our hearts. Even in our busy lives we find ourselves, especially during New Year family gatherings, recalling our grandmothers with fondness and sometimes with a hint of reverence. Whereas we only have one mother we usually get two of granny and often each has their own distinct personality. It is said that they are mothers with a little bit of extra frosting and that they never run out of hugs and cookies! Granny’s home was a place which stayed with children’s memories and grew over the years. The smell, (always something cooking), the furniture, (built traditionally to last), and the ornaments, (each holding memories), were a treasure trove of something different for young and eager eyes to explore.
The first thing I recall about my grannies was their different homes each having distinctive characters. One was a terraced house where everything was cramped in, but with such skill, that nothing was ever lost. There was no electric supply, only gas, so everything was illuminated by either gas light or the glow from the fire, which also served as the main cooking oven. I still get the feeling of “warm and cosy” whenever I think about it. My other granny’s home was a large detached house with not only spare rooms but also an attic, where things were stored, “just in case” they were needed. Dressing-up was the order of the day for all young family members and nothing seemed out of bounds. We could roar and shout but I must confess that “The Attic” – that mysterious unused store room at the top of granny’s home – always had a special air of mystery. Surely someone must live here and they were hiding from us? I suppose this is why I still find the word “attic” somewhat spooky even today.
It is usually granny’s cooking, advice and stories about our heritage that stick in our minds. Often forgotten for a while, it is amazing how their words suddenly thrust themselves into our conscious minds years later. Some make us laugh and other make us pause for thought. Grandmothers’ sayings, dos and don’ts, may trigger a New Year chuckle with you and perhaps cause you to remember some of your own granny moments.So what rates in grandma’s top ten of advice and tips, with a couple of mine thrown in for good luck?
GRANDMA’S WORDS OF WISDOM:-
1) You have freedom of choice but not freedom of the consequences.
2) Don’t be sorry, be careful.
3) Stop minding our people’s business.
GRANDMA’S COOKERY TIPS:-
As grandma seemed to be constantly baking to ensure she always had a plentiful supply of tempting goodies for her grandchildren to eat, cookery tips were plentiful.
1) Grate the coconut on weekends and keep it in freezer, in a closed container, as it will last longer.
2) To keep fish really tasty and fresh if you want to store it for more than a day, first clean it; rub it with salt, turmeric, and then freeze.
3) Forget about the kitchen mess, enjoy cooking and have fun because things can be cleaned afterwards.
GRANDMA’S HEALTH TIPS:-
I recall, whenever I had an upset tummy, my granny use to make me a mixture of boiled milk and pepper to drink slowly. It should not have worked but maybe it was the way granny made me drink it, because it soothed and cured.
1) Always make-up a first-aid box and keep it in your kitchen, you never know when it will come in handy.
2) Bite on a clove or rub clove oil onto the tooth to ease a toothache.
3) An apple a day keeps the doctor away and the patient regular !
Here’s one of granny’s tips, useful during holidays, if you find yourself having to go away from home with no one to look after your plants. Place three or four thick towels in the bathtub and cover them with two inches of cold water. Place all your plants in their pots on the towels and they will keep healthy for at least two weeks. However I have saved the most famous of granny sayings till the last. Given her choice granny would no doubt advise that one’s New Year’s resolutions should be: Start as you mean to go on and never forget to wear clean underwear when you go out, as who knows what will happen next !
I don’t know about you, but even as I think of this I can hear my gran’s voice chuckling in my ear, “Happy New Year”.