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(509 Posts)
CariGransnet (GNHQ) Sat 01-Oct-16 13:12:01

Running throughout October, we're offering you the chance to win this amazing prize (all details HERE

To be entered into the draw simply leave a memory of your own grandparents on this thread. Usual terms and conditions apply.

chelseababy Mon 17-Oct-16 11:25:05

My nan was ss round as she was tall. I used to stay with her when i was off school sick and call there on the way jome from school. She bought me and my brothers a comic every werk and had a drawer with treats in. I dont remember her husband, my grandad because he died when I was under 2. When I was about 10 we had to write about a relative and I chose her. It caused much hilarity when I wrote that she had 6 children and 13 grandchildren though she wasn't married! She lived to be 97.

live7 Mon 17-Oct-16 10:52:20

Nanny B was very old and had a dog - I don't remember much more. Grandad was already dead when I was born. Nanny C was a great baker and I loved visiting her and sampling what she'd just baked. She was lovely and liked to travel - mostly without my Grampy who was a gardener but preferred to stay at home with his pub, fags and horse racing!

Mumsy Mon 17-Oct-16 09:28:38

My great grandmother was a flower seller and every Saturday I would go visit her and she would get me to go and buy the paper to wrap the flowers in and I would then help her with the flowers.

coxie Mon 17-Oct-16 09:10:34

My grandma used to keep a bag of cotton reels for us to thread together and play with, and bags of rice. I can still remember the physical sensations of that kind of play, all these years later.
I looked for cotton reels for mine when they were young but could only get plastic ones which didn't have the same cold sensation. I don't sew or mend things like she had to, or I guess I'd have my own!

SueR13 Sun 16-Oct-16 22:28:58

I grew up with my Grandma when my Mum and Dad split up when I was around 4 (mid 60's) and myself, my young sister and my Mum moved in with her. I can remember sitting and watching her sew, using the ironing board as a table, she gave me my passion for sewing but more importantly made most of mine and my sisters dresses. Amazing lady that brought us up while my Mum worked full time but still found time to go ballroom dancing 2 afternoons a week. Loads of wonderful memories...I could go on forever!!

henbane Sun 16-Oct-16 22:28:03

My grandma was a superb cook and her shortcrust pastry was unbelievable - I still remember her apple dumplings! Sadly none of the family inherited the knack ;-)

cullum36 Sun 16-Oct-16 21:27:10

I remember going to visit my nan and we would always visit the farm next door and pick apples in the Orchard whilst trying to avoid the goat that liked to chase people away

emziemay Sun 16-Oct-16 19:17:23

My lovely nan playing cards with me. Always used to run up to the bedroom when we stayed in the summer holidays, the bed seemed so high and it had a potty under the bed so we didn't have to use the outside toilet!

andie28100 Sun 16-Oct-16 16:12:31

Nan and Grandad always had a house full of children My Nan would bake and have garden parties the paddling pool was always being filled up, we had a slide & a swing we played find the Thimble which would be placed/hind on a branch of a bush, we collected caterpillars in jars and made them nests,
Nan would pack picnics and we'd go to the big park, pond dipping for tadpoles

ediepop Sun 16-Oct-16 13:32:34

My grandmother loved coming to us at Christmas. Being from Newcastle her accent was sometimes differcult to understand. However she always loved her sugared fruit that I managed to save up from taking bottles back to pub off license to get money back for recycling. This was in early sixties. A lovely lady who liked simple things in life. Sadly missed.

fizzlew Sun 16-Oct-16 11:47:36

Very fond memories of my Grandad he always had a packet of rolos in his pocket and always always wore a three-piece suit and a trilby hat with a feather in. Adored him and miss him so much still.

emmav6 Sun 16-Oct-16 11:30:53

before my nan bcame poorly she lived in a bungalow in fleetwood. I have very fond memories of staying at her house, catching the tram into blackpool with mum to enjoy the attractions and she had a pet tortoise named fred!

jocstoke Sun 16-Oct-16 10:41:30

I remember my Granny always used to bake the most delicious treats for us, nothing will ever live up to her baking.

mrsrwalsh Sun 16-Oct-16 09:52:56

I have a very old photograph of my maternal grandmother sitting with my twin sister and myself on her knees.
I think grandfather was very deaf and we used to be taken to his bedroom where the bed he was in seemed so huge, but I don't think he could hear us, although we shouted.
I don't remember my paternal grandparents.

teepee55 Sun 16-Oct-16 04:43:50

I only know my Dad's mum and she was bedridden, I was very young when she died. I remember taking her a cup of tea in bed and she complained it was not sweet enough. She spoke in Maltese which I didn't understand so she was quite scary to me.

Rankeillor64 Sun 16-Oct-16 00:21:05

loved getting bananas in milk at my grannys

LoopyLoo68 Sat 15-Oct-16 23:07:12

I had one Grandma who always changed into her 'best' when we arrived. I don't ever remember her sitting on a sofa just an upright dining chair. She made a lovely roast and would walk us to the bus then throw a fiver onto the floor just as the doors closed because she knew my mum would never take money from her.

nanaannjen Sat 15-Oct-16 18:59:24

I was not lucky enough to have grandparents my Nanna died when I was 11 months old

Nanadot Sat 15-Oct-16 17:33:57

So many memories of lovely grandparents! My Mam used to take me to visit her parents and I loved to sit on Grandad's knee when it was time for "Listen with Mother". Nana often made a wonderful barley and raisin pudding.
Every Sunday I went with Dad to visit his Mam. Nana let me mix the Yorkshire pud mix and would give me a drink of Lucozade in a small glass tankard. My best memory of Grandad was that he used to stretch his braces away from his chest then let them ping back to make me laugh!
I realise how privileged I was to have such a lovely and loving family and wish it could be like that for all children.

grannyJillyT Sat 15-Oct-16 17:08:49

My maternal Nanny lived on a farm and I spent most of my summer holidays there, I used to bike down the lane with her to take my Uncles - who were harvesting - their afternoon tea, which consisted of jam and salad sandwiches, homemade cake and scones, and of course a flask of tea. My grandfather died 3 days before I was born. My Nanny was the most patient loving woman, and my Mother took after her. I had an idyllic childhood. smile

veeoc Sat 15-Oct-16 16:45:16

I wish I could. Unfortunately I didn't know my Grandparents. I'm so glad my 9 grandchildren know both of us so well!

jeanpea Sat 15-Oct-16 15:19:52

My Grandma seemed so very old, but she died in her mid 70's so she really wasn't! I always remember in her big chair by the fire knitting. She knitted everything for all her grand kids - she even knitted my sisters wedding dress. Lovely lady with freshly baked cookies in her special 'good children' jar - so I was always on my best behaviour at her house to be sure of my share.

nualaroberts Sat 15-Oct-16 14:57:09

I remember my Irish Nan coming over to stay, and making the most beautiful patchwork quilt from some old scraps of unwanted material; and my Irish Grandad working the farm come rain or shine.

PinkHonda Sat 15-Oct-16 14:33:37

I remember whenever we visited my gran, we had to explain how to play scrabble as she had forgotten. She beat us every single time! I still love playing board games with my family.

knittingnana24 Sat 15-Oct-16 13:16:04

My maternal grandmother lived with us for most of my childhood.

She had a habit of being really embarrassing whenever I was out with her as she would greet old friends and neighbours with the words "Fancy seeing you. I thought you were dead! " This phrase has now been passed into the annals of our family history and is something we say in jest. However it always reminds me of her .

She also had habit of adjusting her false teeth during mealtimes . We would look up from our meals and the teeth would appear as they were being pushed out by her tongue. Mind you I now understand her a bit better as I have my own false teeth to contend with .

Sadly she died 10 days before I gave birth to my 1st daughter . Strangely enough I think that she knew that she would not see my child as she seemed strangely distant from the baby preparations and was not busy knitting layettes and bootees as she usually did.

Although the family had a turbulent time as my Mum sought to garner support for her care and encourage my Nana's other children to step in now and again I do have fond memories of her . I think deep down I was her favourite as she always said conspiratorially that my sister was ' not one of us' and I was the one chosen to sit in her room and watch Westerns and musicals on the TV.