Squawk Radio

Okay, maybe not, but grandmothers are on my mind. First because I became one a year ago. And, second, because Annabelle Granger, Match Me’s heroine, had such a close relationship with her Nana, and I want to be exactly that same kind of grandmother. (Annabelle inherits Nana’s matchmaking business after the old girl dies.)

I didn’t have a close relationship with either of my grandmothers. My mother’s mother was born in 1864. No, that’s not a typo. She was very old when my mother was born, and my mother wasn’t exactly a spring chicken when I was born. My grandmother was a sweet lady, but I only remember that she smelled funny, loved candy, had a hump, and was really, really old. One nice memory is of her standing over her stove in the old farmhouse kitchen making me oatmeal. My other grandmother was okay, but not a real strong nurturer, let’s say. I don’t remember laughing with her or doing anything silly. One nice memory is having my head in her lap while she played with my ears.

I do lots of silly things with my year old grandson. We dance, dance, dance. I rub his feet (and his ears.) I make hysterically funny faces and obnoxious noises. And I started reading Goodnight Moon to him when he was one week old. In honor of Annabelle’s beloved grandmother, I call myself Nana, too. When he’s a grown man, I want him to have a ton of happy memories about me.

Which makes me wonder… What kind of relationship do/did you have with your grandmothers? And, as a new Nana, what do you think makes a terrific grandmother beyond lovin’ the pieces out of the grandchild?