Tama-chan
I love my grandparents, though my grandfather has been dead for about 14 years and I don't remember him very well.
My grandmother, whose name is Tamae and who is called Tama-chan by her friends, always complains that she has aches everywhere in her body, but she is doing well. Tama-chan is very talkative and she wants to know everything about me, my campus life, my friends and so on. She even asks me about my boyfriend! Sometimes I'm too embarrassed to answer her questions.
How about your grandparents? Do they ask questions like my grandmother does?
When I was a kid my grandfather used to give me a quarter when I came to visit. He was a very poor farmer. He died from gum cancer that had spead through his body. They think it was from the chewing tobacco he chewed.
I miss those quarters.
Mike and Macewan, I'm sorry to hear that your grandparents have passed away...but thanks to your comments, I feel happier to have a grandmother who always cares about me. I'm busy these days and I don't have much time to chat with her, but I will tell her many things before she asks!
She has experienced a lot of hardships until now and she often tells me about them. Her stories are very complicated but I like them. I think they are more interesting than ordinary TV dramas!
My grandparents are both alive. Both of them live in Latvia, a small country formerly a part of the Soviet Union. I live in the United States at the moment. My grandfather suffered multiple strokes since 1993, so now he cannot take care of himself. My grandmother is getting weaker as well. She cannot take care of her husband any longer. Both of them have only my mother to rely on.
Every time I speak with them over the phone they ask me questions about the life in the United States, how my studies are going and the obligatory topic of discussion, the weather.
It's lovely that you appreciate your grands-I don't remember much about mine, but the stories about them have grown into family myths. For example, my Dad was 1/2 African American and 1/2 Cherokee. His mom, my grandmother, was a full blood who bore 18 children (he was the youngest!). She kept them healthy as best she could by using natural medecines (because nothing else was available, or she thought they were better, I don't know). I have a rare picture of her, and it makes me smile, because it's easy to see the connection between Japanese people and Native American people in her face, her hair and skin coloring. I like to think she's watching me, bemusedly, from whatever heaven she went to, wondering what I'm going to do next and wishing me well...
btw This blog is a great idea, very refreshing!
I never knew my grandparents, but I feel the closest to my maternal grandfather. I really feel as though it's possible to know and love someone through the stories that people tell.
I think your grandmother looks pretty and nice! If you don't mind, I'd like to come to your house and talk with her. Maybe she'll think I'm a strange person.
My grandparents live in Hisai (the city is in Mie Prefecture as you know). They sometimes bring my family meals my grandmother made. Whenever I eat them, I feel happy. However, I'm busy and I haven't seen my grandparents for some time.
My grandmother is alive and she is very talkative. She is very cheerful, but she is getting weaker these days because she is 90 years old.
I do not live with my family because I live by myself.
I am happy to see Yukiko and her grandmother smiling. I can imagine you are talking.
I should have mentioned that the girl in the picture isn't me! It's my sister, Wakako.
Hi, everyone. I met Yukiko's grandmother several times, and she is very talkative and charming lady. Whenever I go to Yukiko's house, she comes out of her room and greets me by saying "Hello". I like her very much.
Like Aleks's grandfather, my grandmother has difficulties to move her right leg and arm because she's had a stroke twice. But she always does her rehabilitation exercises in her house, which has training tools made by my grandfather. I'm often impressed by his devices for her, such as handrails attached to walls in their house or the pulley for her training etc.
During vacations, I sometimes take them to parks or department stores in my car. They look so happy to go somewhere since they almost always stay at home. I also become happy to see their smile.
Do you have any recommendation for old people's happiness?
As for Tama-chan, inviting my friends to our house is great joy to her. She often says that talking with young people makes her feel she is also young, and I agree with her. When she is talking with my friends, she really enjoys the conversation and looks very happy!
Taking your grandparents somewhere is a nice idea, Masami, though I can't do that because I don't have a car. She has a pain in her leg and can't walk for long distances. Well, instead of taking Tama-chan for a walk, I will make a plan to invite some of my friends to my house before long...
Mike Gerhardt :: May 14, 2003 10:44 AM
I've really missed my grandparents this past year. I'm an American, but have been living in Nagano for the past year. My grandparents were both born in Japan, they met and married in Tokyo, and lived here until 1941.
During my stay in Japan, there have been so many times when I've wished they were both still alive so I could ask them questions about their lives here, get their perspective and hear their stories.
So I think it's good to have your grandmother still around to ask questions, even embarrassing ones. Take advantage of being able to ask her question, as well.