Grandma was a lady in every sense of the word. She really was from another era and embraced everything it meant to be a lady.
Pete Craig Em and I were swapping memories this week and we all remember how well she use to dress, she always looked like the queen in our eyes, pink suits, matching handbags, stocking and heels. She took so much pride in the way she looked and would never leave the house without a full face of make up. I remember standing in her bathroom in Thornleigh as a kid, on holidays from the Gold Coast, watching her meticulously putting on her makeup, the same routine each day. We were always fascinated by all her jewellery and especially her watch ring which never left her finger. We remember Grandma and Aunty Wanda, both dressed immaculately, taking us on the train in Sydney into the city to do their David Jones shopping, we thought they were so fancy!
The four of us were lucky enough to go and stay with Grandma in school holidays. They (meaning Grandma and Aunty Wanda, because they were inseparable) always took us out and about. One trip was the Blue Mountains. Pol and I clearly remember this trip because Grandma was so scared we would freeze to death that she made us wear stockings (because she wore stockings) under our jeans. Now I'm not sure if any of you have ever tried this before, but it is ridiculously uncomfortable and as a kid from the Gold Coast use to wearing nothing but swimmers and shorts - it was UNBEARABLE!!! Im pretty sure we complained the WHOLE day to them, until we snuck off to the toilets and took them off. In true Grandma fashion she couldn’t stay mad at us for more than a nano second and was giggling about it the whole way home! Even up until recent years we use to have a laugh about jeans and stockings!
The boys have great memories of playing golf with Grandma. She was a keen golfer in Sydney and played regularly for years. Of course she always looked sharply dressed playing golf.
They remember one time when she was visiting the Coast and she took them for a game at Meadow Park for 9 holes. As they were playing a stray ball came from another fairway out of no where and hit her square in the chest. They boys, for a split second, thought it has taken her out and were lost for words, but in true Grandma style, she shook it off and and played out the last few holes!
The boys said they probably went home after that and sat around the dining table playing canasta! Canasta was grandmas game and we all remember trying to outsmart her, but not always succeeding! QLD vs NSW rules were always a bone of contention!!!
She was so happy, and eager to please and we can’t remember ever seeing her cross. She loved to show us off to her neighbours in Sydney and introduce us with pride to anyone she knew. She would take us into her work at the Clarke factory and show us off to all her co workers!
When we were younger and she would visit us on the Gold Coast, it felt like she was always just so happy to be with us and apart of our family, she went along with what ever we were doing and you could tell she was elated to be involved in our everyday family life. She loved to sit and listen to our stories, no matter how out there and outrageous they were.
Grandma made it to all our weddings and I remember so many of our friends commenting on how well dressed and sharp she looked and how she spoke with a regal-ness about her. Again she was our Queen. She even made it to Pol and Filippos wedding in Italy. Pol remembers Grandma and Filippos Nonna sitting next to each other chatting away and laughing both having a great old time - but later realising neither of them had any idea what the other was saying!. She was lucky enough to meet and get to know 7 of her almost 8 great grandchildren who fondly called her GG. Im sure she would have loved have met your little lady in waiting too Craig.
But possibly the best memories we hold of Grandma were in her family home where Dad and Aunty Moina grew up at Georgann street Turramurra. The tree in that back yard was the pinnacle of our childhood and a memory that is so clearly cemented in our heads. The tree felt like it stood 40 stories high and looked like a christmas tree. We would drive the 10 hours to Sydney and no matter what time we arrived, the only thing we wanted to do after hugging Grandma was climb that tree. We would sit up the very top for hours, possibly giving Grandma (and Mum and Dad) a heart attack. we would swing off it, fall off it and just sit up and chat in it. If we weren’t up that tree, we would be collecting macadamia nuts from the macadamia nut tree then sit on the concrete with a hammer splitting them open! Her home was like a treasure chest, everything had a spot, all her beautiful suits lined up perfectly in her closet, everything seemed ornate and there were so many things to touch which Grandma was always happy to let us explore.
We remember her collection of egg cups, which pol has now realised that that is probably where her obsession with eggs game from, and her Gas heater that was always on in winter to warm us up … just don’t sit too close, is all I remember her constantly saying! She was the stereotypical, soft warm and kind, kind of Grandma
So I guess as we say good bye, we would just like to remember Grandma and be thankful that we had so many years and wonderful memories together with her.
She was our Grandma, She was a true Lady.
