The Grandma Post!

Have you been watching Call The Midwife? We blogged about it a few weeks ago... I missed last week's episode so need to catch up! Anyway, thought it made a nice link to showing you all this picture of my Grandma Margaret qualifying as a nurse in the early 50's, aged around 19 or 20 I think (front row, second from the left).  I tweeted this picture a week or two ago so you may have seen it already. She tells me so many stories about it, and I never get bored of hearing them!

She is still VERY much on the ball when it comes to medicine, it's impossible to watch an episode of Casualty with her because she diagnoses everyone before the "doctors" do. Hilarious. 

My two grandmas led very contrasting lives. Grandma Margaret had a career, even invented things, but never particularly enjoyed cooking or being domesticated (although she did teach me to knit!). She never saw herself as a typical "wife". Whereas my Grandma Joyce was your typical 1950's housewife, she had all the homemaking knowledge and skills that girls of my generation (including me!) are now trying to re-learn. There were always home made meals, steamed puddings and cakes on the table when my mum came home from school, she has very much dedicated her life to taking care of my Grandad Danny, and she's a hell of a lot smarter than anyone has ever really been able to see. Also 80, she too, keeps her mind very active. 

If I'm half as sharp as either of my grandmothers at 80, I'll be happy!

Were your grandmothers career driven or typical housewives of their day?

Grandma Margaret at Christmas 2011, aged 80.

My Grandma Joyce, taken a couple of years ago aged around 78, but she's still alive and kicking!