Goodbyes are never easy…
There is no Weekend Dish this week, as you might have noticed there were no new recipes posted, and I haven’t done any blog surfing. This week, sadly, we had to say goodbye to my Grandma. She passed away suddenly, in her sleep, early Monday morning. Even though she was 91, it took us all by surprise. She wasn’t sick and didn’t have any long-term ailments. I had been away for two weeks (and still in Florida) when she passed, and am so thankful that I made time to go and visit her the day before I left. She was an amazing woman, the best grandmother, and will be missed tremendously by so many. I wish I had been able to sit down and go through every single recipe of hers with her, but now I’ll tackle them by trial and error. I look forward to sharing many of her favorites with you, as she loved nothing more than feeding those she loved, watching them enjoy the food, and always prodding whoever she was feeding to eat more.
My grandma hated to have her picture taken, so unfortunately I don’t have too many. The one above is from this past Christmas, and this is her and I on Christmas in 2005:
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When we were growing up, my Grandma never liked dogs. Apparently, it was always a point of contention between her and my grandfather (who was a huge animal lover). However, in the last handful of years she began to soften, and then she absolutely fell in love with Einstein. They were buddies – she loved him, and he was protective over her. I love this picture of them:
While we all naturally feel she left way too soon, I know she is at peace, reunited with my grandfather and probably exchanging political jabs with my Dad. I love you Gram. xoxo
(Posting should be returning to normal next week, and I will be slowly catching up on comments and emails. Thank you all for your patience.)
I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my Gram almost three years ago, and I still use all her funny and wonderful advice when I cook — she swore by lard! :) She was a sweet lady who I miss a lot. May her recipes and memories sustain you.
How blessed you were to have Grandma to love you and nourish your love of cooking for these many years. I lost my precious grandmother 50 years ago but I cherish the memories of her letting me ‘gom and mess’ in her kitchen, as she called it, putting a big hot fire in the old wood cookstove so I could bake my cake which had been stirred up from scratch and which I had decorated with a few crops of food coloring and swirled it to make it pretty. This must have been at a most opportune time in my learning process because I have loved to bake all my life. Grandmothers are precious. Bask in your memories.
Your grandmother was a lucky lady. She had a loving granddaughter who I’m sure made her world shine. She got to live a long life and achieved a peaceful passing. I am sorry for you who mourn her. It hurts, I know. My deepest condolences.
I’m so sorry for your loss. My condolences. May she rest in peace!
I am so very sorry for your loss. What beautiful photos. Thinking of you and your family.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry for your loss! Your grandmother looked happy though and I’m glad that you got to visit her before she passed.
Very sorry for your loss. The photos are lovely.
My heartfelt condolences for the loss of your grandmother. She may not be here physically, however, loves lives on forever and so will she in your heart! She will always be with you in spirit and I am sure the memories you have will always make you smile!
I am so sorry for your loss Michelle. Unfortunately, I’ve been there with my grandparents too and I know there isn’t really anything anyone can say right now to make you feel better. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers!
I’m so sorry for you loss. I lost my grandma in early 2006. The pain is still fresh 5 years (almost 6) later. My sister has all of her recipes and I have been meaning to copy them and you are giving me inspiration to act on it now. I’m sure it would be a great way to honor your grandmother – to try her recipes and share them here.
I am so sorry for your loss. Take time to be with your family and share the memories of your Grandmother
All the way from Daegu, South Korea expressing my condolences. May you find comfort in the blessings of her memories. I to often get homesick and missing my mom as you your grandmother. Fortunately she lived a full life with the blessing of a family.
i am so sorry for the loss of your sweet grandma. it is never easy when you lose someone close to you. may you remember all your happy times together and find comfort in those~blessings, xoxo
Grandmothers are an incredible blessing. You were so fortunate to have a grandmother who left you with a legacy of love and the gift of hospitality. Sharing her recipes will be another tribute to a life well lived.
What a beautiful post you have in memory of your grandmother, and a true blessing for you to have been a part of her life for so long. I never knew my grandmother and was always envious of friends who “went to grandma’s house” when I was younger. Her recipes are a precious gift that will keep a piece of her with you. Our thoughts are with you and your family.
So sorry for your loss. I look forward to seeing your family recipes and how you can master them!
My deepest condolences to you and your family … peace to you always.
My condolences to you, Michelle, on the loss of your grandmother. I believe that the loss of a grandparent, especially when one is an adult, is more significant than many people realize. My grandmother passed away 7 years ago, and there still isn’t a day that I don’t think about her.
I am so sorry. You will always have those beautiful memories of her and you know she is in a better place with your grandfather. We would love to have her recipes when you feel like you are able to put them together for us. God bless
It saddens me to hear about your grandmother passing. From your photos and your entry I can get a sense of what a wonderful person she was, and how deeply you loved her.
My condolences for your loss Michelle. My grandmother died when she was 94 and I know how you feel; it still wasn’t long enough. My heartfelt wish that the pain of today will soon be replaced by all of the precious memories you shared.
Love the pics of your grandmother. She is beautiful and how blessed you are to have memories with her and a few photos too! Prayers for you and your family.
I love the pictures you do have of you and your grandmother. She seems like she was a real special lady. I am sorry and hope you will be comforted by your memories with her.
Michelle,
The love you have for your grandma is evident in your every word. The memories you share will comfort you always! My grandma passed 5 months after my daughter arrived to this world, 15 years ago. She loved spending time with my son, for his first 2 1/2 years, and she knew that my second was a girl, and she said she was waiting to meet that little girl! (Sniff). She was 94. It was a blessing she only was really ill with kidney failure for about 8 months, before that, she still was cooking, cleaning, and gardening. She never wore a pair of pants once- always dresses, it was just her, and the way she was raised (but she approved of other women wearing them). She would have been 110 yesterday, her birthday. I feel her presence often, especially when I am baking and crafting, she was my creative idol and buddy. We were told by a clairvoyant that she is my daughter’s guardian angel, she is in her aura, but I already knew that in my heart. I feel happy that now my grandma can be with us whenever she wants to, in spirit.
This is a special time for you and your family to be together, please don’t worry about us readers, we understand!
I’m sorry for your loss. I too, was very close with my grandma. Though it is never easy to lose a loved one, it brings me comfort-as I hope it does you-that she went Home so peacefully. Your blog will continue to be a beautiful way to keep her close to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
I am so glad you had a wonderful grandmother. When you are tackling her recipes and get a inspiration or revelation, your Grandma is working right there with you. She will always be with you.
I am so sorry about your loss! She’s went peacefully and she is in a better place now. My thoughts and prayers goes out to you and your family!
My deepest condolences.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your grandma; and it hits me close to home right now; having just lost my own Opa (grandpa) in the last wk and a bit. I hope that you know she’s still with you always and cherish every moment you were blessed to be with her.