As a child my memories are mainly times spent with my Grandparents. Grandad Ford was a huge influence, and now I have children of my own, I am more aware than ever of the impact that active Grandparents can bring into the lives of little people. A typical visit (which usually lasted a whole weekend for me) would be Granny in the kitchen cooking (mainly frying, or boiling something to death - joking aside, she was a superb dinner lady cook, and made a mean chocolate cracknel with mint custard), and Grandad would be happy doing whatever you wanted for as long as you wanted, his time was always yours. Both of them forever giving.
Granny Ford has always been a bit unique…. she was the only female driver in the family for many years, and drove like a lunatic. She always laughed at the time we (her, Grandad and I) were coming back from Aunt Lizzies house, I wasn't very old. We were going through the country lanes at about 11.30 pm in the pitch black. I was sitting in the back, when all of a sudden I threw a blanket over the top of her head covering her eyes…"DON'T WORRY GRANNY! THE WOLF WON'T SEE YOU UNDER HERE!" Instead of throwing me out of the car and giving me a good thrashing, she couldn't stop laughing.
Actually Granny met my oldest best friends mother before we were even born - by reversing through their front garden wall…..
It was later in Grandads life, that he discovered the art of giving funny Christmas presents, and it wasn't long before we all eagerly anticipated our gifts from Grandad, one memorable gift was when he purchased two pairs of thongs (one camouflage and the other, leopard print). The humour wasn't in the fact that Craig nearly died of embarrassment when opening his present in front of the rest of the family (although we did laugh our heads off….), but the fact that Grandad had gone into a shop to get them and would have played the part by pretending to buy them for himself. I bet he giggled all the way home.
Granny still 'tuts' at that. She is Queen of the Tut! However, the best 'gift giving' goes to Granny Ford, when it was Craigs first Christmas with my weird family. Anyway, whilst doing the exchanging of presents she had already given my brother David, some Cod Liver Oil Tablets and my sister Leona some Olivio Spread (Leona was so jealous because I actually had a 'normal' present that year), Granny handed Craig a small parcel, we all raised our eyebrows and waited…… We were not disappointed… for inside the wrapper was an empty toilet roll, and stuffed inside that, was a squeaky toy donkey! Of course, we all howled, and Craig looked slightly confused, but as usual was very grateful. Granny just sat there straight faced and said, "Pass me that one over there Samantha - it's got my name on it."
When we moved into our first house (it was a tiny terraced house, with no heating, no hot water, no kitchen etc. etc) and were waiting for things to be installed, Granny said, "Come to me, for a bit of tea!" I was six months pregnant with Meg at the time, and had been used to her 'dare I say it' unusual fayre. Craig on the other hand came from a 'nursery food fed family' and had been bought up on mashed potato and chicken, and very English tastes. As soon as we arrived I knew Craig was going to have a hard time digesting the spread laid before us. There was the usual 'normal' bits - baked potatoes, salad, bread, butter, ham, but the piece de la resistance was the centre piece, she so proudly brought out and placed in the middle of the table. It was a strawberry jelly, with pickled walnuts, pickled beetroots set within it, and topped with spring onions. His face was a picture, and the horror in his eyes said it all when I tucked in and said, "Ooooh, lovely Granny!" "Come on Craig" she said, "help yourself!" I thought I might have to save him from this situation, "Oh dear Granny, he doesn't like spring onions." "Tut!" she replied "Strange boy!"
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