Remembering Grandma

Today is my Grandmother's 126th birthday - if she were still here that is.  Gram died in her 100th year (1984), a quiet, wise woman whose sausage rolls were to die for!  To me she is famous for bright shiny 'coppers', butterfly kisses and wonderful baskets of comfort food brought to me whenever I was sick, which was a lot.  The basket always had in it at least one can of Campbell's scotch broth soup. I loved it. 

Whenever she & Gramps would visit, one of the first things she would do upon sitting down was to open up her purse, reach in and take out a small black, soft change purse twist open the clasp.  "Let me see if I have any bright shiny coppers (pennies)", she would say with a twinkle in her bright blue eyes.  I hung on the arm of chair, waiting, trying to peek into that tiny purse and see for myself, but she would always conceal the contents from me.  There were always 2 or 3 coppers and sometimes there were FIVE!!  What a treasure!  Then came the butterfly kisses - just 2, one on each cheek - her lips would hardly touch my cheek and I really had to pay attention to feel it. 

To this day, I hear Gram everytime shiny coppers come my way and feel the faintest of butterfly kisses.  Thanks, Gram.

I've got a hankering for sausage rolls...


Photo from Palm Sunday 1968: My Dad, Gram, Mom and Gramps.