The Importance of Grandmas

My grandmother passed away peacefully yesterday. She'd had been struggling with strokes for years and was having a more difficult time every day with daily life. I'm so glad she's found her peace.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of spending summers at Grammy's house. My folks worked full time jobs. My sisters and I spent a bunch of time in the summers with Grammy. When I think about those days, I remember the yard at her house where we were undoubtedly playing on and bickering over the hammock, which we thought was a swing. The yard smelled like summer: freshly cut grass, a neighbor barbecuing, and cookies baking in the oven. Grammy would call us inside for a Purple Cloud, her own delightful grape and banana smoothie that I thought was the greatest thing. We'd sip our drinks around the dining table being ever so careful not to spill, because everyone knew that grape juice stains are impossible. We would play outside until it was either too hot or we were distracted by the box of toys in the upstairs family room. After that, it was blocks, trains, cars, a barrel of monkeys and anything else we could find to mess with. Grammy was always so patient and kind.

I remember Grammy telling stories about moving to Argentina when she was in her early twenties with Papa, Craig and Claudia. They lived at a very high altitude and it was difficult to adjust. Years later, Grammy still knew a bit of Spanish and would help me as I learned. She helped spur my interest in travel.

Grammy made the best soups. I remember going to visit her with Dad. She'd always have something hot brewing on the stove. Her chicken noodle soup with the large homemade noodles was my favorite and I asked for it often.

Food and travel aside, I will always remember my grandmother as the kind matron who always had a thoughtful word and a smile for everyone. She loved hot air balloons, flowers, and her grandchildren. She was a woman of faith and family, the two most important parts of her life. Widowed for 26 years, she was always faithful to and adoring of my grandpa. She always missed him and reminded us of who he was. I can only marvel at a love so strong.

So long, Grammy! I'm so grateful for the example you set. When I think of you, I will always remember to be kind, thoughtful, and generous. I will remember family is so important. Enjoy the next life reunited with your love.

Photo of Shelley and Grammy

Winter Paradise in Montreal, QB

Let me just start this out by saying I LOVE CANADA! Every time I visit, I'm so happy with the people, beautiful country, and well-kept cities. After a lovely white Christmas in central New York State, Mike and I took AMTRAK to Montreal for a couple of days of exploration. My goals were to go ice skating and eat GF poutine. I had some trepidation about the visit since I had been told many times that French Canadians were rude and unfriendly. Instead, I found the opposite to be true. They are warm, friendly, and welcoming with the cutest French accents. French is the default language, but almost everyone speaks fluent English.

The train ride from Albany was beautiful and uneventful. I would rather fly next time since we spent 2.5 hours in customs at the border. The train arrived at the crossing at 4:15 pm, so I thought for sure we would be in Montreal early. Nope, we were 15 mins behind schedule! The plane ride would have been easier and faster, but less comfortable and more than double the price. We stayed in a darling AirBnb in the Villeray area. The apartments in Montreal are fairly uniform three-story units with pretty staircases going up to the second level on the outside. I think they're adorable!

As with all Canadian cities I've been to, Montreal is clean and well cared for. The residents are proud of their home and work to keep it nice. Public transit and bicycling (in the summer) are well used modes of transport. The metro system makes sight seeing so quick and easy. The city was blanketed in snow and the locals ran errands in parkas with furry hoods, scarves, and insulated boots. There were a few people out running. I wanted to high five them. I'm definitely NOT motivated to go run in the frozen snowy streets. Oh, and hockey! There were hockey games going on at so many of the parks. I grew up watching The Mighty Ducks over and over (and over) with my sisters. What's not to like about an aggressive sport that's also remarkably graceful?

I found a gluten-free French bakery only a few blocks from the apartment. We picked up quiche and a croissant with coffee for breakfast. The metro took us to the Olympic park where we wandered for a few minutes before deciding the botanical gardens/greenhouses looked warm and appealing. I was a little put off by the entry fee ($20/person), but I believe it was worth it. I like their take on conservation and awareness. The greenhouses were themed by region: one held orchids, another banzai trees, another giant cacti, etc. Very cool. The ticket also came with a pass to the Insectarium. The bug museum was amusing. It was full of colorful, iridescent beetles and butterflies from all over the world pinned side by side for comparison.  For dinner we tried a restaurant called Zero8 that is free of the 8 most common allergens (wheat, egg, dairy, etc.). It was surprisingly excellent. We shared a wild game burger with duck fat poutine (goal accomplished!) and a bison flank steak with salad. I was really impressed with the food and the character of the restaurant. Once again, the waitress was friendly and fun.

 The next day was New Year's Eve. I bundled up in my down coat, wool coat, hat and gloves because the weather was 17 degrees Fahrenheit and snowing. The metro dropped us in Old Port Montreal where we were surrounded by big stone buildings. We glimpsed the cool Habitat 67 condos from across the river. The design is futuristic and modern, built back in 1967. From the pictures, they're gorgeous mid-century modern inside. After an hour of wandering around to learn the layout, we warmed up in Notre Dame Basilica, which has beautiful woodwork and stained glass windows.  

Really the highlight for me was ice skating on a frozen section of the river in Old Port. It was snowing heavily and so cold, but we went anyway. I've never skated when the ice is covered in snow and heavily scratched because they can't use the Zamboni. It was a pleasant and unique experience (goal #2 accomplished. boom!). From there we walked up to an arcade bar where we played Terminator, Donkey Kong, and Soul Caliber for a few hours waiting for the outdoor fiesta to start.

For NYE the city had set up a stage in Old Port with live music and fireworks. We danced in the snow to an electronica DJ and his dancers clothed in traditional tribal costumes. I gave up trying to stay warm around 11:00, when my feet were icicles and I no longer wanted to play. I found some big fire pits up the road a short way and returned some of the feeling to my fingers and toes. I'm not sure the campfire smell will ever come out of my coat. We headed back and spent the last few minutes of the year snuggled up in our AirBnb. Since our flight was super early, we were up early enough to celebrate the new year in our new home time zone (HI). Yay! Happy New Year, friends. We hope yours was as lovely as ours.