Grilled Grandma: Linda

How many children do you have? I put all my eggs in one basket, I have one lovely daughter.

How many grandchildren? Two

What are their ages? One 10-year-old, “old soul,” root-beer-colored-eye granddaughter and one 6-year-old, born on my birthday, sweet-spirited grandson.

Any great grandchildren? No

What do your grandchildren call you? Oma and the wickediest witch in the world

Beyond the initial elation, what most concerned you upon hearing you'd soon be a grandma? I didn’t know how all the impending changes would impact my daughter’s life. You know I never even thought anything except…goodie, goodie, now I get to play and have a built in excuse.

How often do you get to see your grandchildren? Well since they and their Mom live with us…every day. They have been back here for 15 months with a 2 year hiatus in the south. Prior to that, they lived about a mile away and I took care of them every day.

What is the best thing about being a grandma? Everything. I love it. Best job I had ever had.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma? Having the kids live here makes for a bump in the road as far as who I am to them. I still maintain my Omaness in far as fun things go but on occasion…I have to be the enforcer and disciplinarian…don’t like that job but not afraid of it either.

Describe a recent time that one (or more) of your grandchildren made you laugh out loud. My grandson has ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome and sees the world slightly different than the average bear. He always has a skewed way of talking sometimes. I fix dinner most nights and he and his Sissy are not what I would call good eaters. He wanted to find a way to compliment me (because he is such a sweetie) on something he really didn’t much care for and said, “If this meal had been any better, we could have walked it with the dog”. Huh? Too funny. Now I ask if they think the dog will enjoy the walk when I serve the meal and they both just get so tickled. He also saw a wreath displayed on a holiday arrangement and told us he was the first to see the Christmas Moon this year? He cracks me up. He and his Sis are very happy, funny, and sometimes hilarious kids.

What is your favorite thing to do with grandchildren who visit your house? Every Wednesday the kids get out of school early and I take that as our craft day. We love to do arts and crafts. They are both very talented when it comes to sketching and painting so I am always challenged to find something new for them to do that isn’t hum drum.

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting grandchildren at their house? Same place, except when they have time off school, vacations etc…they both like to bake. So that’s what we do. That and take walks in the mountains looking for signs of wildlife.

How do you maintain the bond between yourself and your grandchildren between visits? When they did live away in SC, I called twice a week and we used the video camera. That was such a hard time to endure. I really don’t know how folks who aren’t blessed with having their grands close by, do it.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren? That I will always love them. That nice matters more than they will ever know and that life’s not fair but is a glorious ride. Mean people suck but you can ignore or laugh at their ignorance and that irreverence, in the right context, is the only way to roll.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you? Crazy

What is one thing you wish you had learned earlier as a grandparent? Life is terminal not serious.

What one bit of advice would you give a new grandma? It is more special, deeper, richer and more intense than anything you have ever felt before and hold on for the ride. This kind of love is so precious it should be bottled and given to every soul on the planet…all problems would simply disappear. That is the power of this love.

Want more Grilled Grandma Linda? Visit her at her blog, Olde Baggs 'n Stuft Shirts.