Ways in Which I am Like my Grandparents….

Pap Siedel
He was my great-grandfather and lived to be about 90 I think. I definitely get my gift of gab from him.

Grandma Denison
Although I didn’t really get to know her very well, I did have a couple things in common with her. For one thing, we both worked in retail as I seem to recall her once having a job at Gray Drug (a drugstore that’s now long gone). We both had a sweet tooth because I’ll never forget that chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting she once made for my dad. (insert yummy noises here).

Grandma Rackow
I probably had the most in common with her. I think our personalities were the most similar. I’ve seen photos of her with this kind of half scowl on her face and I can’t get over how similar I must look when I make the same face.

Although she never drove a car (to the best of my knowledge), she still worried whenever my grandpa drove on treacherous winter roads. I definitely don’t enjoy driving in winter weather, and make no secret about it. Grandma also enjoyed her food, and I do too, but take it in moderation these days. She liked to spoil us grandchildren and I like to spoil my nieces and nephews. She enjoyed spending the day outside relaxing at a metro park or anywhere else with beautiful scenery, as I do too.

Grandpa Rackow
We both enjoyed photography and I’m sure he would have happily embraced digital technology if he was alive today. In fact, at one time we both even owned the same model camera – the Canon FTB (produced around the time I was born in the early 70’s). He kicked himself for not giving me his camera when I needed one for a college photography course, but sometimes the timing of these things doesn’t quite work out. I still have that camera today and don’t plan on ever parting with it.

Late in life, Grandpa and I enjoyed many of the programs on BBC like “The Vicar of Dibley” and “As Time Goes By.” It’s because of him that I went to a book signing and got to meet Dame Judi Dench. I only hope he was watching from above : )

Grandpa Goff
I definitely gained my appreciation for all things Tiffany from him. I’m not sure how many stained glass lamps he churned out in his lifetime, but I am grateful to be the proud owner of one and will always treasure it. I also learned all about stained glass and rose windows, an interest I picked up from him.