Grandma and I have been out and about. Now we’re having lunch at Potbelly. Meatballs and cole slaw!
-Kristina
I’m contemplating taking Grandma to see her boyfriend Matthew McConaughey in his new film Magic Mike. She did really enjoy seeing The Thunder Down Under in Las Vegas…
-Kristina
Grannies represent! And get funky.
I’m not sure if any of you are familiar with the Eurovision song contest, but you should be. Countries in Europe submit a song that represents their country and they are performed in a contest that most of Europe watches on TV. It’s amazingly entertaining and hilarious. This year Russia chose a bunch of bread-baking grandmas to represent it. You can see it all here.
-Kristina
Britain Loves GranniesCompetition granny
Grannies love a bit of gift giving. China dolls, plates with pictures of dogs on them — all the usual suspects. But wouldn’t it be ace if your Nan turned up with an exotic holiday and a DVD player all packed in her tartan shopping trolley ready to dish out for free?
Fab grandmother of three, Christine Wilkinson from Crowborough, East Sussex, has been treating her lucky family to some awesome gifts for the last 25 years. Her secret? The brilliant hobby of ‘comping’, which is entering competitions. The 64 year old enters around 600 competitions each month online and says she has won just about everything apart from a house or a car.
“You name it I’ve won it,” she says before reeling off an impressive list of prizes including three washing machines, two dishwashers, holidays, a trip on the Orient Express, jewellery, clothes and vouchers. Even a brand new kitchen, which was the prize that got her “hooked” on winning.
Christine got the comping bug after having to give up work through illness.
“It started off as a small hobby and once I started winning things it just exploded,” she explains. “I’d recommend anybody trying it. It does become addictive though I have to warn you!”
The prize-hunting grandma has her sights set on winning some premium booty this year. With her daughter in New Zealand expecting another grandchild, she’s keen to win a trip to see the new arrival due in June. Back home she’d like to replace her “really old TV” and get a garden makeover to make life easier.
Christine says entering competitions has almost taken over her life. “It seems more like a business really. But I love it, I just love it. If you get a phone call telling you that you’ve won something, that just makes it extra special.”
Despite winning countless competitions over the years Christine explains there is one prize that tops them all.
“I love being a grandmother. It’s like having a prize all of its own. Every new grandchild that comes, that makes life worth living.”
Aww Granny Wilkinson, Will you adopt us?
What’s the best competition you’ve ever won? Tell us here www.facebook.com/tmobileuk
By Rebecca Lomax
Les aventures de Grand-maman en France!!
Apologies for the delay, grandma fans! I’ve been meaning to post about our recent trip to France but I was waiting for some photos to be shared with me. I finally got them…so here’s a bit of a recap and some photos (which are the most important part):
Grandma was a real trooper for the trip to France. She was certainly anxious before we left. Packing for oneself can be a trial, packing for a woman who is used to the comfort of her own home is another. It’s also hard to predict what she will want and to keep track of all of the little things that she needs on a daily basis. But, the flight she took with my aunt to France seemed to go pretty well. They flew in first class (as is fitting for dearest Grandma), had a layover in London, and then arrived in Paris a few hours after we did. I saw them in the hotel lobby as I was on my way out to meet my friend and was relieved to see the Grandma was in pretty good spirits. I’m normally pretty cranky after a flight, so she was doing really well! The three days we were in Paris Grandma was wheeled around like a queen. On our second day there I went to meet up with some friends in the Tuileries garden. As I was walking home look who I found emerging from the well-manicured shrubs:
It was kismet that we found each other since I’d almost decided to turn right instead of left. Good thing I didn’t because otherwise this photo would not exist!
Not many people can say they’ve been to the pyramids at the Louvre with their 104 year old grandma!
You’ve already seen the photos of when I went out to dinner with Grandma and she chowed down on her French onion soup…and heard about our stalker-fan who was too shy to say hello! (Shout out to Jen Bayley!!)
After Paris we all headed down to the south for the wedding festivities. Grandma had a great time seeing everyone and meeting so many friends and family from all over the world (England, Abu Dhabi, France).
She had a great time at the reception and when we pushed her out to leave the dance floor parted and she got a standing ovation!!!
Here are some photos from Provence:
This is Grandma and crew in their house in Cotignac.
Grandma, my Auntie Margie, and the bride-to-be at the rehearsal dinner.
Grandma with Henry and Vivian, who provided many of these photos. Thanks, Henry!
Grandma and my Uncle Marty at the church waiting for the wedding party to come in. Seeing Grandma on one side and the groom’s grandma in her wheelchair on the other side just about killed me.
Grandma, my mom, Auntie Margie, Auntie Kam Chee, and Joan outside of the church. Grandma was excited about throwing the petals at the exiting newlyweds.
Grandma and the bride, Jennifer, doing “Cheers,” which is one of her favorite things to do!
Grandma, Jennifer, and Auntie Margie at the reception. Don’t they look beautiful??
Grandma and the newlyweds, Jennifer and Anthony.
Grandma, family, and friends at the lovely brunch the day after (hosted by Anthony’s adorable grandfather Peyo). Grandma feasted on wild boar, local sausages and cheeses, and other delicacies. It was perfect for her because she loves to be able to eat little bits of lots of things!
It was a fabulous trip and I’m so glad I got to experience it with my darling Grandma.
- Kristina
Someone brought Grandma a gift!!
-Kristina
To add to the list of Grandma’s plundered booty from the France trip: a quilt from Delta’s business elite class.
-Kristina
Grandma, the closet environmentalist
Sitting at lunch at Little Poland, Grandma pointed to the street.
Grandma: “My God! Look at all the traffic, it’s always so busy! But it’s good and bad.”
Me: “How so?”
Grandma: “Well, it’s nice people want to be here, but bad because it affects the weather, I think.”
Me: “How do you think it affects the weather, Grandma?”
Grandma: “Well, all the cars going by has changed, I don’t know how to say it, the aroma of the air. The air isn’t what it used to be. The engines put out bad air, and I don’t think it’s good for people. So it’s good and bad the street is so busy. Ahh, what can you do? It’s probably like that everywhere.”
-Robert
"Popular. Big shots?"
Grandma at the news that we’re in the news.
-Kristina
We’re famous!! Well, Grandma is.
The other week I noticed that NPR was asking members of multi-generational households to share photos of their families for its new Family Matters series, which follows three families that have three generations all living under the same roof. I submitted a photo of me and Grandma and figured so many people would send things in that they’d never pick us. Much to my surprise, I got an email back the next day asking for more details. I quickly forgot about it and went about my business. Today I figured I should see what was happening with the series and I looked on NPR’s site. Look what I found!! Our photo is featured on one of the pages AND they link to the blog. It’s very exciting!!! Here’s hoping we get a lot of traffic from it!
-Kristina
Today I did the AIDS Walk for the first time. Towards the end I complained my feet were hurting and I felt sore. I sucked it up a bit when I saw this grandma and grandpa doing the walk. They held hands as they walked along. Superstars!!!
-Kristina
Just “curated” the magnet collection with Grandma. Which basically meant her telling me to move things and then to put them back where they originally were. Pretty much like every curator!!
-Kristina
Grandma demonstrates her preferred construction of a 16 Handles treat: first choose your toppings (strawberries, bananas, maraschino cherries, blueberries), then put frozen yogurt (coffee flavored, of course) on top.
-Robert
This year, my abuelita (grandma) Tina and I celebrated our birthdays on the same day. The highlight of these type of celebrations at home, is the singing of the “happy birthday song”, both in English and in Spanish. The rule is that the candles are not blown until people finish singing. The funny thing is that she kept trying to blow out the candles ahead of me (the little rascal!) When I asked her why, she said with a smile: “most of them are mine anyway!” I love her so!
C is for Coffee, which is good enough for Grandma
For Mother’s Day, I gave Grandma the choice of where she wanted to eat brunch, and she dutifully chose Little Poland.
It was a warm and beautiful day, and even though I told Grandma she only needed to dress lightly, she insisted on wearing her winter coat. We got outside and walked to the street corner, and Grandma started fanning herself. ”It’s so warm, I had no idea! I’m overdressed, let me take the coat off.” I helped her take off and fold the coat, and we put it on her carriage. As we crossed the street, Grandma scanned around the sidewalk and started to look suspicious. She leaned into me and whispered, “I may be overdressed, but most of these people are underdressed. I mean, some of them are practically naked!” I told her I thought maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. ”Aww come on, Robert, you know better than that. Look, it’s nice outside, but there are people and there are people.”
We arrived to Little Poland and since it was Grandma’s day, she decided she wanted to split a chicken cutlet with me. She also ordered a side of toast and the ‘triple’, which is a plate of corn, green beans, and peas, arranged in thirds. The chicken cutlet is pretty good, but I’m still not sure if those are real vegetables in the ‘triple’. ”The coffee is good today!” she said while stirring in some milk and sweet and low into the second of what would be five cups of coffee.
Grandma wanted to see photos of all the great-grandkids. ”Do you have any new photos?” I found some of the most recent ones and showed her. ”So adorable! They’re all so cute! Such wonderful children! I’m so lucky to have such a wonderful family.” She was really happy.
The chicken cutlet didn’t quite sate her, so she wanted dessert. Little Poland was offering cheesecake, apple pie, and blueberry pie. Grandma normally asks for the cheesecake, so I was surprised when she ordered the apple pie.
Me: “Grandma, I thought the cheesecake is your favorite.”
Grandma: “Well, today I want the apple pie.”
Me: “Ok, we’ll get the apple pie. Are you in the mood for it?”
Grandma: “Not really.”
Me: “Not really? So why do you want it?”
Grandma: “Well, it’s the cheese. Since we just had chicken, I don’t want to mix the meat and the milk.”
Me: “Ok. But you were drinking milk with your coffee.”
Grandma waived her hand at me as she picked up her coffee and took a sip.
Grandma: “That’s different. It’s coffee.”
-Robert
