On Friday my Grama and Grampa (that’s how they spells it) came over to our house to celebrate her birthday. She turned 81 on Wednesday (July 11th).
Eighty-one.
I’m trying to think of what to say to that. I wish I live to be 81 is my first thought. My second is that I really haven’t spent enough time learning about everything that my grandma has seen. What do I mean? Well, let me set the stage.
My dad’s parents live just down the road from me- about 4 or 5 miles. I visit them every couple of weeks, and when I do, it’s generally a very laid-back visit. I make something with Grama (like strawberry shortcake), and I go for a walk through the woods with Grampa and Rocky (his chocolate lab). When it’s raining or snowing or late at night, I watch tv, or we play UNO.
It should be noted that we play UNO with a completely different set of rules than the rest of the world. I believe this is the better way to play. 
It should also be noted that UNO is the only card game that my grandparents know how to play (with the exception of old maid), and which we play incredibly frequently.
(Looking back at the last paragraph, I believe that I am the only person who cares about those notes.)
I suppose that what I am trying to convey is that I spend very little time talking with my grandparents about themselves. The exception would be every conversation that we have about their visits to the doctor. Nevertheless, the only grandparent whose youth I have ever taken a real interest in is my Oma’s, mostly because she was in East Prussia during WWII.
All of this explains my reaction to my mom asking my Grama what she did in the summer when she was a kid. I was surprised. And then humbled that I had never asked that. And then extremely curious to know more.
My Grama said that she used to rollerskate with her friends to the school a couple blocks away. Her knees were always brusied during the summer as a consequence. She went swimming too (what country kid doesn’t?).
Unfortunately, the conversation then turned to her latest visit to the doctor (again), and I didn’t want to interrupt. However, I have learned a valuable lesson from this. And the next time that I go to my grandparents house, I’m going to ask both my Grama and my Grampa about their life, while we’re making shortcake or walking in the woods. And honestly, I suggest you do the same.
One last note. We ate chocolate cake with raspberries and strawberries and powdered sugar and poof (whipped cream), and peach frozen yogurt. And it was delicious. 
