Nana

Charlotte R. Alger

Aka Charlie.
Better known to me as Nana.

How do you even begin to sum up the impact someone has had on your life? All the things you remember? The sound of her voice when she'd call up and say "Lori, dear, how are you?". Her laugh when she found something funny. She sat down and taught you to knit at the age of 6. She kept the dirty jokes in the Bible and snickered in church as she told them to God when she prayed. She made the best fudge this side of the Mississippi and lemonade to boot (it had about a cup of sugar in it). She called herself a self-centered egotistical bastard and sang "I love myself, I think I'm grand, I go to the movies just to hold my hand". She called "fish" "feesh" and the freezer was an icebox, and a rubberband is a gumband. She survived my Grandpa Bill's death when my dad was 13 - she became an alcoholic and then sobered up - she was going on 30 some-odd years of being sober. For years she'd buy herself a gift and then wrap it and put it under the tree - when she opened it she'd say "Oh Bill! It's just what I wanted!". She called pastel pink "titty pink" and made (and wore) horrific puffy paint and ribbon sweatshirts. She taught me dedication, value, and the idea that you patronize the people who patronize you. She taught me that you never wait for a man to buy you jewelry. I'm pretty sure she also taught me to swear.

I could go on. I could go on for hours. I could probably max out this blogger. But I won't.

Suffice it to say that my grandmother was an extraordinary woman who had a huge impact on my life. And I'm going to miss her something fierce.