You can submit your own items from your grandma into the museum, so I'm sitting here thinking what do I have, and sadly realised nought, zip, nada. You see, my paternal grandmother Nanna Luke as we called her, otherwise born as Lily and nicknamed "Dixie" had already suffered a series of strokes before I came along. Throughout my life she was in a wheel chair and the only words she could say was "nay sauce", believe me that "nay sauce" could be communicated in loving ways, angry ways and insistent ways and her smile was priceless. I don't recall receiving any gifts from her personally, only priceless memories.“For the last 28 years, my grandmother has given me objects from her life as gifts. These gifts were more than what might be expected from a grandmother, like costume jewelry and family heirlooms. My grandmother gave me her forks, knives, tablecloths, and pincushions. She gave me watercolor paper and notes with advice. She organized boxes, labeled them, and tied them with homemade string. Over the course of my life my grandmother gave me hers through these gifts. We decided to catalogue these objects to capture a life over two generations, and the broader sentimentality of receiving gifts from a grandmother.”- Sarah Koik, doubledot cofounder/granddaughter
My maternal grandmother, known as "Nan" (Jean Lewis) was not hugely involved in our lives, just sporadic visits on holiday weekends maybe once a year. I definitely did not receive any hand me downs or gifts from her personally. Although I have one very distinct memory of visiting her at Dingo Creek, out the back Wingham in a little cottage. When we pulled up she was sitting on the step plucking ticks from her dingo dog and she said, "what took you so long, I expected you ages ago"! Amazing considering neither of us had phones to communicate with! It, was a wonderful weekend for me, she had this monstrous feather and down bed and it was the comfiest thing I had ever laid on. It was the first time I had ever milked a cow or drank fresh cows milk with cream, I gagged being a city girl! I dearly wish I could remember all the stories she told me that weekend.
Sometimes in life we don't get handed physical connections from our grandparents, only priceless memories we hold dear to our hearts and sometimes we remember them with clarity. Cherish every single moment that is given you.
I hope my children in years to come will remember with glee all the treasures that have been given to them by their grandparents and their maternal grandmother in particular, that they cherish every single memory with complete and utter awe knowing they were dearly loved.
Mum, I sincerely believe we have balanced that karmic debt and broken the cycle, we should be very proud!
