This is the start of my new series, Greetings from Ireland, where I’ll post occasional emails from my Irish mother-in-law, Alice, who is known simply as “Gran.”
She is the mother of five grown boys (including my husband, of course!), the grandmother of 10, and lives in Dublin, Ireland. She has kindly let me adopt her as my own grandmother, mother, advisor, parenting coach, and above all, friend.
As you will see when you read her emails, Gran is a treasure-trove of wit, writing talent, and parenting wisdom. Every time I’ve shown one of her emails to friends, they’ve been so taken with how charming and wise she is that some of her emails have practically gone viral.
So without further delay, here is today’s email from Gran (with her permission).
Gran with Ella in Dublin
Greetings from Ireland.
Today we took delivery of your lovely hamper and you know it was more welcome now than at Christmas. All the goodies were top of the range and straight away we started to indulge by opening a bottle of white wine. It was enjoyed by Granda and myself and Brendan who was here for lunch. There was a bottle of Granda’s favourite red and he stashed this away for future snaffling.
After dinner we each had tea and cake from the hamper. The cake was delicious and, as I said, all the contents were top class. Even the basket is a good one and I said to Granda: “I think I’ll get a little dog,” but Granda replied, “If you do you can mind it yourself.”
That took the longing off me as I can hardly mind myself.
The weather here is cold and stormy but thank God Dublin escaped the worst of the high winds. Brendan’s fence blew down so he has gone home to deal with it. We are expecting Ronan and Julie up tonight for a chat. Everyone got safely over the holidays. Kevin went back to work today and also Lorcan. Ronan is back in harness tomorrow. Don’t know about Colm but he was probably called out during the storm.
There is not much news of interest. Rose has 3 new great-grandchildren – two girls and one boy. Irene had the boy and called him Sean. Aine had a girl and called her Ava Rose. Mairead called her daughter Kayla. There is another McEvoy great grandchild on the way. Fergeal and his wife Anne are expecting a baby in March. Rose doesn’t go out at all as it is too cold.
We don’t go out much ourselves but we do go to Mass every day and we shop on Saturdays.
I noticed a new law today preventing stores from selling sexy children’s clothes. When I read about it in today’s paper I remembered your Momalog on the subject. Take a bow. You were the first to condemn it.
A very happy New Year to you all. We got your Christmas card today also – just in time to take its place on our mantlepiece. The girls look very alike. Thanks for everything.
Love and good wishes for the year ahead and God bless all from Gran.
You might also like...
A Flabby Face
Notes From An Irish Childhood
Gran’s Irish Bread Recipe
Irish Soda Bread
Good Old Days – An Irish Childhood
What a dear! I want a letter from her too! Thanks for sharing her with us.
She’s lovely! I love that she wrote ‘snaffling’. And that she thought the basket would be perfect for a dog.
Love this series!
I MUST use the word snaffling as soon as possible. What a fabulous word!!! I can’t wait to read more of her letters. What a lovely lady.
Such an adorable text! It could be so nice to read those letters…
How lovely. Your family truly is rich, no wonder you fell for your man!
I can totally understand your love and respect for ‘Gran,’ Ado. What an intelligent, wise, and interesting woman she is. And honestly, I could tell all that just from reading this one email of hers.
In a few words, she had me captivated with her way of living, with how aware and involved she is in her children and grandchildren’s lives, with the comfortable intimacy she has with her husband, and last but not least, with how kick-ass she is to be using emails to stay on top of things!!! Wow.
You’re so blessed, Ado. And really, a mother-in-law who lovingly remembers your blog post? Priceless!!!!
ps: LOVE all those Irish names!!!
Hi Gran! You have a daughter-in-law that is second-to-none! We are SO lucky that she shares herself with us. Thank YOU for sharing, too! Stay warm and if you get a little dog – I’d LOVE to see a picture!
)
Oh my. What I didn’t expect was how much her writing reminds me of my husband’s aunts and uncles in England. And how much I miss talking and emailing with them! Time to touch base again.
Love it! I love the word “snaffling”, I love that people come “up for a chat” and I love that she wanted to put a little doggie in the basket. By the third time I’d read this email, my Irish accent got PRETTY DARN GOOD, let me tell you. Och, you’ve two pretty lassies, doncha dear?