Mama
Apologies for length and lack of humour etc. My maternal grandmother, Mama, is an amazing lady. She's 86 years old now and still completely independent despite losing my Poppa 10 years ago, however as I've got older I've come to appreciate how much of a role model and what a fantastic person she is. She worked as a driver in WWII for the RAF, transporting munitions all over Scotland and also officials and airmen despite being an 18 year old girl and only just over 5 feet tall she learnt to drive lorries, tankers and all sorts of cars.
However the thing I admire her most for is after her own son died as a toddler she adopted first my mum (possibly saving her from a nasty Irish nun-run home) and then another baby. In the 1960's most children with special needs like my uncle would be institutionalised and denied education and the chance of a normal life but her and my Poppa fought to bring my uncle up themselves sending him to normal schools, getting him the best medical help they could even when things were difficult for them financially. She still accompanies my uncle to his hospital appointments, helps him to live independently, will go to his flat at anytime of the day or night when he is panicked about anything and help him to get anything he needs organised.
She also looked after me and my brothers and sister when we were little and up until last year drove my sister to and from school when ever my mum or dad couldn't. She is one of the loveliest people I know, with never a bad word to say about anyone and would help anyone who needed anything. I dread the day I have to tell anyone about her in the past tense, she's an inspiration.
On the other hand my paternal grandmother seems to get her kicks insulting myself and my sister in anyway possible, so win some lose some I guess
(anotherdoublewhiskey, Mon 6 Jun 2011, 19:01, Reply)