Grandma and I are sitting outside of her nursing home in the lovely courtyard area. It’s warm and sunny, but she shivers because she’s always cold. This is something I tease her about often. She even has a warm and fuzzy sweatshirt that says, “Yes, I’m still cold.”
I remind grandma that my mom, sister, and maid of honor are throwing me a bridal shower.
“Oh fun!” she says.
“You’ll get to see all of my friends and we can play games,” I offer.
“I can’t wait!” she says.
“Were bridal showers a thing back when you got married?” I ask. Grandma was around twenty years old when she married grandpa.
“Oh, yes.” Grandma replies. “I think I had two. We had a family one, and then a friend one where we could drink and be silly.”
This image is so funny to my naive, young brain. Sixty years ago, I couldn’t picture a bunch of young women getting toasted and having a party. I wonder if they engaged in some of the same shenanigans and jokes that women do at bachelorette parties now.
“Did you get a lot of presents?” I asked, still trying to picture this event.
“You know, back then gifts were a lot more formal,” Grandma muses. “Fancy stuff that you put in a cabinet and rarely get out. It’s nice that nowadays you get things you can actually use.”
I love traveling back in time through grandmas eyes and learning something new.
Teach, Run, Write! 
I love that you are able to talk to your grandma and I am sure she loves telling you about her life. What a great question to ask her since you are getting married now. I love the circle of that. Thanks for sharing this sweet story. Also tell your grandma she looks great!
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How fun that you were able to talk about this with her! Like Carol said, I’m sure she loves sharing tidbits of her life with you, especially at this crucial time in your life. 🙂
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What a wonderful tidbit from your grandmother, this insight about her second bridal shower – ” a friend one where we could drink and be silly.” I love that! Years go by, many things stay the same.
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