Gerry
12-19-2007, 01:45 PM
As a small child I remember knowing how it was getting near to winter because my Granny would have us standing for hours with our arms out stretched as she would rip out our old woollen jumpers and wind the wool around my arms. We were lucky because my Granny was the Queen of Crochet and my Mam the Queen of Aran.
Sometimes she would mix and match the wool or even dye it a new colour before starting her magic. Knit one, pearl one, click click click click, "Wasn't that while about you know who, she had, you know."
Nods and lips moving but not a sound being uttered until the other one would giving a knowing nod that the message was received and fully understood. I sat for hours mesmerised by their coded messages but never could break the code.
I reckon my Granny and Mammy work for the Irish secret service and had some special transmitting device that only the other one could hear. The Germans had no chance against this silent speaking. But I have to admit that in recent years I've seen my Mam doing it with my big sisters and they understood too, even when doing it down the telephone line, and it still working. If the Americans ever find out this secret Ireland's secret service will be stuffed.
When we were wee my Mam had a winter uniform she always wore. It was a big warm coat someone else owned but didn't need any more. For ten years at least every winter we all got kitted out in brand new warm winter gear from the feet up but Mam just had that one coat. It never changed but once I think she changed the buttons to make it look like a new coat.
I was nearly big when I remember my Granny coming in with a new coat.But it wasn't for any of us. It wasn't for Granny. My Mammy's Daddy had given the money to buy Mammy a new coat from the Bon Marche shop.That's the dootsie shop our Princess won't even stand outside in case somebody was to see her. It was so brand new nobody else had even wore it once and took it back after the wedding. It still had the labels on it.
It was made form Donegal tweed and went right down nearly to my Mammy's feet. It was the latest fashion, I was told every time she would put it on. She looked like the Queen in it with her neat curly hair and beaming smile.
Now when I think back I reckon that that old coat was my Mam's Badge of Honour that should have been presented to her by the President or Pope or somebody for her many years of unselfish service to her family.
Yip Queen of Ireland sort of suits her, doesn't it.
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4024/grannysoldpics193rs5.jpg
By Gerry Temple
Sometimes she would mix and match the wool or even dye it a new colour before starting her magic. Knit one, pearl one, click click click click, "Wasn't that while about you know who, she had, you know."
Nods and lips moving but not a sound being uttered until the other one would giving a knowing nod that the message was received and fully understood. I sat for hours mesmerised by their coded messages but never could break the code.
I reckon my Granny and Mammy work for the Irish secret service and had some special transmitting device that only the other one could hear. The Germans had no chance against this silent speaking. But I have to admit that in recent years I've seen my Mam doing it with my big sisters and they understood too, even when doing it down the telephone line, and it still working. If the Americans ever find out this secret Ireland's secret service will be stuffed.
When we were wee my Mam had a winter uniform she always wore. It was a big warm coat someone else owned but didn't need any more. For ten years at least every winter we all got kitted out in brand new warm winter gear from the feet up but Mam just had that one coat. It never changed but once I think she changed the buttons to make it look like a new coat.
I was nearly big when I remember my Granny coming in with a new coat.But it wasn't for any of us. It wasn't for Granny. My Mammy's Daddy had given the money to buy Mammy a new coat from the Bon Marche shop.That's the dootsie shop our Princess won't even stand outside in case somebody was to see her. It was so brand new nobody else had even wore it once and took it back after the wedding. It still had the labels on it.
It was made form Donegal tweed and went right down nearly to my Mammy's feet. It was the latest fashion, I was told every time she would put it on. She looked like the Queen in it with her neat curly hair and beaming smile.
Now when I think back I reckon that that old coat was my Mam's Badge of Honour that should have been presented to her by the President or Pope or somebody for her many years of unselfish service to her family.
Yip Queen of Ireland sort of suits her, doesn't it.
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4024/grannysoldpics193rs5.jpg
By Gerry Temple