Long before grandmothers ran marathons, Nan would show up at our house in New Jersey, unannounced. We knew she arrived when her car pulled into our long country drive. “Nan’s here!” We were excited. It was a time before internet and cell phones. As the matriarch I guess she never felt the need to let us know she was coming. Sometimes she stayed for months.
Nan drove well into her eighties and would tell us often that the worse day of her life was when my uncle took her car keys. She was a traveling fool, visiting here and there while waving to the truck drivers. She carried all her worldly possessions in her trunk (boot for you Brits).
One day Nan arrived and announced her intention to drive from New Jersey to Florida to visit family. She whisked me away to keep her company on the long drive to Miami. I was a lanky twelve year old. My parents never thought to tell her no.
I was mesmerized at Weeki Wachee State Park where to this day mermaids breathe underwater through skinny tubes and perform somersaults with long hair floating behind them.
We also took a boat ride along the Florida coast to stare agog at enormous seaside mansions that defied reality. Our reality for sure.
My grandmother was born in 1896. She was labeled rebellious when to everyone’s horror she divorced my grandfather. My mother told stories of packing up her three siblings and moving in the middle of the night when they couldn’t pay the rent. Nan later lived with a man for ten years whom she wasn’t married to. I remember him. Nan was an independent woman who unapologetically forged her own way.
Her name was Alicia Wade Marder. It is important that we tell womens’ stories. She was my grandmother and she shaped my life in ways I’m still discovering. This is for my grandchildren, so they know their history. Love you Nan.
DOS TORTAS
the adventures of dos tortas 
I love this. Your Nan sounds like a real firecracker and a load of fun! I’m glad you related some of her story here. And you are so right; women’s stories deserve to be told.
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We occasionally butted heads. All her grandchildren adored her.
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A true pioneer! 😀
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She was something else for sure.
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Wow! My grandmother led a humdrum life compared to yours!
My grandmother was a short, round woman who cooked wonderful meals and baked a treat almost every day. And we’d eat the whole treat and were ready for the next on the following day, unless, of course, she had baked a cake. That took a few days to polish off.
But I loved her desperately. She died when I was 16 and still today, on occasion, I talk with her.
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There were days when I wished for that kind of grandmother lol
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Dear Alex, Lisa and Alice,
I had told you I was arriving in Bacalar tomorrow – but I am going to be in Mexico City for another week. I have had a serious accident – it occurred at seatac airport on the escalator. One of my suitcases caught on a step as it was advancing and fell back on me – trapping me and as it did so,, tore open my left leg. I couldn’t get up – and I’m pretty fit – and the stairs kept advancing. Thankfully a woman at the bottom the escalator ran up the stairs and got to me in enough time to pull me up and help me to step off the escalator at the top. ..I was hurt very badly and EMTs came and they wanted me to go to an ER nearby…I decided to make the flight no matter what it took – so I was lightly bandaged and wrapped and allowed to board. Once in Mexico City, I went to the hospital here – the one my son in law was in for his chemotherapy and transplant – and I was taken immediately to surgery. I have 30 stitches, a skin graft, and more wrappings and bandages than I will ever want to see. I spent two days in the hospital and am beyond grateful for the level of care,, the kindness of others, the Mexican culture and how people just want to help – and so much more. I am at Angie’s now on bedrest and leg elevation – and not in too much pain, considering..bob is at the property and many projects are happening..😊 hopefully – I see my plastic surgeon wednesday – I can fly to chet with angie and avidan this coming sunday…! Whew!! Alot …
So far so good with healing – but it’s hard to tell with all these bandages..and I hope I can see you all while there …but I only have 4 days…yet if I can’t leave mexico when planned, I will have to stay longer…
I hope all of you are well and enjoying our lovely area – how I love it there. Know I am sending love xoxo Lorrie
Lorrie Jones
Simple Serenity
simpleserenity.comhttp://simpleserenity.com/
253.312.3117
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