Erika Bonham dot com

December 14, 2002

I was thinking about my grandma today and decided I would write a little about her. Her name is Zelma. Zelma Annarette. We call her ZiZi. It was one of those "I am too young to be called grandma! Let me think of a cute little name the grandkids can call me" things. So, she's ZiZi. (and my grandpa is Bob Bob, by the way. Long for Bob, of course). ZiZi is going to be 80 years old this next year. She is becoming a little more frail these days, but she is still quite a trooper. Her hair has never grayed. It's still brown with some little lighter streaks. She just got her eyebrows lifted, but by no means is she a fashion girl or anything. She is very down to earth and practical. She and Bob Bob travel quite a bit and exercise together nearly every morning. They walk around the neighborhood they have lived in together for nearly 60 years. She is a very active and busy lady.

The things I was remembering today...ZiZi's pumpkin pie. It's the best. My brother Andrew, Bob Bob, and I are all December babies. Every year, we would get pumpkin pie for our birthday cakes. She would cut things out in pie crust and set them on the top. One year, it would be our initials, the next our ages or some cute little hearts or something. I loved that pumpkin pie. I will miss it again this year. She has given me the recipe, but it just isn't the same when I make it.

Another thing that was on my mind...ZiZi is a potter of sorts. She doesn't do it as much as she used to, but she has a little work shop and a kiln and she used to make all sorts of things. Every year growing up, we would get an ornament made especially for us by ZiZi. I have a box full of them. They would say our name and the year on them in blue glaze and we would hang them on the tree from the blue or red cord they had attached to them. She would also ask for a list ahead of time of names of friends or teachers we would like her to make ornaments for. You would receive all the ornaments a few weeks before Christmas and be so very excited as you gave your best friend an ornament with their name on it. I don't know how long ago she stopped doing it, but it was very special and a memory I will always have.

I hope I have a chance to be a cool Grandma some day.

♥