Hi Grandma,

So for those of you who don't know, I come from a good sized family on my dad's side. My dad is the third of youngest of four and between these 4 siblings there are 9 kids and now,7 spouses/significant others and 6 children with a 7th on the way (my nephew!!!). I am very lucky in to have a family like mine and love each and every member to pieces. Therefore, I am very fortunate to be get emailed updates and phone calls from people in my family to let me know what's going on down home. At the top of our little family tree, is my Grandma, Ann Vardy. She's now 91 and living in Peterborough, ON close to my dad's younger brother and his wife. My aunt emailed me to tell me that she reads this blog to my grandma and that it makes her laugh, which makes me happy because over the years, I haven't spent as much time with her as I should have or wanted to. The problem with life, getting older, getting responsibilities is that you lose sight sometimes, of what is really important, like spending time with people who are special to you. So, Grandma, even though I'm not here to tell you this in person, here's what I should have said to you a long time ago: I think that everyone in the family will agree that you're our trail blazer. Being in WWII, and then emigrating to Newfoundland from Scotland and then back to England and raising 4 rowdy kids in the country couldn't have been easy. Then in 1967, moving back to Ontario was another brave decision. I remember as a kid always getting excited to go visit you in Guelph to play with the other cousins in the spooky attic or, in the summertime, out in the garden. I don't remember a lot of the Guelph days, but bits and pieces stick out, and even the moments I don't remember (like pulling the phone down on my head when I was a baby) made me and all your grandkids who they are today. Maybe you never realized, and maybe neither did we, how much your traveling influenced all of us. I always was envious when you were off on a trip, walking the Great Wall of China, going to Italy, hiking in the Scottish Highlands. You'd always bring each of us back something, Celtic earrings made of Irish pewter, a hand tooled leather change purse, or my personal favourites, Penguin bars and Oor Wullie and The Broons comic books that Dad would read to me and Julian in a Scottish accent. Your sense of adventure touched all of your grandkids in that we are all avid travelers. Between the lot of us, we've each traveled beyond the borders of Canada and have been to such far away places as England, Italy, France, Germany, Qatar, South Korea, Cuba, Viet Nam and Thailand just to name a few places. I know on my part that my desire to travel and see the world stemmed from that envy I had of your trips, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Fond childhood memories including going to your apartment in Toronto for a swim and lamb roast dinner with mint sauce and playing after-dinner cards. When it comes to your grandkids, you've never stopped short of spoiling us with your handmade treats, whether it was your Shortbread, Coffee Kisses or Rumballs at Christmas or beautiful knitted sweaters or blankets for our birthdays. We are fortunate to have been given these gifts that were made with such care. As your great-grandchildren started to arrive, the beautiful baby blankets you've made will be treasured forever. You've also shown us how important it is to stay active and I know you probably could have run circles around me with all the line dancing, tai chi and walking you did, not to mention the dancing at all the weddings in the family that you've done!! So, even though I am far away, I'm with you and everyone in the family every day because of the love that we all share for each other and I am hoping that you will still enjoy my stories that I write and I hope that they make you laugh and smile and I hope you don't think this grand-daughter is too crazy! I won't be seeing you for a while but I think about you every day and hope that you are well. Remember that we all love you, Grandma, Mum, and G-G, World Traveler, Great Cook and Expert Knitter. Thank you for all that you've done for us, given us and taught us.