Write about Grandparents.

Last year I was invited to the school of one of my grandchildren for "Grandparents Day" - where all manner of stories were told at the school assembly.  It was a precious day, and the children made lovely gifts earlier which they gave to grandparents.  It inspired me to write to all my four grandchildren with stories about MY grandparents - folk that they never met, and to be fair, I had very little recollection about as I was very young when two passed away.

My grandmother Minnie died when I was four, and her husband Wally, whom I remember well died in the 1960's.  My grandfather on the other side of the family died when I was ten, and his wife Nanna, aged 89, died in 1975.  I spent quite a bit of time on research and write two pages about them.

(I  named my two new goldfish Minnie and Wally, but Minnie died - so I have Minnietoo now)

I actually like to inspire my grandchildren to write to me - as I am a great letter writer.  (Two of my grandchildren are staying with me and when they saw me using my fountain pen, they were puzzled as they had never seen a pen and ink before!!!) 

While I did the long epistle about my grandparents on the computer and printed it - I hand wrote the accompanying letter.   Master - (11 years old)   claims that it is too hard to write - his hand gets tired.  I think his hand is exhausted from continual tapping on his iPhone!!!

Still, it is a good exercise to write as much as you can remember about YOUR grandparents, or even great grandparents if you can - and leave the story (a) for your family and (b) maybe put it on a blog or something.  It is probably an easier exercise for young people as they probably know their grandparents or the stories are familiar, but if one is in their 60's or 70's writing about grandparents is a greater challenge.

Perhaps I should have a blog collecting grandparents stories from readers..... no, just do it yourself and save it somewhere or post to grandchildren or other family members.

Minnie and Wally and baby me.

 

Why I Like to Write about People.

In 1963 I started my nursing training in Mount Gambier, in the south east of South Australia.  I had decided on the spur of  the moment to be a nurse - I had wanted to be a teacher, but "getting a job" seemed to be more important than anything else, so I had a few jobs and was in fact working for a doctor when I decided suddenly to be a student nurse.

It was an amazing three years and three months - so much growing up to do, so much learning, so much fun.  It was the time that something happened that impacted so much on me - a conversation with an elderly lady who was infamous within the hospital for throwing her faeces around the room around 4 pm each day! 

But it was another story about her that fascinated me - she claimed to have been a prostitute and named someone rather famous who had been one of her clients.  I was naïve and shocked and at the same time fascinated.  As we talked (and I didn't have to dodge flying poo on this occasion, she told me more of her story, which I confess I have scant recollection about now - some fifty plus years later.

I do recall saying to her - someone should write your story.  I was fascinated.  Sadly I don't think anyone did - but it was the first time that I recall being interested in life stories.  Many years later it is something that I am passionate about and intend to spend the next few years of my life inspiring others to write,  and to tell their story.

And so, as the year 2014 I look forward to promoting my business - The Official Biographer. 

When I talk with folk about writing their life story I get a number of reactions - often it is "My story?  I have had a boring life"  or "No one would be interested in reading my story" or "It is too hard."  Believe me, most people do have some interesting stories to tell - and if nothing else it could be a record for their children, or their grandchildren or whoever follows.

I like to help people write their own stories - or I am happy to do it for them for a fee.  But I like to talk first about "mini- biographies" - somewhere between 5000 and 10000 words to start.  That seems manageable.  For them and for me.

So, this blog is to record not their stories, though, with permission I may include some short pieces, but to encourage folk to start the process for themselves.