I was only 38 when I became a grandmother, but looking back, I think that is the perfect age.  At that time, I had no knee problems, could keep us with any kid and had enough energy to push a carriage into Tivoli.  Maria and family lived with me, upstairs in the Bird's Nest, so I was able to spend lots of time with them.  And those first grandchildren of mine were entertaining...I remember one time pushing  Rachael in the carriage into town, Jer beside me.  We hadn't even reached the bridge crossing the creek into Tivoli, when Rachael starting screaming her head off.  I kept pushing the carriage, hoping the movement would calm her down, but no luck.  Jer stopped and stared at me, incredulous that I hadn't thought of it..."Nurse her Loggy," he said, "just nurse her".  He knew how to shut her up.  Maria nursed Rachael for years, finally stopping, to the kid's surprise.  "Just let me look at them," she said to Maria, sadly, "just let me look at them" like a dieting person might want to see one more ice cream sundae.

Timmy and I took the kids everywhere, driving to Purchase to visit Sabra at college, and trips to all the local festivals.  I remember this time of year going to an Octoberfest in Rhinebeck.  These were the days before drunk driving became an obstacle to alcohol related activities.  Anyway, we were sitting at a big table, in the warm autumn sun, Rachael eating some German treat, and singing "In heaven there is no beer, that's why we drink it here".  The polka band started another song, and the leader yelled, "Everybody yodel" which nobody did, except Timmy, in a loud, loud voice, "Yodel e day e dee" or however anyone can yodel.  Rachael's  eyes were as big as those pints of beers everybody was drinking, horrified that she was with these people that everybody was staring at.  The people around us all laughed, and she relaxed.  I remember she sang all the way home, "in heaven there is no beer" so I guess she had already forgotten the yodeling event.

Autumn makes me sentimental, brings back a lot of memories, good memories of a young grandmother up for anything.