Hand in glove
Until I was fifteen, I had two Grannies. My paternal granny was always known as Granny Kim on account of her eponymous, over-stuffed cat which resembled a large tabby cushion and used to lie on the half-landing of her staircase in a sunspot meditating fatly. Granny had only one arm. The other was lost in The First World War. Amputated on account of gangrene, not mislaid. She was a nurse as so many of the women of her generation were. She never expected to marry after losing her limb. With the over-abundance of women to the dreadfully depleted stock of men when peace followed the tragically dubbed ‘war to end all wars’, she rather felt that her fate was dancing with other spinster women and dreaming of a never-to-be love. However in time, quite some time, she met my Grandfather who had had his vocal chords severed by the village doctor during an emergency traceotomy as a child and from then on could only speak in a whisper – as a point of interest he spoke nine languages fluently in his whisper. From time to time I remember to contemplate the thanks I owe the physician who, respecting his hippocratic oath, in that moment saved a young boy’s life and by doing so gave me the chance of birth. Granny Kim used to say that they were two cripples together. I imagine these days she might be shushed and cautioned against deflowering delicate sensibilities with her candid comment.
Granny Kim (who I have written about before) was irresistibly irreverent. She had seemingly no filter between what was in her head and what came out of her mouth. For example the busty girl tottering down the seafront in tightest of tight, scoopiest of scooped angora sweater must clearly have heard the shrilly uttered ‘VERY uplifted’ from the neat tweed clad old woman tottering toward her. And the French neighbour of my own new to motherhood mummy proudly showing off her own newborn to Granny was asked what she had called the child. ‘James’, replied Madame. ‘And James was a very small snail’ said Granny. It’s A A Milne, from ‘The Four Friends’ but the French lady, so my mother reports, was visibly and vividly offended and operated the etiquette of ‘on ne peut plus se voir’ which as Mel of France Says explains ever eloquently her means ‘one cannot see you any more’ and literally makes the recipient invisible ever after. My mother wondered if she imagined Granny was calling her sprog a frog. She wasn’t. She was saying the first thing that popped into her head. I have the same tendency. I try to control it. I frequently fail.
So what is that preamble about. Well, with only one arm Granny had a drawer FULL of single gloves kindly donated by countless people over the years who had mislaid it’s pair. She found it ceaselessly amusing that people never stopped in their surge of waste-not-want-not good heartedness, to think that their gift was only useful if it happened to be the correct glove for Granny’s remaining hand. Therefore she had a quite magnificent collection of single gloves languishing in tissue paper which she had graciously accepted rather than burst anyone’s bubble of well meant intent.
Which brings me to Grenoble. Grenoble was, for many years the capital of glove-making in France. The giants of glove-making made fortunes and the most revered of all was a man named Xavier Jouvin. He has an entire quartier dedicated to his name – looking over the river it is lovely and there is a large statue of him in the middle of it’s main square. I have become very fascinated with Xav and found out that he is most revered for having created a form of mass-production of gloves. He fashioned a machine that could cut up to SIX pairs, six mind you, of identical gloves at one go. Breathtaking in 1838. When I leave Grenoble, it will be with a pair of hand-made Grenoblois gloves to remember my time by.
You might recall that I was previously living in a positively palatial apartment provided by the institute that my husband was doing a tranche of work for in the first 6 months of this year. Amongst other delights it had corinthian columns and as the time approached to leave it I seriously considered chaining myself to these pillars and refusing to leave. I had however, a last-minute change of heart and decided that I would leave quietly and with gratitude for the time we had spent there. Sugaring pills tends to provide incentive, I find. My candied pellet is this: the place we found, the small apartment that is less than a third of the size of the other, is contained in what the French call Un Hôtel Particulier which is in effect a grand residence built as the town house for someone of importance. Guess who? Well so far, I know it was one of the great glovemen but I am not able to finitely say which one. Of course I hope its M. Jouvin Xavier. I am currently researching more thoroughly but this oasis in the centre of Grenoble has given me the rare chance to live in a very special building that retains much of it’s original fabric. From the hand painted walls in the entrance hall to the beautiful tiling and ceilings it is wonderful. I have the luxury of a terrace and a garden and best of all I have a double curved staircase up to the front door which makes me feel that I should be wearing kid gloves and matching slippers with some sort of an empire line Lizzy Bennet dress and bonnet with thick silky ribbons neath my chinny chin chin, at all times. My quarters are exquisite, dare I say better than the last place and also retain a cornucopia of original features. If you would like, I will share the innards of this place I am occupying … I’m happy to but I never want to overtax with tedium..
PS: Granny Kim was fond of reciting this poem and peeling with laughter at it’s quite gasping ghastliness. I had never paid it much heed except to recite it idly and wince when having flashbacks to Granny Kim in her hammock. Until today, when incubating this post it popped into my head spontaneously and inevitably. I thought I should find out who IS responsible for this vacuous verse.
It was written by a woman called Frances Darwin Cornford. She was the grand-daughter of the immeasurably brilliant Charles Darwin. Ironically it seems that the father of evolutionary theory had a somewhat poorly evolved grandchild. As it turns out
G K Chesterton agreed with me. Read his wonderfully ascerbic response to this quite appalling effort, please do …
To A Lady Seen From A Train
Frances Darwin Cornford
O why do you walk through the fields in gloves,
Missing so much and so much?
O fat white woman whom nobody loves,
Why do you walk through the fields in gloves,
When the grass is soft as the breast of doves
And shivering sweet to the touch?
O why do you walk through the fields in gloves,
Missing so much and so much
The Fat White Woman Speaks
G K Chesterton
Why do you rush through the field in trains,
Guessing so much and so much?
Why do you flash through the flowery meads,
Fat-head poet that nobody reads;
And why do you know such a frightful lot
About people in gloves and such?
And how the devil can you be sure,
Guessing so much and so much,
How do you know but what someone who loves
Always to see me in nice white gloves
At the end of the field you are rushing by,
Is waiting for his Old Dutch?
And as a bonus because I swiped it for my title, The Smiths belt out ‘Hand in Glove’ in Glasgow on this date (September 25th) 1985 – it fits perfectly, as all good gloves should
What a love story Osyth, and luckily they found each other! We enjoy France and hopefully will see more of it next year. Not sure whether the world has been free of conflict? The French architecture!! Love it.
Suz
Of course it has never been free of conflict … did you know that Tetanus is rife here in France on account of the sheer number of dead that have fallen on her ground? I do hope you will be back to France though of course all your other wonderful destinations have me drooling.
Osyth, no I did not know that tetanus was rife in France, due to the amount of dead, very interesting. We did a 3 month housesit in Northern France last winter, luckily did not hurt ourselves!!
Make sure you are vaccinated, in seriousness. Particularly in the North. And if you do draw blood then make sure the hôpital gives you a tetanus if you are not up to date. I’m a mine of information – occasionally it’s useful!!
I had no idea about the tetanus, must inform No1 grandson who spends 6 months of the year on the Ardèche teaching young people to canoe, while camping, sleeping in hammocks, climbing etc.
He absolutely should be up to date on his Tetanus. I had no idea until my (Scientist) husband mentioned it in passing when we were viewing a very old cross said to date back to the Franco-Roman wars. He said ‘of coure that is why tetanus is such a problem in this country … the sheer volume of historic dead from wars fought on her soil’. Its better to be safe so get him to ensure his Doc gives him a booster if he is due 🙂
Thank you. Will do my best 😊
What a gorgeous place and I love the terrace. Your story also shows that there is love for everyone if you have no barriers.
I used to walk past it and wonder who lived in it. Couldn’t believe my luck when it came to market at exactly the right moment! When my daughter visited I wandered her idly past and said, casually ‘isn’t that a lovely place’ ‘oh yes, she replied – gorgeous’ ‘it’s where I’m moving to’ ‘how the F*** do you do that ma mere?’ Made me hoot 😀
I am so glad your granny Kim foubd tru
True love. I love your descriptions of her. Your staircase is quite exquisite. I for one would love to see inside. 🌼
I will definitely let you inside then! I absolutely could not believe my good fortune. But. Having just finished your book (which I wholeheartedly loved) – you will not be at all surprised that I am convinced that there was a little hand from someone I loved very much in the mix. True love, I do believe appears when we don’t expect it. It was my experience too. I have put myself firmly on the dusty shelf and it could not have been less appropriate timing but all of a sudden there he was. If I’d known I would never have kissed all those frogs 😉
I think the frogs are good practice for the real thing 😉
Haha – that made me smile …. I think some might think I was a little enthusiastic as a frog-kisser, but that’s a different story 😉
How wonderful. In a much smaller way, my mum is deaf in her left ear and my sister in law is deaf in her right. The first time they met they sat (unawares) on the wrong side of each other and apparently spent the entire first meeting ignoring everything each other said, until someone pointed out the issue. Lovely story about a wonderful lady, and it’s always good to refer to the Smiths in any way at all. Please do post some of the interiors as well, though. I can’t imagine you really think we’d ever be bored by them!
I didn’t want to bang on too much so, yes, I fully intend to post the interiors – this time next week feels appropriate. I adore that story of yours and I am very happy that you are a fellow Smiths gal!
Yes please – I’d LOVE the inside tour. Tedious? Hardly! Those of us not able to travel beyond America’s shores are eager to see the beautiful architecture of cities that weren’t built this century.
Good to see this on this week’s Senior Salon. As soon as I get it in my head that it now posts on MONDAY, not Wednesday as before, I hope to get around to all the posts much earlier, but I hope it’s not too late to ring in on this one.
Loved your stories of the gloves. I only wear them in the winter (and then for warmth more than fashion), but I used to love my mother’s collection of crocheted silk as well as baby soft kid when I was a child – from wrist length to practically under the armpit – many fastened snugly with little pearl buttons. Most were from my grandmother’s time, when all well-bred women, young and old, wore gloves on many occasions – even in the summer (thus the silks).
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to educate a world!”
It’s settled. I intend (hopefully not the road to hell) to post the interior on Monday. It seems fitting that the Senior Salon should host the post since the house is rather senior herself (and the writer 😉). I adore gloves and your mère’s collection sounds like the stuff I would drool over. Of course, like you, I generally only wear them for warmth these days and often several layers of the things on account of my dismal circulation … lovely to see you Madelyn and I will look forward to you getting back in the Senior Salon seat very soon xx
Thank you for the warm welcome (and your promise to post interior shots on Monday). Gloves or no, walking up that glorious stair simply to get home would make me feel like the grandest of dames. I can’t wait to be invited inside.
I echo your daughter’s sentiments. You have SOME great-place-to-live karma!
xx,
mgh
Love that ‘place to live Karma’ …. consider it stolen 😉 xx
No need to steal – my gift to you (even better than those one-handed gloves for the wrong hand, lol)
xx,
mgh
Only you could make such a delightfully good read about gloves!
Thank you Bernadette (I love your new picture, by the way) …. it’s fair to say that I have become a little obsessed with gloves on account of the history of the city and I am certain that in turn is very amusing to Granny Kim!
A lovely story, and I really hope your new home was formerly Xav’s. And thank you so much for introducing me to a new poet to avoid and for reminding me why I hate the Smiths with a passion 😂 xx
I thought of you when I posted the poem (she makes McGonagall almost bearable) …. but the Chesterton is SWEET vengeance on behalf of the poor unassuming woman who was wandering in her gloves as the malicous murderer of verse passed by in her train carriage. The Smiths … I confess that I am ever hypnotised by Morrissey’s flat voice and unique form of expressing himself through the medium of dance 😉 xx
I wonder what McGonagall would have made of her. I also wondered why the focus on gloves – was that all the woman was wearing? If so, it would have been a very different poem if I’d written it! I never got the Smiths, sorry. A whiny twat who can’t sing, prancing around like someone’s dad, lines that barely scanned, and guaranteed to make you miserable if you hadn’t been before listening to them 😂 xx
So could you clarify … you are saying you DON’T like The Smiths? 😂 😂 😂. As for the loosely described as poem … I must admit that at some point in my teens I wondered if she was wearing clothes. This coincided with my father telling me about Great Aunt Ali and the Vicar coming to tea. I will write it. It’s a cracker!! And it does involve nudity. I just think Frances was a judge mental old bag with no discernable talent. At least McGonagall mostly stuck to inanimate objects xx
Sorry if I wasn’t clear! Yes, it’s highly unlikely that the Smiths will ever feature as a Saturday Song! Ivor Biggun stands more chance than them 😂 I’m looking forward to the Great Aunt Ali story, sounds like the vicar didn’t just have more tea 😂 History is littered with bad writers and poets, I’m just surprised that her poem saw the light of day in times before self-publishing for the Kindle 😉 xx
She’d have been a hit with certain sectors of the blogging community but shhh don’t say I said that 😉. Great Aunt Ali deserves to be told and The Smiths I promise I won’t subject you too often xx
We all have a few of those following us, don’t we? Throw some words at a page, shuffle them around a bit, et voilá a pome wot I writ! Thanks for the Smiths relief – having his new ‘song’ boring away on the radio is more than enough 😉 xx
Good Lord … I had no idea he was still going .. does he dance with a stick? 😂 xx
Apparently he’s making a comeback. Presumably for artistic reasons. Or the taxman. I’ve always thought he danced with a stick, just that it was inserted in him 😂 xx
For artistic reasons always translates as Financial 😉 xx
Love Granny Kim, adore the building, laughed at the poetic riposte and still occasionally listen to The Smiths! I even have a cd! (Don’t tell Clive 😉) But not so enamoured with some of his latest observations 😕
Too late, I’ve seen you! 😂
😂
I’m (probably mercifully) out of touch so I don’t know what M has been spouting. Granny Kim was a gift that was too brief in my life but I can keep her spirit alive with a little light writing from time to time. So glad you enjoyed Chesterton …. I love a good poetic retort! The Smiths aren’t my favourite ever but I sort of got them at the time, I think (and was probably rebelling against my purist husband of that era who hated them 😉)
Always a good reason, my hb hates all my music, but then I can’t stand his either! He’s stuck on Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, anything Irish and folksy, Beach Boys, you get the idea, nothing later than the 70s. 😄
I can’t fault him on LC and BD to be fare but I prefer to think I evolved beyond the folksy protesty cerebrally lyrical …. I loved the New Wave and New Romantic eras and then got a little lost only to find oxygen again in the mid 90s 🙂
Interior shots . Now. Please.
“A lady cannot be considered properly dressed without her gloves”
She cannot. Or glove as it was in Granny Kim’s case. I will concoct a further post of interior shots for next Monday and in the meantime, I am crafting the Marcolèsian post that I happen to know you desireth. and then, I promise you, my friend I will be back to a cadence of posting about the project every few weeks. It is time 😉 As it is for me to email you.
I still feel undressed without gloves 🤔
All hail gloves – lets lead the charge to bring them back into fashion!
Oh how I would love to join you dressed as a Bronte sister with beautifully made gloves! I live near Bath so we actually do get the Austen lovers dressed together with bonnets. I love your story as you create such a wonderful picture with your words! Your Gran sounds like my kind of person. Thank you for sharing
She was fun in the best sense of the word. Sadly she succumbed to Dementia when I was still very young and I mourn that loss of the years we might have had. Because of their afflictions my grandparents were relatively aged when they met and she was in her forties when she had her children which was unusual then. I am told I am like her and I celebrate it so now it is settled. When I am in Britain we must meet, bonneted or not (possibly not would be better on reflection) and discuss irreverently whatever takes our fancy. The Pump Rooms would seem like the right venue! Xx
I had a similar bonkers yet wonderful grandmother who loved purple and always dressed as if she was off to The Ritz. Maybe these wonderful woman lived in a time when life was not set or pradicable meaning they grabbed life with both hands. Perhaps we need to learn from them. The Pump Rooms? How wonderful 😍my son is called Darcy… I say no more
A son! Called Darcy! I am enthralled! They did live in a time that gave them more of an acute understanding of the fragility of life, I think. As much as we are more aware of global crises with social and standard media flashing every event at lightening pace, I think that the fact of living through the dreadful real ness of two wars gave something a little more acute to that generation.
I agree.
My Mr Darcy 😍
Beauteous ❤️
A wonderful story Fiona! As always I love the way you speak and write!! Granny Kim was so cool! What a pair they made and found love together. You write about such interesting things, people and places. xoxoxo
I just write what pops into my head and probably have an aversion to writing my own story because I think it would hurt …. but I’m glad you enjoyed Granny Kim – she was one of the good ones 🙂 xxx
So cool Fiona! xoxoxo
First: WoW! Your temporary new home looks amaaaazing! And yes please, let us inside!!! 🙂 And I hope your research will prove that you live in M. Jouvin Xavier´s residence 😉 Love houses with a history, I think I would get goosebumps walking around there, but the good kind of goosebumps of course 😉
Second: I love the story of your grandparents! What wonderful, wonderful people who have found each other against all odds. I can only imagine the strong will and determination both of them must have had, especially your grandfather – 9 languages! Wow! Just wow!
As to that filter that should be placed between head and mouth – I don´t have it either 😉 I try desperately to install some replacements but they´re nonfunctional most of the time 😉 Ah, well, there are worse things… 😉 xxxxxxxxx
My kindred sister … Granny Kim would be proud of you with your lack of filter. I never knew my Grandfather, sadly but I, too, am amazed at his linguistic ability which I can only ever be a shadow of. This place was quite literally like manna from heaven when it came up. I had been looking for a while before the time came and we looked at several others all of which would do but then this (in a building I had quietly converted walking the city) only two blocks from our previous place – unbelievable good fortune. When my eldest daughter who you will know a little from FaceBook saw it she say ‘F word … how do you do that, ma mère’ – I have no answer to that except that I am very very fortunate. Innards planned for next Monday 🙂 xxxxxxxx
My maternal grandfather was also an amazing man who also shared this knack for languages and whom I sadly never met. I keep thinking that the generation of our ancestors was so much stronger than we are today and wonder what might be the cause for it.
Hehe 😉 Your daughter phrased it perfectly, especially with including French to take off the sting of the F-word 😉 xxxxxxxx
I love this! Your writing style develops hand in glove with your time in France! I too cannot wait for the interior shots, not to mention the next instalment of Marcoles. xx
Thank you so much Jenny – that is the highest praise, coming from you xx. Interiors next Monday and Marcolès on Friday if all goes to plan! X
I read a few of your posts and cannot wait to return. Your writing is one that makes me want to curl up on my sofa with a hot cup of tea and read and read and read!
Goodness … that is high praise — I hope I won’t disappoint. Thank you. And thank you for gracing me by following. I will take a harder look at your blog at the weekend and I rather think it may be a mutual following 🙂
A brilliant and celebrated writer said a story should take the shape of an E, starting off base a bit, coming in to the point, going back out, coming back in, then returning to the beginning. You have followed his formula perfectly. In a story whose “hook” is your new digs, you give us Granny Kim, zoom in on love and gloves, go out toward the greater significance of gloves, come around to your new digs, then go back to Granny, with poems about the absence of love (in two very different senses). Brilliant. Just the way I like stories–on a meandering but not mindless path.
That is a comment to bottle. Thank you. I am speechless. In a good way 🙂
Lovely glove stories 🙂
The “hôtel particulier” you live in looks gorgeous, I would love to see inside too !!
I’ll definitely post a follow up next week. I have a new camera which my husband gave me for my birthday so I hope I can take some worthy pictures. So glad you liked the gloves. They really do need to be properly revived as a fashion accessory!
Delightful post! And, I love Granny Kim. 🙂
She was a card … I think I should make her a regular feature (she drove my mother mad … her mother in law 😉) but in the little time I knew her before she succumbed to Dementia I adored her and it is my greatest pride that I am told I am like her. Thank you Tonya – your comments are always a pleasure 🙂
Making Granny Kim a regular feature is a wonderful idea! She reminds me of my grandma—fun-loving, good-hearted and full of joy. Thank you for sharing your lovely memories with us. And, thank you for your kind comment, Osyth. 🙂
All hail wonderful Grannies! ❤️
🙂
Well written Osyth, Xavier had learned the art of making gloves with his grand uncle and a beautiful video!!1
Glad you enjoyed the video … Morrissey gets mixed reviews but he was part of an important time in my life and it seemed quite amazing that the particular film was filmed on this date in 1985. I intend to write more about. Xavier in particular but glove makers in general. And the very few Gantiers that remain. It’s a fascinating subject :). Thank you for taking the time – I really appreciate it.
So many lovely details – architecturally and verbally!
Thank you Colin … that is kind and I do appreciate you taking the time to stop and look and comment 🙂
There is so much to love here; but I’m chortling too hard at Frances and G K to be particularly lucid about any of it. 🙂
Oh Granny Kim sounds like she was a hoot and a half! 🙂 PLEASE do share the insides of this BEAUTIFUL place you are living!!!
That pretty much sums her up, Jodi and I will share the interior … i am so fortunate to be here for a while – I’m glad others want to take a peek 🙂
G K Chesterton ripped open the kernel of the hypocritical lineage of Mr Charles Darwin. I wonder if your granny wouldn’t have said something on those lines? That is an exciting place you are living in!
Granny would have LOVED those words whether she had said them or listened to you say them, of that I am certain!! This place is rather the gift. It won’t be forever so I’m bottling the moments 🙂
Your Granny Kim sounds like quite the lady – I love that people would give her their single gloves.
I’m looking forward to finding out which of the glove-makers made your home his home way back when – and I for one will not tire of pictures of said home!
Thank you Sarah! She was her own person and I wish she had survived longer so I could have got to know her better. The single gloves have always amused me – as they did her! I will be reporting further on the gloves and the interior is set to make its entrance on these pages next Monday 🙂
Lovely story. I must say that learning about Granny Kim has helped me learn a bit more about a certain someone else, a pleasure in both respects. We always carry forward certain precedents, whether consciously or not…
Now, in regards to your new digs, two things: Of course you must share the interior. And am I correct in assuming that I will get to pick out my own bedroom?… 😉
Our genes will out and often skip a generation or two, I think. I’m glad you enjoyed finding out a little and yes, I put my hand up …. it skipped 😉 Now. The abode. I will be giving it’s interior an airing next Monday. I am trying desperately to be a little more – frequent. Disciplined is the actual word but I just don’t seem able to align with that one. I have a couple of other posts planned for this week so the rooms will be revealed then. I see us sitting in that little rose arbor having a slurp and a sloshed meeting of great wit and wisdom (or so it will seem if we slurp enough) …. the rooms beckon 🙂
You drew me right in from the start with your two grannies (and the other, dare I ask?). So sweetly did you portray your Granny Kim and her whisper-voiced love, I felt like I was stepping into a novel of the kind i used to love by a certain John Irving (early works, not later). And, having known you for awhile (as one can only ‘know’ someone in this high falutin’ sphere of virtual ideas), my first thought when you mentioned her outspokenness was, ‘the apple doesn’t fall far…’. Relieved I was to read you admit as much! Great piece, and looking forward to the interior pics! xx
You dare. I was very close to her and she does deserve an airing or two. That you compare the writing to early John Irving is far too kind but I’ll snatch it anyway. And no, the apple barely left the tree, I think. The intérieurs will follow next week :). Xx
What a place – where next? By the way, I loved the story of granny Kim too.
For that information, I have to ask a higher power which like God has no telephone, Arby. But for now I am content to enjoy what I have been given. Granny Kim was wonderful … I wish I’d had more time to enjoy her – but isn’t that the lesson? We must enjoy what we have in the moment, appreciate the now – not always easy, I grant you.
Love Grenoble! Beautiful as always.
It is a lovely city …. I feel fortunate to be living here and even more fortunate to be in a lovely building. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and comment – I greatly appreciate it.
So now the favour was returned and I withdraw my apology for making you spit! I’m sat in bed with my morning cuppa – choking! What a fabulous post Osyth – now I know why you’ve turned into Mary too! Granny Kim was clearly responsible. The thought of the French ladies face and her little ‘frog’ and that young girl clearly hadn’t heard my Grandma’s favourite saying when we bared our midriff in the 70’s – “Nay cast a clout til May is out”….
Yes – I’ve suddenly realised, I’ve become the ‘older generation’ – yikes.
Well Osyth – your new residence is divine and the grand entrance does make up for the lack of internal columns. Yes, it definitely requires gloves and a certain prim posture and turn of the nose to walk up – I can see you now. Actually – it would make quite a good podium for you to stand and preach to the world beneath you. Let me know and I’ll be there in the crowd listening carefully to your predictions for the future! I could always chain myself to the balustrade instead of the column!
Well it seems that we 2 Mary’s have preached together and now it’s time for this Mary to go and preen herself. I have to look good as I stand at Hyde Corner and I hope you’ll come and join me!
Have a fabulous day and I’m just hoping that GK Chesterton doesn’t have any descendants who are going to read my poems – yikes ‘Cutting’!
Oh and on the theme of gloves… September 1985 was when I first started going out with hubby and we still fit together like 2 very well worn and slightly wrinkly old gloves!
Dear Mary …. I am so pleased you enjoyed it and I’m delighted you got the two stories of her outspokenness – I have always wished I had been witness but they are of course handed down by mother. I see this preaching taking shape. I’m sure my cohabitants in the other flats won’t mind if I draw the odd crowd on a Sunday 😂 I’ll join you at Speakers Corner any day by the way. And I am so pleased that I picked a video from the start of you relationship with your hubby … your description is delightful though I am sure you aren’t at all worn nor wrinkly! Toodlepip, Mary! Xx
From one Mary to another – yes I’ve got you pictured now commanding your audience with great aplomb and I’ll definitely let you know when I’m about to give my next ‘soap box’ at Speakers Corner.. at least I’m guaranteed one person will be listening! Yes sadly there’s no getting away from it – birthday last week and definitely a few more wrinkles this week – or maybe it’s because I went to the optician and she changed my prescription so I can see them better! Oh and ‘worn’ – yep that too – according to my knees after my cycle ride today! Have a lovely evening and toodlepip to you too Mary! xx
I had my birthday last Friday … I decided that the only option was to multiply one digit of my age with the other – it makes 35 which sounds so much better. Tip – if you are on a single digit when you have multiplied and it feels TOO young you can always pick one of the digits of your true age and multiply again. Works for me (as does forgetting my glasses so I can’t actually see the damage 😉) xx All hail Mary’s. I see this idea taking hold and having legs. Really I do!
2 Virgo Mary’s – yep Hail Mary’s!! Mine’s the 16th so I’m probably headed straight back to my second childhood – I think my family may agree! Ok so 6 x 7 – 42 – yep I’m going with that and maybe I need to go back to the opticians and complain that the glasses are faulty – far too clear or maybe I just won’t clean them for a while. Yes those legs are pedalling fast! LOL xx
Exactly – we can work around this aging malarkey … all too tiresome! Virgo Mary’s rule!!!
Yee Haa!! I had to laugh earlier – I picked my granddaughter”s up from school and we went on a cycle ride. My 8 year old said: “Nanny – you need to slouch a bit on your bike – you look as though you’re enjoying life too much” – I nearly fell off! xx
Priceless! Xx
ps – Hyde Corner should’ve read Speakers Corner at Hyde Park – yep it’s old age getting to me and the constant butt of family jokes – getting words jumbled up.. The only thing worse is when other people know exactly what I mean – haha! xx
I, for one, would like to see inside your domicile. So glad your Grandmother and Grandfather met. 🙂
I think the ayes have it … I shall do the follow up same time next week. I’m trying to be more productive so I have two posts planned for later in the week. Don’t hold your breath though … it takes the merest zephyr to distract me from the task in hand! Thank you for being glad they met …. I’m glad yours did too! I wish I’d known my Grandfather … he was a gentle man, I think and I am sure Granny is having a good laugh at the glove connection here! 😊
Always good to know Granny’s laugh. I didn’t know my Grandfathers either really, vague memories of my Dad’s parents, and my Mum’s mum (Nan) is the only grandparent I knew and loved. She has been gone about 15 or 16 years now, lovely lady.
It’s strange to think of all those gone before who we never knew and yet had some sort of influence on our lives. I’m glad you knew your Nan – those of us who had live Grandparents who were lovely are fortunate, I think.
It is, we are.
Beautifully, and humorously written with excellent photographs. We should all be grateful that each of these grandparents was saved for you
Oh Derrick! I will bottle that lovely comment and label it carefully as yours which makes it doubly special given my high regard for you as a wordsmith and photographer 😌
🙂 X
What a lovely post. I really liked the way you segued into the real point of your story. Why is it other people have such interesting/eccentric/just plain different relatives. Mine sadly were all bou-bou and boring. Your new gaff looks great and I demand to see more of its innards.I hope you’ll be enormously happy there with a whole wardrobe of Lizzie Bennet’s dresses to parade in. Have fun 🙂
Isn’t a bit like hair? If we have curls we want mirror shining straight and if we have the latter we want the wildest curls …. I’m sure with your writerly skills you can make the bou-bou bores very interesting. The gaff is lovely and I’m in full appreciation mode. The interior will be given an airing next Monday … I hope it won’t prove a let down after bigging it up so brazenly!!
Aunt Esther (Poor John’s maiden aunt who lived with us for eight years) used to recall the day she took off her gloves on the train ride from Mt Lofty to Adelaide. Born in 1910, she was a rebel. She wanted to become a radio announcer, but settled on being a teacher. She rose to being an inspector of schools. I must write more about her one day. Thanks for jogging the memory.
I am very happy to have prompted an Aunt Esther post – she sounds like my sort of gal!
I’m very happy to have jogged you into contemplating Aunt Esther … I do look forward to reading about her – she sounds like my sort of gal!
Lovely story and photos too!
Thank you Bette (love that name SO much) … it is so kind of you to stop by and comment and I truly appreciate it. 😊
I sometimes feel like the “fat-headed poet that nobody reads!” And wow, the smiths in 1985…I feel so old!
Me too …. I could not believe it was so long ago. At the time I was married to a man who hated them so I used to listen surreptitiously. So much time passed. And you are nothing at all like the fat-headed poet – you, my friend have a gift 🙂
Ahahaha that was an end with a bang! It was a tonic after a long day 🙂 Thank you Osyth and wherever Granny Kim is, I send my kindest regards to her, you know why. What would we do without her legacy of humour? xx
Ah your heart beats in tune with hers and therefore with mine …. she had the most infectious laugh – would literally throw her head back and peel it out like so many loudly tinkling bells. I’m very happy to have provided a tonic to ease your weary soul xx
That is exactly how one should live, with her head thrown back in tinkling laughter. Lovely imagery. xx
Yes, I am agog to see the interior…but even more agog to know how you got your mitts on it!
I do hope after all the tantarra that I won’t disappoint. I have part of the ground floor. I’ll include how I found it in the story but it was certainly good fortune. I tell myself that the forever home will just be there when we start the search too ….. when not surreptitiously sneaking around Immo sites, that is 😉
The pictures are stunning. Rustic and very appealing. A lovely read. 🙂
Thank you so much. That is sweetly kind 🙂
☺️
I love the journey from your Granny’s one gloved hand to glove making to your new wonderful apartment. She sounds like such a character and it was serendipity that the two cripples found each other. I have two lovely granny expressions to share. My Nana used to comment when seeing mini skirts in the 60s – “You can see her breakfast!”. Teddy’s Granny commented about low cut tops, “You can see the whites of her breasts!” I wish I had cool phrases like that. Lovely post, dear friend. 👵👵❤️
Those are two FANTASTIC Granny quotes …. all hail un PC Grannies!! 😅
It’s delightful to follow your train of connections–Granny, to gloves, to the poem… And is that an Art Nouveau marquise above the front door?
I’m glad you enjoyed it though enjoy may be an anomaly where the poem is concerned …. I believe the ironwork is all original which would date it too early for the art nouveau, however, I may be wrong and it may be a later addition. I shall post more pictures – trying to get crisper images of detail and throw it open to opinion and expertise.
How skillfully you tied together all your thoughts for this lovely post! Granny Kim must have been a treasure. Awesome photos, too, especially that last one. The staircase utterly BEGS you to knock on the beautiful front door!
Doesn’t it? I am beyond fortunate to get a turn at living here. Granny K was a gal indeed … I was fortunate to have her in my gene pool and to know her a little in the earliest part of my life. Thank you, Grammy – I do love your comments 🙂
Thanks for a lovely start to my weekend reading your marvellous post. Ready for anything now. Warm wishes…Andrew
Osyth, what a wonderful post, moving from your grandparents to your palace of home (albeit temporary). Your Granny Kim sounds like a great character, terrific life spirit and speaking her mind…they must have been meant for each other. Your dear grandfather, speaking nine languages but never above a whisper. There must be so many stories in their lives alone…Wow, the palatial residence does indeed call for the right clothes, not only kid gloves, but long sweeping gowns, parasol, etc…Enjoy your time here.
Annika – thank you SO much for this lovely comment. First I must stress that I am only in a teeny bit of the house. But I am IN the house. Enough for me …. even for a short time. Surely I am fortunate girl. Second. My Grandfather I never knew and I grieve that at some level, Granny Kim was a wonderful woman and I wish so much with hindsight that I had more of her – she was sadly a victim to Dementia by the time I was 8 years old and lived the last 7 years of her life in a ‘home’. But nonetheless, the thing is that if we embrace the good in our lineage and drink up the stories whilst we can, then we surely are amongst the most fortunate of beings. I am glad you enjoyed it and if you fancy donning kid gloves then please do sashay over one more 😉
Of course I want to see inside, what a beautiful building…..your such a lucky gal !! Love the story about your grandmother. She must of been quite a character. I also have the “foot in mouth syndrome” too!! I get myself in more trouble than I need, I have been trying to keep my mouth shut at gatherings…LOL last time I visited I heard both my kids say at the same time, Oh mom, I can’t believe you just said that -Hummm maybe I need to be even more aware LOL love your post and pictures and song !! XXXXXX
I’m working on the post (at least I am in my head) … Granny was a card and I honestly believe she didn’t give a hoot! My girls are perpetually embarrassed by me but like yours, they love me and they have ceased trying to change me!! xxxx
I always claimed Popeye’s saying, I am what I am, and that’s what I am!!” My kids have given up on me, but like yours, love me still the same…LOL
Such a nice story and great pictures. I daresay, I would have enjoyed your Granny Kim. She sounds delightful!
The opening narrative of the post seems like a background for a movie, the movies that are inspired by true incidents that took place during wars. I honestly had visualizations about the ‘Glove’ and the drawers! You had my interest throughout the piece.
Beautifully written, as always 🙂
Your Granny sounds perfectly delightful! Thanks for telling us about her and your new digs.
Thank you Mike … she was a lovely lady. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and delighted you took the time to stop and comment 🙂
Your writing style amazed me… I literally got goosebumps while reading your beautiful words and listening to the smiths! I just found your blog and I love it girl! Thank you for putting so much love and work into your posts
Oh my goodness! What a lovely lovely comment. Can I bottle it please and save it to inhale like a beautiful perfume when I feel the need? And thank you for following me. I will aim not to disappoint and I always look at new followers blogs once a month – it’s lovely Sunday ritual and I am sure I will love yours 🙂
What an amazing home! I love the image I now have of you sweeping down the stairs in evening dress, perhaps on your way to the opera? But almost certainly involving a carriage.
I only live in a bit of it but it is rather magnifique. And Yes, there must always be a carriage!
Wow, such a lovely story of Grannie Kim and history of Grenoble, Fiona. I adored the beauty in the cream colored stucco walled buildings trimmed with mint green painted curlicued rod iron balconies.
Not sure if you saw my reference and link to your blog on October 12th’s Thursday Doors.
I quoted your historical value in looking at and preserving old beautiful places.
It seemed to be well received and at least a couple made comments of it. Thank you for allowing me to quote you! hugs xo 🌌
Ouch! I didn’t see that …. I’ll nip over and check it out tout de suite 😃 I’m glad you enjoyed Granny and Grenoble. There is much more that I should write about the place. I have been very swamped with work this last to months but should be able to breathe a bit more freely by the end of this week. Thank you so much for linking …. that is so kind xo