This is my Grandma, Dorothy "Dot" Joslyn. She was born on July 5, 1917 and was married to my Grandpa for 67 years. Together they raised a family of four girls, farmed, made maple sugar, and went on wonderful vacations in their retirement. She was also had her own career as a high school Home Economics teacher for over 30 years. In fact, my Mom ended up in one of her classes, since she taught at the only high school in their town.
Grandma was sweet and gentle and gave great hugs. She had a sparkle in her eye and this cute little Maine accent. She would say things "come hee-ya" instead of come here, and "bay-yuh" instead of bear. She loved being from Maine and would call herself a "Mainiac" and giggle. Her home always felt warm and cozy and smelled great. I loved her food, especially the vegetables that were fresh from their garden. She taught my Mom important cooking tips, like making good pie crust and how to plan a good colorful meal, which my Mom passed down to my sister and me.
Looking back, there are a lot of things I wish I had had the chance to ask my Grandma. I wish I had sat down and asked about her childhood, how she met my Grandpa, and what my Mom was like as a child. When I was a kid, I never cared about those things, I just loved exploring her home and eating her food. As an adult, I realize there is so much I wish I had known about her and her life. I guess I am realizing that we shouldn't waste the time we have with our family. But even with those regrets, I do feel so very lucky for the things I do know about her and for the lessons she taught me. She was an incredible example of love and patience.
Sorry if this got a bit long. I couldn't sleep and she was on my mind a lot. Just missing her a bit and wishing I could be back in Vermont to say goodbye. She really was the best of Grandmas.
