My Granny

When I was young I called her Mamaw. Then somehow over the years she grew into Granny. Most grandmothers would take offence to this name, but she loves it. My friends also call her Granny. The name has even caught on at work.

Speaking of work, she does not stop. You would think that by her age (which I will not mention) she would be retired and living the 'good' life. But, to my Granny, the 'good' life is working.

Tonight I am going to take you through a little work history of my Granny.

She grew up on a farm in Adams County, Ohio. She was the youngest of 5, three girls and two boys. Granny loved the farm and the outdoors. Her days were spent with the animals and in the fields, not in the house and not in the kitchen. (I still don't fully understand how she became such a great cook!) She stayed outside with the boys, making her quite the tomboy.

As she grew up, she became a beautiful young lady and met by grandfather. They got married shortly after high school and moved to the big city of Cincinnati. They both found jobs there.

Granny first worked for Phillip Carrie Manufacturing as a secretary. In this era of business dictation by secretaries was important. She worked for two bosses. One was very nice and the other was extremely intimidating. Granny told me that she wanted to crawl under her desk any time she heard his voice yell for her to come in to dictate.

My Grandparents left Cincinnati after a few years for a three reasons. My grandfather got a new job in Washington Court House. They were going to have a baby. They wanted to be closer to family. After my mother was born Granny stayed home with her for one year and then she went to work for Ohio Bell Telephone Company.

She describes this job as one of her favorites. Being a telephone operator was exciting and never boring. When my aunt was born 4 years later, Granny resigned from Ohio Bell to stay at home with her girls. For the next 14 years she was a stay at home mom.

When both girls were in junior high and high school Granny went back to work at NCR as an Order Entry Clerk. Soon after two strikes the company threatened to move if there was another strike. The third strike was quickly followed by the office closing. Another job change was welcomed as she entered the Agroco Chemical Company as a Sales Representative. Then she moved on to Meade Container Company for another 10 years. She describes this job as really dull.

Next she moved on to a temporary service where she bounced from Airborn, to Visadore and then to Mac Tools. She was eventually hired on full time at Mac Tools where she retired in May of 1996. I should use the word retired lightly. Granny has done nothing of the sort.

Shortly after her retirement she started delivering pharmaceuticals at night. She would drive all over at all hours of the night. Then they moved her to deliveries during the day. She still does this now. Granny loves this job. She drives to Indianapolis, or Cincinnati or anywhere else they can send her. She has driven to Tennessee and back in one day and to all corners of West Virginia. Currently she also dispatches pharmaceutical trucks from about 1am-4am. She does not stop.

Also, she is a saleswoman. At any given time during the aforementioned jobs, Granny was selling something. Here are a few of the items I can remember:

1. Swipe- This was a cleaning agent. She states that it sold really well and that she is going to ask around to see what happened to it. (Secretly, I am hoping she doesn't find out. Knowing Granny if she finds that Swipe is still around, she will want to sell it again.)
2. Healthy Food Products- We are not sure of the actual name of the company. However, I remember some really good, and obviously healthy hot chocolate that was part of the goods.
3. Coupon Books- The kind where you sell the spots in the coupon books and then you sell the books.
4. Phone Cards- Granny made a lot of money in phone cards. Phone cards were a great idea until someone invented cell phones. Once cell phone took over the phone card business was limited to international card sales and then to nothing.
5. Candy Machines- The candy machines were everywhere she sold the phone cards. So, she would drive to a small store or gas station and sell both items.
6. Insurance
7. Real Estate
8. Security Systems- These systems were nice and did not require wiring in your house. Basically you set the system and left your house or went to bed. They were activated by movement. So if you got up in the morning and forgot to run to the box to turn it off, you could guarantee loosing about 25% of your hearing. The piercing sound could make you fall to your knees. There was another personal security system that she sold as well. This was a small box that you could carry and then pull a pin out to activate the sound. Let's just put it this way, I am not so sure that this would be a security system as much as a system to burst ear dumbs and bring criminals to their sinces. The loud sound was very convincing to potential buyers.
9. Gold Sales (as in bricks)
10. Blue Green Algie and other vitamins.

I am sure that the above list is not exaustive. I know that she also has been incharge of a parent reading program at a local elementary school. She currently volunteers at the Junior High for 10 + hours per week. Ocasionally she babysits Elyse. When she is here, they are busy. They take big, hour long walks and play outside.

Granny is an inspiration to me with her endless energy. I hope she never slows down and that I can learn to keep up with her!