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Post by aln1982 on Apr 9, 2006 16:42:38 GMT -5
Is it just me, or does anyone else notice that grandfathers are not in the books nearly as much as grandmothers? The only one I can think of is Dawn's and the relative (think it might have been a great uncle though) mentioned in a book about Mallory. The grandfathers who are mentioned, Mary Anne's in MA and the Secret in the Attic and Seth's father in the little sister book Karen's Grandfather, is killed off. Just how it seems to me. Maybe that comes from Ann's "man issues"  I'm probably just thinking about this because I'm really missing my own grandpa since he died 9 years ago today. I was really close with him and think it is kind of strange that none of the BSC members seem to be close with theirs. Just wondering if anyone else noticed this. |
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
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Post by macca on Apr 9, 2006 18:47:04 GMT -5
Good to see the absent-male trend in Stoneybrook spans over several generations  Seriously though, in a lot of cases, I think the grandmothers were widows, which is pretty realistic. Although I'll never understand the Nannie situation, considering Elizabeth was only 37 and therefore it's likely that her parents weren't particularly old - late 50s, early 60s. Of course, it's possible that Mr Nannie died young, but it was never mentioned. Mallory's relative in Stoneybrook Manor was Great Uncle Joe (Mallory's Christmas Wish). Mal seemed extremely close with him, considering he was only a great uncle. I've only met great aunts and uncles a handful of times and, not to sound cold, but I really wouldn't expect to see them at Christmas or particularly care one way or another. Much more realistic if Uncle Joe had been Grandpa Joe (hehe, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!) ... there were plenty of 'special' Grandmothers, why couldn't they include a 'special' Grandfather? Also, sorry to hear you're missing your grandpa, this must be a difficult day for you. Take care. |
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Post by aln1982 on Apr 10, 2006 19:11:31 GMT -5
Thanks, Macca, for the kind words about my grandpa.  I agree that most grandmothers are widows and don't remember Mr. Nannie (loved that since she has no last name) being mentioned though I assume he died. It's too bad Elizabeth didn't at least say something about him once in a while. I have a ton of great aunts and uncles and am actually close with one great aunt but am not close with my dad's whole side of the family (including grandparents - haven't seen that grandfather for about 3 years). I think the books would have been more realistic if some of these issues might have at least been mentioned, too. But I guess there is only so much space. Is Uncle Joe in Mallory and the Ghost Cat too? I am getting ready to read that one so I will probably find out |
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Post by sugarmonkey on Apr 11, 2006 11:22:51 GMT -5
Yes Uncle Joe is in Mallory and the Ghost Cat. He's gone crazy though.
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
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Post by Amalia on Jun 4, 2006 2:18:50 GMT -5
How about Dawn's grandparents. They seemed pretty cool in Dawn's Portrait. Their bickering and all.
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ktag
Junior Sitter
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Post by ktag on Jun 4, 2006 3:27:58 GMT -5
Mallory and Jessi have grandparents too. So not all the grandfathers are dead...they're just not mentioned much.  How come they almost never have actual names? It's always "Everyone calls her Mimi" or "We just call her Nannie"...I suppose it's less confusing, but it's pretty coincidental that they all have different nicknames for their grandparents, isn't it? |
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Post by lovelylemontree on Jun 4, 2006 11:54:33 GMT -5
In Goodbye, Stacey, Goodbye, after Mrs. McGill calls for Stacey to come home right away from Claudia's, Stacey worries that her grandfather is sick or has died. I assume she must only have one living. It's strange he's never mentioned again. The only extended family ever mentioned are Mr. and Mrs. McGill's brothers and their families.
Mallory says all her grandparents live "far away". I assume all four must be living then. I wonder why, like Stacey's grandfather, they only ever get a single passing mention. Also, I wonder why Uncle Joe was thrown in instead of a real grandparent.
I've wondered about that, too. I've always called my grandmothers, "Grandma First Name". I have met grandmothers who insist on being called "Mimi", "Nonie", and other ridiculous names because they don't want to be called "grandma" in public.
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Post by greer on Jun 4, 2006 17:21:55 GMT -5
what about abby's grandpa morris? they seemed really close.
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
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Post by macca on Jun 5, 2006 2:53:37 GMT -5
Every grandmother I've ever known has always been called "Grandma" (or some variation, like Gran/Granny etc) or "Nanna"
Occasionally, if the grandmothers on each side have the same "title" they'll each be like Nanna-First-Name but when I was growing up we called my mum's mum Nanna and my dad's mum Grandma, to avoid confusion. I agree that it was weird that the BSC all had different names for their grandparents.
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
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Post by Amalia on Jun 5, 2006 3:14:44 GMT -5
I was thinking about this when I thought of how it seems that Mrs. Kishi is the only one without an American name or nickname? I agree about the weirdness of the grandparents having different names. But maybe nanna is just a common nickname for grandma, and Mimi for a Japanese-American grandma? And pop-pop is common for a grandpa in California? I dunno.
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Post by greer on Jun 5, 2006 12:08:06 GMT -5
pop-pop is what my half-siblings call their grandfather. i called mine baba and grandpa. i don't think mimi means anything in japanese, either.
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Post by aln1982 on Jun 5, 2006 16:08:41 GMT -5
A friend of mine calls her grandma Mimi. My little cousins call my grandma Gram Gram (which really bugs me for some reason - maybe it's my cousin's loud, obnoxious voice saying it that bugs me and called my grandpa Bumpa (which also bugged me). This makes no sense to me because they call the other set of grandparents "Grandma and Grandpa + thier last name". I always called them grandma and grandpa though. As for my dad's parents and step-mother, I prefer not calling them anything but call them Grandpa last name and Grandma first name (mom and step mom). Of course, that grandpa refers to me as "the kid" when I do talk to him so.... |
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
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Post by macca on Jun 6, 2006 6:29:25 GMT -5
My grandfather (dad's dad) was Grandad or Grandpa. My mum's dad died before I was born, so I don't know what I'd have called him. A lot of kids I knew called their grandfathers "Pa"
So I guess grandparents really do have a lot of different names.
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Amalia
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Post by Amalia on Jun 9, 2006 5:45:16 GMT -5
I used to call my dad, "dad," my grandpa, "poppa," and my grandma,"moms," and my uncle, "pops." That's about as much as it varies in my family.
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ktag
Junior Sitter
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Post by ktag on Jun 13, 2006 3:17:10 GMT -5
Okay, so one of Mallory's grandfathers bought the farm (sorry, Mal, no horses on it) before she was born.
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I agree that most grandmothers are widows and don't remember Mr. Nannie (loved that since she has no last name) being mentioned though I assume he died. It's too bad Elizabeth didn't at least say something about him once in a while. I have a ton of great aunts and uncles and am actually close with one great aunt but am not close with my dad's whole side of the family (including grandparents - haven't seen that grandfather for about 3 years). I think the books would have been more realistic if some of these issues might have at least been mentioned, too. But I guess there is only so much space. 
