I was lucky enough to know my great-great grandmother. That's right, my grandmother's grandmother! I was about 9 when she died, so it isn't like some fleeting early childhood memory, I actually remember her! I was blessed to know all four of my grandparents well, being the first-born grandchild on either side to young parents. Buried my last grandparent last summer; she was 93 and I was almost 53.

That great-great grandmother was originally from Germany. Grandma Nagel. Had a thick accent. I remember I had a basket of toys at my grandmother's house (she lived with my grandma, the one who died last summer). I'd be digging through that basket looking for something and she'd come in and ask "Vut ya huntin' boy?"

I have a black and white picture somewhere of my baptism. Shows all five generations in it, starting with G-G-Grandma Nagel all the way down to me.