Go, Shorty...

Although I don't usually refer to my grandmother as "Shorty" today happens to be her 80th birthday. Which means that she is officially twenty-years older than she looks. (And she is kind of short, too.)

80 years ago, my gorgeous grandma Betty was born, the youngest of triplets to my great-grandma Belle. In those days, healthy triplets were a rare occurrence and so Robert Ripley himself, presented the Silberling family with a signed copy of his beloved Believe it Or Not book, which was one of my prized possessions as a child.

My Great-Grandmother was one of those super-human characters who managed to take care of triplet newborns and a toddler all by herself. In a small apartment in Brooklyn. During a very difficult time.

Whenever I get overwhelmed I think how easy I have it. I also thank Heyzues I didn't have triplets. Or twins. (They run in the family, you see.)

My Grandmother is the ultimate GGILF (I'll explain later, Grandma). She works her hod bod like she's twenty, bargain shops like a mofo and is a total party animal. She has also always been one of my biggest support systems. Like a cheerleader without the annoying pom-poms, my Grandma checks GGC daily and discusses the various posts with me over home-cooked meals. She's open-minded and hip with the times, while maintaining her class and authority. She listens to the younger generations and in turn, shares her stories. I have never been afraid to tell her anything because she seems to have always understood. Listened. Cared.

It is possible that my grandmother is the only person who has never judged me. Even when I came over to Passover dinner with new tattoos and facial piercings and skunked hair. She was never anything but supportive and loving throughout my many phases and boyfriends and bad habits. And I thank her so much for that because it meant the world to me. (Thank you.)

...And now, a montage of my 80-years-young Jewish Grandmother freaking a bunch of drunk Santas on Thanksgiving:







Happy Birthday, Grandma. Keep rocking.


GGC

25 comments:

Green | 2:00 PM

Is that one Santa .... grabbing your grandma's ASS?!

Happy Birthday to Grandma's Gone Great Grandma! You really do look about 60!

Namito | 2:13 PM

Wow. Your Grandma knows how to PAR-TAY!

What luck to have such a wonderful person in your life.

Happy Birthday, GGC's Grandma!

Sandra | 2:55 PM

Wow. Your grandmother is a rockstar. I see where you get your hotness from :)

Happy birthday Grandma GGC!!!

Chicky Chicky Baby | 3:10 PM

I think you all need to check your grandmother's birth certificate again, because there is no way she is 80.

You're a lucky woman to have a grandmother like that, GGC. Happy Birthday to one rockin' grandma.

kittenpie | 3:14 PM

Happy b-day, grammama! Funny, I see so much of you in her, Bec.

Mama Sarita | 3:17 PM

What a rockin granny!!!!

Happy birthday GGC Granny!!

I am so happy for you that you have such an amazing and strong granny in your life!

Anonymous | 5:30 PM

Your grandmother is absolutely beautiful. Happy birthday, Grandma! Is that her in the Sports Illustrated magazine?

Binky | 7:17 PM

With each family member you introduce us to, it becomes more and more obvious that there is no way you could have become anything but the amazing person you are.

Happy 80th, rockstar grandma.

PunditMom | 7:19 PM

OMG, she rocks! I wish my grandma, who is still with us, was still here mentally. You are so lucky!

Anonymous | 8:43 PM

Sigh, I can only hope I am that hot when I am 80

Lena | 9:34 PM

What a beauty! What fantastic genes you have...

Momo | 12:22 AM

Damn girl, your posts give me the feeling I am listening to you not just reading...I have "met" many Grandmas, I love them, I love the idea of being old and having that sort of class that could be named old-fashioned...but yours is the first who is what I always imagine a TRUE Grandma is like!

Mitch McDad | 5:20 AM

I think GGILF is an acronym that i can live without :)

Otherwise, Grandma really is a rock star!

Loukia | 6:16 AM

Happy Birthday to your grandmother! She is so beautiful. :)

Anonymous | 7:25 AM

That is awesome!! She rocks, and she is refreshing to read about. Thanks.

Jaelithe | 7:32 AM

Woah. Coolness runs in the family.

I can only hope to be that cool when I'm 80.

Anonymous | 7:37 AM

What an awesome grandma! I love to read about strong, gorgeous, happy older women, like your grandmother and great-grandmother -- it reminds me of my aunt Ida, who died a couple of years ago at 92, mind still sharp. She lived in her own home till the very end, and for as long as I can remember she wore an extravagant gold wig every day, even just for hanging out at home. Even in her 80s and 90s she got her nails done every week and loved to dress up.

Ida was a survivor: in the 1930s she was briefly married to a horrible guy who beat her. She had one son with him and for a while they didn't have enough food, because the husband pissed away most of their money gambling. But she hung in there and eventually worked up the courage to leave her husband, taking her son with her (quite a feat in the 1940s). When I got married, she pulled my husband aside, looked into his eyes from behind her giant eyeglass frames, and said, "You better treat her right." He told her he'd be terrified to disobey!

Even though Ida is gone now she's still an inspiration to me.

Anonymous | 8:47 AM

Oh, how I LOVE your Grandma.

SHE FREAKED DRUNK SANTAS! How could I NOT love her?

Shannon | 8:52 AM

what a great post, what a great grandma. Grandmas are such special people!

ms blue | 9:17 AM

Every happiness to your Grandma! Loving life and being open minded is a true inspiration to behold.

BOSSY | 10:03 AM

Bossy hopes she's as divine when she's that age. Some 80-year-olds are all about hip replacement surgery and your grandmother's all about hip. Period.

Debbie | 2:06 PM

I'll just live vicariously for a minute, since even when my grandmas were alive they never did anything I would've considered remotely cool. that is, I never had the opportunity. I was too young to do so.

jealous much? definitely.

Gina | 9:51 PM

What a woman! I miss my grandma!

Anonymous | 4:49 AM

I see where you get your beauty and spirit from! Happy Birthday Grandma!!! Rock on!

Heather | 12:19 AM

"Whenever I get overwhelmed I think how easy I have it. I also thank Heyzues I didn't have triplets. Or twins. (They run in the family, you see.)"

Congratulations! : )