Granny Gheeta's Views on Sparing The Rod & Spoiling The Child Granny Gheeta was a stern disciplinarian, however, she was a wizard at doling out her affections and  reprimands at the same time. Granny would often scold you dreadfully one minute and the next, she would be indulging your ever wish and desire. Then, she would justify her actions by saying, “ I love you that is why I scold you and to show you that there aren’t any bad feelings being  harbored, I am sprinkling the unkind words with  bits of sugar.”

Granny I Talk about Babysitters In Jamaica parents take their job of parenting their children seriously. Jamaican women would much rather stay at home and raise, normal, healthy well-adjusted children as opposed to rearing monstrous ragamuffins. While Jamaican fathers relish the idea of being sole providers for their household, ensuring that their family is properly provided for and fortified.

Granny Story: My Friend Lurlie Lemple We all have friends that come into our lives for short periods of time, however, they manage to leave indelible impressions on our minds. Such was the situation with a girl I met in Prep School. Her name was Lurlie Temple.

Granny Story: “The Sweetest Housewife” Granny Gheeta had an inherent gift to making people feel at ease or better about their circumstances in life by the stories she told. It always seemed as if Granny had a story to match whatever circumstance one was facing in life.

Granny Story: "Be Wary of Greeks Bearing Gifts!" My Granny Gheeta was a woman of refined taste, class and a staunch believer and advocate of sincerity. One never had to wonder where they stood in Granny's life or how she felt about them. She always made her feelings known, whether they were good, bad, or ugly.

Granny Ghetta I Talk About "Land Capturors" Caribbeans are known throughout the world as being connoisseurs of real estate. Most West Indians toil feverishly for the dream of one day owning their own property.

Granny Story: "God's Shining Stars" Every parent or grandparent thinks his or her child or grandchild is "special". The unique nature of each child in the universe prompts us to treat him/her differently depending upon the joy, and sometimes, the mischievous vibes they bring into our lives. But, "special" can be a word that is grossly misused or overrated. The dictionary defines special as, possessing a distinct or particular kind of character. Being a particular one or individual.

Granny & I Talk about Following Dreams Granny Gheeta and I often spent hours conversing about the future and how important it was to make something of oneself before it was too late. Many times Granny joked about my mischievous nature, declaring, "Magli, concentrate on making something of yourself instead of being a spectacle, because time waits on no man."

Granny Story: Acting Out of Character We all have those days when we don't feel quite like ourselves, or when we act completely out of character. The days when, not even our closest associates or family members recognize us.

Granny & I Converse about American Celebrity Granny Gheeta loved music and films, however, she was never the sort of person who indulged in idol worship or got her knickers in a crease over famous people. There were a few celebrities she watched from time to time, but she always put their lives in perspective by commenting, "All that glitters is not gold".

Granny Knows Best Granny Gheeta was a woman of many talents, however,  her most famous talents included being dutiful Grandmother and Soothsayer. Perhaps it was her reverence and devotion to God that gave her the ability to forecast the future, because when it came to advice, Granny always seemed to have tremendous foresight regarding people, places and circumstances.

Granny Gheeta Talks About Surrounding Yourself With Positive People Granny Gheeta was best described as a ray of sunshine even on the cloudiest or dreariest days. No matter what daunting ailments or matters she was experiencing, she always managed to put on a smile and spread good feelings wherever she went. Therefore, as a youngster growing up Granny was always concerned about the people who influenced her childrens' lives and her granchildrens' lives

Granny Gheeta's Views on Feuding Families Every family has their share of sibling rivalries and feuds that keep the positive emotions of love, honor and respect at bay. Jamaican families are no different from other families around the world. As a matter of fact, Jamaicans as a whole, are more expressive and forthright about their emotions. Therefore, it isn't a surprise to find some family members at "odds" with each other due to the Caribbean nature of "telling it like it is".

Granny Gheeta's Hurricane Anxiety for her Canine Loves In the wake of Hurricane Irene and all its devastation and inconveniences, I couldn't help thinking about Granny Gheeta and the hurricane anxiety she experienced when it came to her ever-loving pets.

Granny Gheeta's Vision: Preview of Things To Come My Granny Gheeta was a woman of many talents, however, her most famous contribution to our family was her skillfulness of having visions. During her lifetime, Granny had visions on every subject under the sun. From going to the market, to  her female Grandchildren being in the "family way".

Granny Ghetta Talks about The Birds & The Bees Old Fashioned Jamaicans are known for their British reserved manner and ambivalence to discuss certain private matters as if it were ordinary news. Therefore, most parents find themselves in a "pickle" when they have to discuss such subjects as Adolescence, Sexuality and Sex.

Granny Gheeta and I Discuss Political Turmoil People say that Politics makes the world go round, however, in today's tumultuous political arena it is difficult for nations to find suitable leaders, who offer solutions to their governmental maladies. Granny and I often discussed the ills that plagued the world and one of the subjects we often talked about was Leadership. She felt that quality was lacking in today's Leaders because they always seemed self serving.

Granny Story: A woman's virtue is never for sale Many people say that everyone has a price. However, I find that statement to be disconcerting because it insinuates that people can be bought. It extinguishes the hope that individuals are integrable and cannot be discounted by anyone or circumstances.

Granny Story: "What is Granny Gheeta Wearing Today?" We all have those moments when our parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles embarrass us with their affinity to old, worn out garments or peculiar ways of dressing. The socks with the holes, they refuse to discard, or the loud tie they hold dear because it has sentimental value, or their eccentric ways of dressing, in order to display their individuality."

Granny Story: The Night at Ms. San Tropez's House Everyone is familiar with the phrase "Home is where the heart is", however, this saying rings true especially when one has visited away from their domain and the experience leaves them with a new found appreciation for the comforts and solace of their dwelling space.

Granny Gheeta and Quality Control A trait that most Jamaicans are known for is their exceptional discernment when it comes to quality. Whether it be quality of workmanship, goods and services, one could say, that Jamaicans are obsessed with achieving and maintaining the best things in life.

Granny Story: Granny Gheeta's Tale of The Publicans In Jamaica, paying taxes is an arduous but necessary event. Folks rarely make a big deal about the task, primarily because they are not subjected to filing tax returns. They pay taxes on their land, property and water, usually at the end of each year.

Granny Gheeta's Views on Chastising Other Peoples' Children Every parent likes to think that they have a prize cow in all their children, the world's best behaved children. However those utopian thoughts are soon doused at the first hint of criticism spewd by their family members, associates or peers. Granny Gheeta was the expert on such matters, especially since she had a "hush-hush" policy when it came to chastising other peoples' children.

What If Granny Gheeta Skins Her Teeth? In Jamaica most children are very fond of their elderly relatives, primarily because they take the time to listen to their concerns and they refrain from casting judgement, remembering that they too, were once young and carefree.  Growing up in Jamaica, and having a grandmother like Granny Gheeta made for very interesting times. As most younger children can relate, once an older relative approaches certain birthdays, we start to think of them as being very ancient.

Granny Gheeta Speaks Beyond The Grave We are living in times of uncertainty and chaos, partly because the world has been lead astray by well meaning leaders, and partly because most people who inhabit the world, don't really care about good stewardship or governance.

Granny Gheeta Questions, "Where Is My Grandchild?" Every parent experiences moments of frantic at one time or another regarding the whereabouts of their child or children. Whether it is a school bus ride gone awry or children losing their way. Childhood has its way of creating panic within families.

Granny Gheeta and the Ghost of Mrs. Podmajah Jamaican culture is filled with tales of wonderful folklore. Anansi and "duppy" stories help to create a legacy that is rich in history and sinister happenings.. A national pastime of older Jamaicans is sitting down and talking about the dearly departed. Their banter usually  includes how many times they had sightings of the dead person, the dreams they had concerning them, and the most morbid details of reliving the day when they were buried.

Granny Gheeta's Night at The Mall The Holidays are always a hectic time of year for most people around the world. Although most Grannies pride themselves on staying ahead of the chaotic holiday rush, there are times when tradition has to be broken to add a little Holiday Spirit. My Granny always scolded me about the Western World and how important it was to stay true to my heritage. She disliked certain pastimes of western culture, such as hanging out, going to the mall and talking slang.

Granny and I: Granny Gheeta's Views on Hoarding In today's society a label is placed on every idiosyncratic behaviour that a human being possesses, however some of these labels have no bearing on sensible human practices. One of my Granny's most eccentric behaviours was saving for a "rainy" day.

Granny Gheeta and the Fric and Frac Syndrome Many say love is a very splendored thing, however my Granny had differing views when it came to matters of the heart. She felt that two people should be well-suited for each other and that it was important that they were going in the same direction and not taking each other off their predestined course.

Granny and I: Granny Gheeta and The Fric and Frac Drama Many say love is a very splendored thing, however my Granny had differing views when it came to matters of the heart. She felt that two people should be well-suited for each other and that it was important that they were going in the same direction and not taking each other off their predestined course.

Granny and I: Granny Gheeta and the Engagement of Madame Bhangrasang's Daughter This is a Indo-Jamaican story that I am sure most people can relate to because it pertains to family life and the bethrothal of young ladies within the family unit. My Granny Gheeta was a woman of discerning taste, she knew a lot of people, however she only called a selected few her true friends. Madame Bhangrasang was one of them.

Granny and I: #1 Member of The Rigid Old Timers Club Most youngsters view their Grandparents as easy going and usually compliant with all their antics, however , this was not the situation with Granny Gheeta. Although she enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren, she had limitations and boundaries.

Granny and I: Granny Gheeta Talks about Crime in Jamaica Granny Gheeta spent most of her life living in Kingston, where she was surrounded by the flow of a metropolis; as well as the changing conditions of a country under siege by criminals.  Granny spent most of her time in the house conducting her daily chores or going to the market to buy produce for meal preparation.

Granny and I: The Apparitions of Granny Gheeta My Granny Gheeta and I have been connected through the universe, visions and dreams for as long as I can remember. When I was five years old and felt myself thrown into the midst of emotional trauma, she would appear to me in visions directing me how to make myself feel better by connecting with the hobbies and pastimes that brought me joy.

Granny Gheeta Offers Comfort: Feeling Displaced

Granny & I : "Something Borrowed" Every woman dreams of one day wearing  the much coveted, flowing white dress.  the dress itself is often the main reason why so many ladies opt for a fancy wedding. They want to be the center of attention , if only for a day. Truthfully, the ceremony should be designed to accommodate the dress. The dress sets the theme and tone of the wedding.

Granny & I : "Stop Chasing the World!" Most people say that youth is wasted on the young, primarily because they are full of energy and zest. Young adults and teenagers tend to waste all their positive energies on people and things that turn out not to be worth their while.

Granny and I talk about New Beginnings As the New Year approaches many people are giving thoughts to making their lives better and deleting people and patterns that no longer serve their lives in a positive manner. Although much has been said about New Beginnings, I have found that Jamaicans are extremely committed to relinquishing their old lifestyles in order to make way for new and improved, transformed lives.

Granny & I : The Half and Half Holidays! Holidays are a time to embrace family and friends, while enjoying the best of the festivities. In Jamaica Christmas time is revered as one of the most sacred Holidays on the calendar. One month before Christmas, most Jamaican cooks begin soaking fruits like raisins and plums for the Christmas cakes and pastries they will make before the Holiday Season commences.