My grandmother is straight-off-the-boat Dutch. She’s been back to Holland (The Netherlands) several times since I’ve been alive and currently there visiting family. I received a post card in the mail yesterday from her and while I appreciate the gesture, I’ve found it to be quite absurd:

It says, “Hi Tina! I’m having a great time and finally figured out how to set the pictures from the email onto the computer picture prog. here in Holland for Tetty…” and then I can’t make out the rest of her writing. The part that gets me is her salutation.

Tina!

She called me Tina! No one has ever called me Tina before, especially my grandmother. She was there when my parents named me and were emphatically against calling me anything other than my whole name, especially when it came to Tina.

Tina…