Today my Grandmother reached the venerable age of 80. And this is my proud tribute to her.
My Grandmother Carmen (‘Carmucha’ to her friends) is an exceptional woman. She was born in the family of a Galician emigrant. She passed her childhood between Spain and Cuba, until her father lost an important part of his business because a cyclon. So my Great-grandfather Gonzalo stablished his family in Pontedeume, north Galicia, the same place he left at the age of 17 towards Cozumel (Mexico).
Her childhood and teenage years was influenced by Fath. Baltasar Pardal, a priest chased in the II Spanish Republic. He worked hard in a poor dstrict of Coruña during the Spanish Civil War and took care of orphans. He also founded the school where my Grandmother studied later. Today ‘Don Baltasar’ is in beatfication process.
After study the high school degree, she studied in the Business School of Riazor, today part of the University where I study. She became a ‘commerce professor’ (today graduate in business, I think). I’m talking about the period after the Civil War, where women usually left studies to be housewives.
She helped to my Great-grandfather in his business of roads construction (they met at that time with the founder of the, today important constructors Arias Hermanos) and, when he died because an accident, she went on the business with my great-grandmother Dolores until finish each opened contract. She got married some years before with a veterinarian, my Grandfather Gerardo, and she alternated helping her parents with building a little farm in the Galician country. Sometimes they traveled to Madrid by car, and they both drove because she got the driver license. She drove until 3 or 4 years ago.
After the marriage, she passed the competitive examination to work in Treasury, but she renounced because she must go away long from home.
My Grandfather was the love of her life. So, when she become a widow at the age of 44 because cancer, she never married again. I remember when I was child and she still wear black, mourning dresses.
Her daughter (my Mother) began to study Pharmacy at the University of Santiago, and they both went to that city. But she had in mind a new project: a building in Pontedeume on a piece of plot that her father gave her. This work had lots of dfficulties because neighbourhood conflicts and problems with the constructor, but it ended in 1980: a block of 16 flats. Half of then were sold or rented, the other half turn into a little hotel that used to pay off the building.
Meanwhile, my Mother got married and left the University to give birth to me. My father was an officer in a taiwanese ship, and he was (is) too many time out of home. So, my Grandma became my second father. She taught me to read, then Mathematics, then arts (she loves fine arts), and, of course, religion. I owe the strength of my faith to her.
Today my Grandma has a more quiet life. She passes the time painting with her oils. But she is still the main adviser of my mother with her business. And, of course, she is my main adviser too (and my life would be better if I took notice as I was child 
).