both my grandmas could cook. my paternal grandma gardened, did a lot of outside stuff, my maternal grandma was a quilter, who sat in front of the tv watching hee haw and laurence welk most of the time...i apparently got something from both of them, because i like gardening, and i like sitting in front of the tv, carving or doing leatherwork...and i'm a pretty good cook.
maternal grandpa died when i was young, but i have a few very strong memories that are very important to me (we used to put on bandanas, take my cap guns, and "rob" the store across the street for candy....guess it helped that the store owner was one of his drinking buddies...)
paternal grandpa was not as affectionate, but he taught me a LOT of useful things, how to clone and graft plants, how to grow plants in general, how to raise bees, how to do simple carpentry, plumbing....how to feel pride in doing something for yourself...but he also taught me that good people can have bad parts....when a black couple bought the farm across the road, he bought a black lab, named it "Nigger" and would stand in the yard, yelling "NIGGER!" while the dog stood in front of him, wagging its tail and looking confused....same guy played poker with two black guys weekly...worked with black people and was nice to all of them, went to church with black people and was nice to all of them....had them over for the holidays, went to their houses for things....i still wonder about that, sometimes.....