The one phrase I can remember clearly from my grandmother was "fetch me a switch", I'm certain the younger folks on this site have no idea what that means. And you did it because if you made her go get one she would head for the willow tree.
I think I'd have looked for the flimsiest one I could find!! LOL! My grandma never spanked us but I don't think we ever gave her a reason to. Now my folks knew how to keep the 'fear of God' in us. Bless their souls, I miss them dearly but they must have had some kind of ninja training. They knew how to use almost everything in the house as a punishment weapon.
