MY Gmom.
She was my mother's mother. I never knew my mother's father (my granddaddy) - he passed away two years before I was born, when my mom was in her early 20s and my uncle was a teenager. I believe my gmom was about 50 years old. She never remarried. She went to work when he was sick and worked to raise and send my uncle to school and take care of herself.
She was a very strong, smart, funny lady. I miss her every day. We spent every Saturday night with her (while we lived in B'ham)- we thought for us, and in part, it was - but also for her and so my parents could have a break. She would let us pick out whatever we wanted for dinner, knowing we would have a balanced meal at home. we'd usually pick out frozen pizza, chips, dip, cucumbers and tv dinners.. WHAT A TREAT! :)
She would tell us stories - she was a GREAT story teller. We would stay up late to watch the late, late movie (that may have been around 9pm) If I forgot my baby doll, she would make me one out of a bath towel. She was very creative and talented, but didn't give herself credit.
We would spend forever drawing pictures of each other, not looking at the paper until we were done - then laugh hysterically at the end results. :) We would make Christmas ornaments with her each year.
It was with her that I went 'down home'. Where she came from, to see all her sisters . She was one of 6 children. Four girls and 2 boys. Her mother passed away when she was 37 and all 6 children had to be separated among relatives because her father could not take care of them all.
The story goes, that after my great grandmother passed away, my great grandfather's brother tried to set him up with a lady who was part of the Coke family. My grandmother and her sisters and brothers wanted none of that. So they would intercept the woman's letters and once, when the lady sent a tin with a cake in it - they ate the cake, filled the tin with mud and gave it to their father. He was like 'What the?' and that was pretty much the end of it. - then the kids went to live with other relatives.
My grandmother and her sisters all had similar personalities. They were all very funny. Laughing all the time. Very loving and caring. Very 'family'.
I miss her every day. She knew me best. I always felt loved, liked, accepted .... happy with her.
I love her a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck. (just like she always said)
I've heard many of these stories, but put all together I really feel like I know her and why you loved being with her so much. And the story about her tells an awful lot about you, too. Very, very nice!
ReplyDeleteThanks :) That picture is from when we went to Mexico. The only thing I remember from that whole trip is sitting on the bed (in the hotel) next to my gmom and eating a purple vitamin. - kids!... p.s. Apparently all the hotels were called 'grandmomma's hotel'
ReplyDeleteShe would also come over every Christmas morning to watch us open our gifts. She loved little kids, she would play with us, she was my 'cool/hip' gmom :)