My Grandma

An online friend's grandma died recently.  Mine died nearly a year ago, and my Grandpa died in 1987, but the tribute I read today made me think about my "Grandma and Grandpa Allen".

Grandma and Grandpa took my brother Jim and I on vacation with them a lot.  I can remember going to Colorado once, and we went to the family reunions annually in North Missouri, and I'm sure there were others, but mostly, we went to Branson.  They had a place there after a while, and before that we camped.

Grandma and Grandpa were pretty old, but they would patiently walk along with us at Silver Dollar City, letting us ride our favorite rides again and again.  They'd buy a different homemade candy of Jim's choice every time, I always chose saltwater taffy.  We were usually allowed to take a friend with us.  The visiting friend changed each summer, but the experience was consistant.  Pure Bliss.

We played cards and dominoes and Uno.  They were so forgiving when we'd make mistakes.  We were often allowed to pick up a card and replace it with another.  I don't remember them raising their voices at us...ever. 

Grandma was a cake decorating genius.  Many local weddings had one of her creations as a centerpiece.  She would spend hours forming icing roses to keep in the freezer.  She always made a couple of cakes for my brother and I to decorate.  Looking back, the clean-up must have been a nightmare.  She didn't seem to mind.

Grandpa made canned biscuits almost every morning for breakfast.  Sometimes in the oven, sometimes in a toaster oven.  He tinkered with lawn mowers, radios, cbs and such that they bought at some auction.  If it wasn't an easy fix, my brother took over.  I don't remember Jim ever fixing one, but he had so much fun trying.

Grandma sold Avon.  I was allowed to play with her samples and get all prettied up and smelling nice.  I used to love to stamp her books for her while she watched her "stories".  Soap operas were a part of every weekday for her, and they bored me, so I would stamp the back of each Avon catalog with her name/address/phone number.  It was fun to me, and I thought I was such a big help.

Grandpa use to sing the first line to dirty limmericks.  The first line is never dirty, and he never got any farther than that.  Grandma would use her best scolding voice to say "Everett!" and he'd stop, pause, then look at us with an ornery grin.  He had no intention of finishing them, and they both knew it, but we didn't.

They would let us have grape or orange soda with breakfast.  It's almost like juice, right?  We'd swim in the creek and collect interesting rocks.  We always had a rock collection each summer, and started over each summer.  Who knows where they went.  It was fun to collect them, but seemed unimportant to keep track of them.

Grandpa died a cruel slow death.  Cancer is an evil force.  I will never forgive it for what it did to him.

Grandma died early this year.  In her later years, she would get on my nerves.  If she smelled the smoke on my clothes, she'd lecture me about smoking.  Sometimes I was told I was "gaining weight"  (no grandma, you think?) and sometimes she made some pretty mean comments.  I would get frustrated and avoid going to see her.  I hate that.

I'm sorry Grandma.  I know what you did for me for years and years, and wish I'd given you those last few years to be as contrary as you wanted.  You earned it.  Also, I believe you didn't mean it, deep down.  I know you loved me.  You proved it for years.  I hope I am half the grandma you were, someday.

I hope there is fishing in heaven.