Grandpa was a farmer. He worked hard. I don't remember Grandpa farming "full-time", my Uncle Warren did most of the day to day work, but he consulted and talked to Grandpa about the farm on a daily basis. Grandpa spent his time down at the barnyard, spending time in the shop. I am sure that important things were being done down there, but I was a pre-teen/teen-age girl at the time, farming wasn't high on my list of things to be interested in. Grandpa was quiet, so when he spoke, I listened, we all did. I remember so many times playing in the basement with my cousins. We would get a little loud at times. When we did, we would hear Grandpa's footsteps across the floor above us. That was our cue to run to the tables and color...pretty sure we didn't ever fool him! Grandpa smoked cigars. My school box was always a real cigar box. It was a treat to go pick one out each school year. I can't smell a cigar now without thinking about him! I don't remember Grandpa telling me that he loved me, but I know that he did. I never felt anything but love from my Grandpa.
Grandma was...I don't have a word to describe her, she was master of many things. She always had a huge garden. During the summer, we were always up early working in the garden before it got to hot. She grew a little bit of everything (really, it was a lot of everything). Nothing went to waste, she canned and froze all that she grew. She gave it away to others. Grandma baked everything from scratch...rolls, cookies, cakes. She always had cookies downstairs in the freezer (and yes, I often ate frozen cookies when I shouldn't have). She crocheted the most beautiful (and some ugly) afghans. I still have the one that she made me before I went to college. I also have one that she made for me when I was in grade school. She crocheted baby sets...afghans, booties, gloves, sweaters. She gave them away to anyone who asked. She gave them to her church to sell at its yearly bazaar. I cried when I realized that she had set one back for me. Grandma was an amazing woman. She did tell me that she loved me and I always knew that I was safe with her.
Grandpa and Grandma were very traditional, as were many people of their generation. When Grandpa came up for "coffee" each morning, Grandma always had a pot of coffee, along with a snack ready for him. Breakfast was a full meal because there was a full day of work ahead for everyone. And it was usually before dawn! Grandma would listen to Wally Laird on the radio each morning and write the prices for corn and soy beans in a note book that sat by the phone (which was a party line phone for those of you who know what that was). Dinner was the meal that was served during the middle of the day, and supper was the last meal of the day. Grandpa watched the Cubs play ball on tv (and Jack Brickhouse was the announcer not that other guy everyone else talks about). And yes, he would often talk (yell) at the team, because some things never change. Grandma would crochet while he watched tv. Bedtime was early because morning was too.
I could go on and on about them. I could tell you that Grandpa spent two weeks in Canada fishing. When he was congested, a shot of whiskey with honey did the trick. Everyone once in a while, they would split a beer. I could tell you that Grandma went to "Home-Ec" once a month. She sat in the same pew every Sunday...next to Ella and behind Bud and Mary Ellen. Grandma has a ringer washer that she used because the new ones didn't clean like the old ones. Grandpa bought her an extra one in case hers ever gave out. I know that they are watching me...laughing that I have a daughter who is so very like me. I was right, I don't have the words to explain how much they still mean to me. I hope that they always knew how much I loved (and still do) them. I am so glad that I had them as grandparents.
1 comment:
Stay out of the north side!
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