I did go to Idaho Falls for two weeks, I got to see the grandkids and stay at three different places for at least one night each (Mel and Danny's, Ben and Linda's, and Dallin and Haley's), plus I was there for Book Club and for the ward Hawaiian potluck - fun, fun, fun! And I went to my new primary care provider, got set up for and rec'd. some home-based services, and so on.
The trips up and back from Las Vegas were great. Allegiant Air personell were courteous and friendly. They seemed to enjoy their work, and I got to sit by the window both ways. Las Vegas really IS surrounded by the barren desert, which I got some photos of. It's crazy how there's such a cutoff of the city, switching right into wilderness.
I was happy to come back to see Mark, of course. I love being with him, and I'm happiest when I'm right by his side.
My favorite times during the trip were after we'd get the kids in bed...by that time all of us were ready for it, and it felt great to just visit and relax. We'd watch movies or taped tv shows and we'd get out the "refreshments," usually popcorn or ice cream or floats. Ahhh...grownup luxury!
I got to sleep-in some of the time, which I really enjoyed. It was endearing to hear the kids' voices as they realized I was still there in the mornings. One time as I lay there, Tristan told Alaina, "Grandma's nose is huuge!"
I remember when I was little, starting out when I was still a toddler, and being so happy knowing my grandma was at our house when I woke up. It always surprised me; I guess I couldn't grasp the notion of her being there for very long at a time. Things were always so comfy and sociable when she was around. That was Grandma Wakefield.
When Grandma Buis would visit, it was more like she was one of the kids, only more unpredictable. We thought she was interesting and we loved her. She kept a "nest" around her of rag balls she was winding for rugs, newspapers, burnt toast crusts, and Kleenexes and other odds and ends in her pockets and on her lap. Usually a towel was thrown across her lap by my dad, for modesty's sake. She was tiny, with stocking rolled up and coming short of her knees. She and Sandy used to fight like little girls, flailing their straight arms at each other. It was a sight to see.
She told us crazy jokes and patted us on the heads if we were pretending to be kitties, which endeared her to us. She also kicked us to death in the night if we slept overnight with her in her bed. We first had to clear off some of the rag balls.
Grandma Wakefield was just the opposite, and we loved her to death, too. She always spoke in a very soft voice, and she loved the color pink. She was very proper and clean, and she told me wonderful stories of when she was young. I remember her always "going through the trunks," as she put it. That was where she kept her pictures, papers, and keepsakes. I loved to watch her hands as she did this. She had an old turquoise ring (I wish I knew where it is now) that she always wore, which was interesting to me because it looked like it was a map of the earth.
Her hands were quite arthritic, and her fingers would scramble to pick up the papers. I loved how her nails hit the paper as she shuffled and sorted and murmured her thoughts. It was such a quiet, soothing time.
The sun used to slant in her apt. windows while we drank an afternoon sip of Welch's grape juice together. Even watered down, it was powerful stuff, and Grandma always explained how good it was for us, which made our grape juice-drinking ceremony especially satisfying - much more so than the vinegar-water gargling.
Grandma always had Kentucky Mints, too. I remember that we'd have them with lime sherbet, sitting them on our napkins between bites.
I used to "work" on her calluses for her. She was a gratifying recipient of my efforts to relieve her aching feet, so I enjoyed doing it for her. Her knees and feet used to hurt so much, and I wanted to help relieve her suffering any way I could. Right now I feel happy just knowing that she isn't hurting anymore.
So, I hope you will let me know what you remember about your grandmothers.
Take care!
xoxoxo
2 comments:
I'm so glad you're back, I missed you! Ah, Grandma Wakefield. I love that pic of her...thanks so much for posting it. The turqoise ring...she asked me to take it, and I couldn't think of it not being on her finger, so I didn't. Now I wish I had! I hope that doesn't make me sound greedy...it was just something that we all identified as being a part of her. The ring was made by Mateo, and I think he was the gorernor of San Ildelfonso Pueblo, if I'm not mistaken. My memories of Grandma...I have so many. She was a huge part of my life growing up in Santa Fe, as I would look forward to spending special time with her. We would read the Bible, play checkers (she would always beat me), and Chinese checkers (I would always beat her lol). She was the most wonderful cook...and my favorite was mac & cheese...and sugar cookies! I must dig out my pics and dedicate some time to her on my blog. She remains my favorite person to this very day, and seeing her pic brought me to tears! I can't wait to see her again and give her a huge hug. :) Love you Dianey.
Fun to read about the grandmas! Such a silly image in my mind of Sandy and a tiny grandma fighting.
The main things I remember about Grandma Buis is how she was always in that one chair with her special kind of mug type cup sitting there, and we'd eat bananas and graham crackers and drink purple pop. I remember the striped covers they had on the couch, and the smell of the porch when we walked in, and standing on that porch with you or daddy knocking and the feeling of waiting for them to answer. Then the towers of boxes as we made our way through the house to grandma's chair.
One of my favorite memories of her was when Missy and I were swimming in a tiny plastic pool by the outside faucet at the Perry house. Grandma was washing dishes in the kitchen and Missy and I decided to scare her. So we snuck up and hid under the window. Then when we jumped up to scare her, she scared us instead! She had seen us coming and just laughed and laughed.
Another favorite was on Halloween when us kids went to the Perry costume contest at the park. Both of the boys won something but us girls didn't. WE told grandma all about it and how sad we were, so she decided to have her own costume contest right there int he living room. And guess who won? Melinda and I! I think she gave us each a dollar or two, and it made us so happy!
This is about Grandpa Buis, but I remember once going with him to a store to get me shoes while we were visiting in Decatur and he looked at some really ugly ones and I was so afraid he was going to get them and I'd have to wear them! There was no reasoning with Grandpa!
I don't have as many memories of Grandma Cripe. Maybe we didn't see her as much, and I don't think they really visited us very often. But I do remember riding in the backseat of the car in Texas and they were visiting or had just left and we had these tan horses and a buggy thing from them we were playing with. I remember looking at the little things she had made, the fruit necklace she gave me (which Audrey now wears) and her Christmas ornaments, like the little red mailboxes that could open and close. I remember us having to be really quiet at night and one night we went with you to the little tv on their table and watched a show late at night in black and white. And those trains that rattled their house always scared me at night! Felt like they were going to tear the house apart. I remember the June dinners, and seeing her sister at one and being shocked at how much her eyes looked like grandma's eyes. Hmmm. Grandma Cripe must have been pretty quiet with us kids because I can't think of a single time she talked to me! Either that, or my memory is just really bad.
Post a Comment