Dear Sharon,
I do enjoy your stories so much as they remind me of my dear Grandmother. She and Grandpa lived jus a few doors down from us until the beginning of World War II. They then moved about 10 miles away to my uncle's farm. Being a "city kid" nothing gave me more pleasure than being able to ride on the school bus to visit the farm. Each day, it seemed, as I walked down the road leading to the house, I encountered a black snake stretched across the road, which caused me to finish my journey at high speed in order to get away from it.
Still now, I wonder if she somehow "planted" the snake in my path to get me to the house so she wouldn't worry about me. I have always been one to stop along the way to investigate plants, etc.otherwise known as dawdling.
After Grandpa died, Grandma came to live with us, which suited me fine. She told me stories of her girlhood and other family stories. She taught me to knit, embroider and crochet. Unfortunately her efforts failed at tatting, but after her death, I did learn that, too, partly because I could hear her say, "You're not stupid, so I know you can learn this."
Summertime was always a wonderful time for me and I eagerly awaited the end of the school year, because then she and I would visit relatives -- lots of cousins, aunts and uncles. What a wonderful time we had! I still have the tiny little suitcase that Mother packed for me. I recall eagerly awaiting the Trailways bus that would take us to some of my favorite places.
Grandma imparted words of wisdom to me that you don't find in text books, and I am so thankful to have grown up in a "kindler gentler time."
Jean
