Monday, March 2, 2009

A Fun, Weird, Laughable memory



Jo is our Gracious hostess this week and here is what she wants us to do

March 2nd is my Mom's birthday and was her mother's birthday as well. For this week's Fun Monday, tell me something fun about your mother and/or her mother. What fun, weird, laughable memories do you have of your Mom or your Grandma?

My Grandmother was also born on March 2 and my Mom was born on March 9. These two woman were my role models and heroes. Mom was a widow at the age of 34 with five children to care for. So we moved in with my grandparents. Mom went to work and Gram took care of getting us kids off to school each day. Mom was a hard worker and made us kids tow the line. She was fun loving also. There was always music in our house and on the weekends in between cleaning the house and other chores, we would take a break and Mom would join in and dance with me. She was a very good dancer, we would waltz around the living room. Our church started a teen center on Saturday nights and Mom helped out selling refreshments. All the kids would gravitate over and talk to her, she was a good listener. Gram was a character, she was very hospitable and made everyone feel so welcome in our home and there was always a ton of people there, mostly our friends would come and hang out. Since she lived during the great depression she saved everything, like the breads wrappers , she would rinse them out to reuse. When the bars of soap got down to little bits and pieces, she saved them all, put them together into one big blob, we used this to clean floors. During the winter months, she would heat a brick in the oven, wrap it in a towel and put it in her bed to warm it up. She drank warm water in a mason jar, this was suppose to help her indigestion and she knew no one else would drink out of her jar. She ran the house, did the laundry and prepared all the meals. I loved her soups and pies, but she cooked meat until it was like shoe leather ( had to make sure it was done). Gram lived to the ripe old age of 92. Mom lived until the age of 78. I learned so much from them and I know I am a better person for it. They are forever missed and always in my heart. Thanks Mom and Gram. BTW..my grandpop was a character also, but that is another story.
Go see what everyone else has to say ....click here.

19 comments:

LadyStyx said...

Sounds like my home when I was growing up. There were always alot of people over and the house was filled with music.

Living Life said...

I had forgottent that Great Gram's b-day was today! And Grandma's b-day was March 9th. They were both wonderful ladies and I too have many fond memories of them. I remember they both loved playing cards and Great Gram never missed watching "Dialing for Dollars" on TV.

m (the misanthrope) said...

Awww!! What a beautiful story. Happy Fun Monday to you!

Hootin Anni said...

What a sweet picture that makes for us as readers of your tribute!!!! Dancing around while taking a break. I loved that part.

Mine is posted. Do stop by...once again, it's a 'hoot' of a story.

Jill said...

are you sure it was water in the mason jar. hmmm?

Tracy said...

Reading your story brought tears to my eyes. I sure do miss both of them as I'm sure you do as well. I used the word "character" to describe Grandma Millie in Tracey's comments. She was the good time grandma.

Hula Girl at Heart said...

Oh, what fun memories. They sound like great women.

Driftwood and Pumpkin said...

I miss your mom and wish I had more time to get to know her. Brian talks fondly (still!) of his great-grandmother. He just made her famous pound cake a couple of weeks ago. Delish! I wish I had known her.

Jo said...

March 2nd is also the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Schools all over the nation today are celebrating your mother's birthday as well as mine. (Except out east where they've cancelled everything.)

I love reading stories about older relatives and their quirks. You've got some great memories.

Dr.John said...

I lost track of who was in charge of fun Monday but I would have loved the topic.
It sounds like you come from great people. Those two ladies were special indeed.

Pamela said...

extraordinary women I would say. I can't imagine having energy for a Saturday night after putting in a long week !

Gattina said...

So you also had such a nice grandma !

Sayre said...

I didn't live with my grandma, so I didn't see her penny-pinching on a daily basis, but I do know she rinsed and reused bread wrappers and newspaper bags. She recycled things until they literally fell apart. There are certain habits that go along with the times. My grandmother was a young woman during the depression and then there was the rationing with WWII. We could learn a thing or two from these women!!!

Jan said...

What a great post and tribute to these wonderful women.

ChrisB said...

I think your mother and grandmother sound wonderful women. I so enjoyed reading your memories of them.

storyteller said...

Oh ... I'd forgotten how my mom saved soap like that too! Thanks for reminding me. Lovely memories you've shared here. My mom was born on February 11th, but my sister's birthday is March 8th ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Cynthia said...

what a nice memory. It sounds like a pleasant childhood.

Anonymous said...

I love your post... my grand mother and yours were very similar, except my grandma kept her dentures in her mason jar; for real! Lol.

I can't wait to hear about your grandpa! (Great idea for the next Fun Monday huh?)

MommyWizdom

Sarah said...

Thanks for sharing the touching tribute to your mum and gran, I'm glad you have such good memories of them!