Grandmothers

This week I've been thinking about my Grandmothers. I was lucky enough to know both of mine. One of them had a birthday on June 1st and the other one was on June 4th. I don't remember for sure which Grandmother had which birthday. My Grandmothers had some similarities. Both were of Eastern Europe descent. Both had that stocky build which I inherited. One Grandmother had smoking hot legs which I did not inherit. Both lived on farms and were familiar with milking cows, tending chickens, and preserving food. Both taught me to bake; one taught me cake and the other taught me cookies. Both had gardens. I think of dahlias and lilacs with one Grandmother and raspberries and apple trees with the other. Both liked to talk about the old days and I enjoyed hearing their stories. Both lived through hard times and had learned to be frugal and thrifty. Neither one wore make up or nail polish. Both of them were very hard working women. One Grandmother, the one with the smoking hot legs, loved to play bingo. She lived in a rural area and like everyone in that area, had a party line on her telephone. Party lines meant several families (four in her case) shared the same telephone line. Only one person could use the phone at a time. When the phone rang, there were different rings for each family. When the phone rang and we were in the kitchen together, she would answer it if it was her ring. If it wasn't her ring, she would look at me and put her finger to her lips and say, "Shhhhh." Then she would gently lift the receiver and cover the mouth end with her hand, and listen in on the conversation. I knew I had to wait in silence until she hung up. And I was quiet and thereby complicit in the deed. I don't think she ever told me what she heard on the phone. Both Grandmothers loved their husbands. Both Grandmothers became widows late in life. And both of them seemed to enjoy spending time with me for which I am very blessed and grateful.