With Christmas coming up in just a few more days, that endless question seems to be asked in every conversation, are you done shopping or what do you want for Christmas? I asked my mom what she would like for Christmas, she didn't tell me anything right away or even for a while. We were on the phone the subject changed to our trip to Gulf Shores that is coming up and what all everyone had got for Kaizer and what we had got for Griff, and just on to the days events. We ended the conversation and she still hadn't told me anything that she wanted for Christmas, so there I sat with still no clue.
We hadn't been off the phone for even an hour and the phone was ringing, it was my momma, she told me she wanted me to write down the memories of my Great Grandma B a.k.a Nanny B and my grandparents. I was shocked and very taken aback by what she was asking given the relationship of my grandparents and I and how young I was when my Nanny B when she passed away. I asked her many times if she was sure that is what she wanted and I even told her that she didn't want my memories of my grandparents, most of them weren't that great. But she assured me that is what she wanted, my memories. She even asked me to call my brother and tell him the same thing, he had the same response as I did.
I only have 1 strong memory of my Nanny B and she was the best! She lived in a high rise of the north side of Evansville and we had gone to her apartment for Sunday dinner after church, I was probably 5 years old. I remember she had a step stool she pulled out for me to use as a seat, I loved that step stool and have no clue why! Of course Nanny had chocolate ice cream and I remember asking her for some, of course mom and dad both said no, but that didn't stop Nanny, she gave me a small bowl with 2 scoops in it before lunch! See my Nanny B was the best! This is my one and only memory of her, but I sure wish that I had more!
Now when it comes to my grandparents, I have many memories, some are better than others. My grandma was an AVON lady my whole life, so we always knew what we were getting for birthdays and Christmas, you didn't even have to think about it, always AVON! How much AVON does 1 child need! Not as much as she gave! LOL My grandma knew how to cook, deviled eggs, gravy, I miss her cooking! The holidays just aren't the same! She always had pickles at her house, in all different flavors, guess that is where my love of pickles comes from! In the 23 years of my life, I never saw my grandmothers' real hair color, how unreal is that! She had a hair and nail appointment every Friday and she never missed it!
My grandfather is different story. He was a man very set in his ways and very set in the way he thought things should be. He was a quiet man, we never really spoke much. I can remember going to his house and he would smoke his pipe, oh how I loved the smell of his pipe. Such a bad habit, but it sure smelled good. While I was in high school, I used to walk down to his house everyday after school and he would watch the same shows, Great Cooks of America at 3:00 and Great Cooks of the World at 3:30. He wouldn't change the channel during commercials, he would just put the TV on mute! If I ever needed a ride, I would always ask for him to come get me, he drove the fastest of the 2!
This Christmas as I was putting out decorations, it really hit me hard for some reason. My grandpa went into the hospital Christmas day of 1999 and never came home, he had a brain aneurysm and died February 23 2000. I remember going to see him and he was in a coma, I only went to the hospital like 3 or 4 times in the whole 8 weeks he was there. My mom came home and told me, it's over, he passed away, and I didn't believe her. I never thought that the Christmas of 1999 was the last one I would get with him, ever. I know he would have loved to see Kaizer and play with him! He would have been a much better great grandfather than he ever was a grandfather and I know this! For one thing, Kaizer is a boy, makes it a little easier on him!
After my grandfather passed, my grandmother and I got alot closer. We had dinner together at least twice a week, always at the same places, Sunday night was always JoJo's and Wednesday night was always The Merry Go Round! 2 things in her life that never changed! She used to come and watch me bowl in competitions and cheer me on. Kaizer was 8 weeks old when she finally got to meet him and he was the apple of her eye! Oh she loved my son with everything that was in her! She told everyone about him and showed off all the pictures she could of him! She was so proud of her great grandson! She was the best Granny B in the world to him! Everytime we would go to Evansville, she would put Kaizer on her lap and just hold him and play with him and you could so much joy in her eyes when he was around! In the last 2 years of her life, she got to where she needed a walker 24/7, so she got one that came with a seat on it. I can remember going to see her and she would put Kaizer on the seat and just walk him around and showing him off and telling him all sorts of stories! I wish I had that relationship with my grandma like he did, but I know what they had is special.
My grandma passed away on April 21 2008, 2 days before I turned 23. The last time I saw her, was in March of 2008 and she didn't know who I was. I miss her so much! She loved raccoons and now Kaizer has at least 3 in his room that were hers! As I was putting up my decorations this year, I pulled out some of her ornaments and it choked me up! I remember them being on her tree, but now they are on mine. Her nativity set, which I love, is now at my house, but I remember being at hers! I miss my grandma alot and this year it has just hit me worse than before and I don't know why. I wish she could be here to watch Kaizer ride his bike, learn to swim, cheer him on he bowls, all the things a grandparent should get to do. I know she rejoices up in Heaven with my Nanny B, but I would much rather have her here!
