Grandma

This mothers day was the the first time in years I was able to spend Mothers Day with my mom, so thankful for that - we had a wonderful day.  It was also the first time I was able to visit my Grandma's grave since she died.  She played a major role in my child hood and was the first family member that I was close to that died.

She was a strong Dutch woman that survived the war

she was a Montessori teacher

she immigrated to Canada

she raised 5 children

I remember her voice

I remember her smell

I remember her curly silver hair

I remember her cats - most chubby and skittish

I remember her pots of tea and the tea cozy

I remember having tea at the kitchen table with Grandma and allowed a little bit of sugar

I remember dutch cookies, dutch cheese and all those yummy treats

I remember her stories

I remember celebrating St. Nicholas at Grandma's house (the one my father grew up in when he also immigrated to Canada)

I remember a nock at the door and a white sack on the door step

I remember our shoes full with special treats

I remember paper noches flying through the air

I remember chocolate letters - one for each - the first letter of your name

I remember her shelf full of National Geographic Magazines

I remember her knitting basket

I remember her black and white television and watching Love Boat when we stayed late

I remember her dinning room table (that is now at the farm in my parents dining room)

I remember her buffet that had a drawer with the silver and her asking me to put out what was needed on the table

I remember family gatherings at holidays - we all found a way to fit around the table

I remember Grandma's chair at the head of the table

I remember Grandma's piano and the orange cloth that laid across the keys

I remember the steep stairs that led to the one small bathroom upstairs

I remember her paintings

I remember her crown of thorns in the window in the dining room

I remember her bedroom with a tray of perfume bottles and her jewelry

I remember her spoon collection, hundreds from all over the world

I remember the beautiful cards she would always send (still have some)

I remember her phone calls

I remember traveling with her

I remember her backyard

I remember her flowers

I remember her old shed

I remember her tree that we cut the top off

I remember her pond

I remember the back porch - we would hide in the shade in the hot summer months

I remember her hallway with her shoes

I remember her various canes

I remember her gong at the front door

I remember her hugs

I remember her smile

I remember her wave good bye

I miss you like it was just yesterday that we said good bye

Thank you for all the love, warmth, and wonderful memories

Thank you for being Grandma