There are many things that I miss about Grandma, I miss her genuine kindness, and the amazing ability to not worry about the little things. I don't know if she just never trusted me enough, to let me into her real thoughts; but according to my memories of Grandma, her mind was always on the next meal she would cook for you but never ate herself, dealing with the incessant flies that plagued her life, and reaching the goal of using up every bit of material she purchased back in the 80's during the sale of the century (which was a lot!). She never spoke unkindly about anybody, she did worry about the weather and her family at times, but mostly she focused on her goals for the day and that woman made everyone around her tired just watching her! I think the only time she would sit down during the day was at 4 am, when she read her scriptures. But that's not really what I wanted to focus these thoughts on...
Although I miss my Grandmother dearly, I miss the safety and seclusion of the farm. I feel so blessed that my boys had a small taste of farm life during the few visits we made to Grandma's. Grandma and Grandpa were a rare link to a time in history that this generation can't even comprehend existed. They lived on a farm without indoor plumbing and electricity most of their lives; just like Chris and I lived without internet most of our lives. As they grew older, new technology surfaced-like washers and dryers, automatic dish washers, and indoor heating-my grandparents lived a life without these technologies and did just fine for years, so in their mind what was the hurry in buying the next greatest invention, just because everybody else was doing it? That's one of the things I loved most about my Grandmother-her stubbornness with change and technology. It made going to her farm such a magical place, like a time-warp of sorts. Her bedroom was always freezing because they never could get their weird version of a furnace to heat up that side of the house, after three minutes in her bath tub you would run out of hot water because I think her water heater held 10 gallons max! She made her own laundry soap out of lye, and still used the old washer that had the roller on the top to squeeze out the water. She never bought a dryer or an automatic dish washer. If you wanted to reach Grandma, you'd better hope that she was home, because she never bought an answering machine, or heaven forbid a cell-phone!
Due to this resistance to change, baths were rare in that household, and washing clothes that have seen a full day on the farm were rare as well. I think my Grandparents bathed once a week and that was on Saturday, because "Saturday is the day to get ready for Sunday" (insert primary tune here...) Grandma did the laundry either once a month or every other week I think, I'm trying to remember if I ever saw Grandma do the laundry. I definitely saw the evidence with the sheets and towels etc. hanging outside on the clothesline, but I don't think I've ever seen her old machine turned on. That saddens me, I should have asked her if she ever needed help with her laundry. How silly you are as a young child/teenager, you just assume your family will always be around and that there will always be another chance to get that opportunity. But honestly, I was just too self-absorbed and selfish to think that my sweet Grandmother could use the help.
I'm definitely missing her home and the stinky farm. I know the house is still there in little Lewisville, Idaho and I could visit if I really felt the need. But what a soulless skeleton it is without my Grandparents. I miss them dearly, and once again feel so blessed that I knew them, better yet that I am related to such amazing people. They left quite the legacy behind. I hope and pray that in this world of internet and cell phones I can help my children remember what life was really like for people for centuries before electricity. It got me to thinking how few children had the kind of experience when going to their Grandparents home like I did. When we went to see Grandma it truly was, "Going over the River, and Through the Woods To Grandmother's house we go" and once you arrived at her house, it was everything that wonderful song described. I'm glad that my Grandparents could be such a great link to that past for me, and that I can use real life examples, rather than just fluff from history books!
