Memories and Shadows

Mother loved to whoop it up! She would slap her hands together, throw her head back and whoop with delight, with abandon, whether she was getting ready to lay down a killer score in Scrabble, drop a punishing play in dominoes, or join in an outlandish scheme.

Mother was abundant. She gave what she could, cooked what she had, lived where she was, and grew what was hardy enough for her rough red soil.

Mother was content with what life had handed her. All of her fears, despairs, or regrets were moderated by her loving things, places, experiences, food, jokes, stories, people, and kids, especially kids.

I love to see the shadow of Mother peek out in her progeny's diverse personalities. Thank you Jean, Jane, Jerry, Julia and Jeff for the wonderful wonderful wonderful comments:

From Jason via Jeff:When Jason was about 5 years old he walked over to Granny's every day to watch Mr Roger's Neighborhood and have Phoney Baloney Potato Soup, what ever that is. Jason talks about it still today. Does anybody have that recipe?

From Jeff and Julia: Although most of our childhood friends were a lot better off financially, they always wanted to come to our house to play. They may have had maids and bright shiny toys, but we had puppies, piglets, calves, a barn, hills to roll down, a rose rock mound, canyons, forts and cedar trees to climb and a mother that loved children. Mother was "Granny" to every child she ever met.

From Jean: Another favorite memory is when we would arrive home and upon departing the school bus smell the aroma of fresh baked bread, rolls, etc., which was the afternoon snack of the day (with lots of butter and jelly) since we didn't have dinner until Dad got home, which was sometimes late.

From Jan: No wonder those country club kids liked coming to our house.

From Julia and Jeff: The Halloween parties in the barn. The bonfire out back, climbing on the rafters to decorate the barn.

From Julia: Sugaring the homemade donuts for the Halloween parties in the barn (the only part of cooking I ever liked).

From Julia: I had the most amazing Cinderella birthday cake when I was about 12 years and Mother did it again when I turned 21. She looked all over Oklahoma City to find cheap ceramic horses and had to spend way too much for the horses, but I still have two (whoops) one of those horses.

From Julia: I was newly married, the truck was loaded and we stopped at the house to say "bye" to Mother and I could NOT leave. The blizzard of '79 was coming, Tal was pacing and Mother had to escort me to the truck and say "It's time for you to leave, Julia -- just LEAVE!"

From Jeff: Mother washed my football uniform in homemade lye soap. The coaches wanted to know how it got so clean, so Mom sent them a chunk of lye soap. I was the cleanest, and the brightest, earning me the nickname of Mr Clean!

From Jean: One of my favorite sayings from Mother was when she would tell me when I discussed my kids with her was, "Jean, they will grow up in spite of you." Jerry remembers this one also.

From Jerry: Keep your kids between the ditches. If you try to keep them on the straight and narrow you WILL fail.

From Jean: The fact that Mother taught all the grand kids how to give her insulin shots so if she ever needed their help.

From Jean: Once going tent camping in Southeast Oklahoma in October or November Mother packed her electric blanket hoping we might have electricity at Robbers Cave State Park.

From Jerry: Going tent camping for the family reunion at Johnson Creek during the blistering summer and Mom took her refrigerator and recliner.

From Jan: Only Mother!

From Jane: Mother teaching her the right way and the wrong way to stir gravy. When Dad complemented Jane on her pie crust and lemon pie, Mom told Jane, "If you can do it, I can do it better."

Mother and cars, trucks, and vans from Jerry and Jane: She liked to drive fast and hear the loud pipes. She was stopped in my Oldsmobile for speeding on Kelly.

Jane is working at Ed's. Hears tires squealing, motors roaring and mother going by drag racing in my red Ford.

The grand kids sitting on the motor in the Econoline van. Today we would all be in prison. Also making the van "hiccup" for the grand kids: brake/let up, brake/let up.

Jane and Mom going somewhere, a car engine on fire, Mom jumps out grabs an old blanket out of the van, smothers it out and goes on her merry way.

When you would tell her some fantastic gossip and she would look at you and say, "Do you really believe that?"

From Jerry: When I was 10 or so I was going to sell greeting cards door to door. Boy Scouts I think. Bought the 10 or 15 boxes of cards. It took me 10 minutes to decide I wasn't a door to door salesman. Mom used out of those boxes of cards for years and years and years. She got me my first job in computers after the Army. She convinced Dick Deaton, shy as I was, I could do the job.

From Jerry and Jane: Mother had her own United Nations in her family. Mom and Amber in the grocery store at Park Estates. Stopped to get something. A black lady with a child stopped next to her. She turns and sees Amber and friend are rubbing on each other to see if the color is permanent. Mom says, "Must be a mutual admiration society."

ABOUT Jane: Trying to convince Amber that she doesn't need to drive home from her driving test on ice and snow. Dancing with her kids to "Hunk of Burning Love" by Elvis.

From Jan: Only Jane!

ABOUT Jan from Jerry and Jane: Telling my children what awful stuff I was cooking for dinner so they would call Bob to go out to eat. Eating what Christian ate so I could lose weight. NOT!

From Jane: Mothers just do.
From Jan: Holy Crap, mothering is hard work.

From Jeff: Going through Mom's kitchen there would be a bag of sawdust, a bucket of lard, and a container of Morton Salt. I swear that is all that was in the kitchen! Thirty minutes later Mom would have a meal on the table. Deep fried something, mashed potatoes, gravy, home canned green beans and new potatoes, a jar of homemade bread and butter pickles, freshly baked bread, fresh churned butter, sweet iced tea and German Chocolate cake. How did she do that?

Does anyone have that recipe?

I'm glad she only used her magic for good -- not evil.