Little Jellies and Sugar Packets

My Grandmother (Dad’s Mom) passed away a few years back. I often think of her, especially around the holidays. She was a fantastic lady who raised four pretty fantastic kids.

It’s odd, the things we remember about those who have passed. Her memory was shot at the end, and being as close as I was to her, I had trouble going to visit her in that state. Instead, I’m left with years of wonderful memories of the “real” her.

The problem is, they aren’t memories of conversations or words of wisdom. In fact, if I don’t look at a photo of her now and again, I will even forget what she looked like. Instead I am left with the oddest bits and pieces of stuff that I can manage to remember.

I can visually walk into her apartment and tell you where everything is. I can remember the carpet at her house, The key bowl shaped like a wolf, her cabinet of “Precious Moments” figurines which she collected for many years.

I can remember the doilies on every end table, Oh, and hard candy dishes, of course. I can remember her blue rain coat and plastic hair net for those rainy days.

I can remember the drawers in the apartment and almost everything in them, including dozens upon dozens of sugar packets and the like, she had accumulated over the years from fast food places.

I can even remember the squeak of the scissors she used to clip coupons.

The mind is an odd thing. Out of all the things to remember about someone I loved so much… this is what I’ve got. So I hold on to these things and try to take time as often as I can to think of these small but ‘precious moments’.

As I write this, I am looking at a couple pieces of furniture I managed to hold onto after she passed. I keep them, not because we need them (to be honest we need the space) but because I can’t bring myself to give them up.

I also have an antique mixer from my other grandmother who is thankfully still with us. Just hearing the sound again brings me back and will forever be a reminder of her. Fortunately, many years ago, when I was just a little tyke myself, she promised me she would never die, so I won’t ever have to worry about her.

If you’ve been reading my column for a while, you notice I write about what’s important to me. Whether it’s the upcoming birth of our first son, or my thoughts on growing a beard. Be advised – I have no plan to change that.

I enjoy sharing my life with those of you who read this weekly, and love to hear from all of you. If, however, you are looking for something else, I’d encourage you to look elsewhere. I will write about County and Town issues in this column if I ever feel the need, but realistically look forward to a bunch more of this.

Family and friends are everything to me… Oh, and my cat…my cat is awesome!

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