It is me, with my sister, in the photo above. We were about this age when our Dad remarried an amazing woman named Lisa. We gained a lot in that union, including a new Grandmother; her name, Mary.
Everything was different with Grandma Mary! She was a grand adventure for us! She was so interesting. Her house was new and exciting, full of exotic things like animal hides and sharks jaws. Her home was always so full of hustle and bustle, our family had grown!
We loved going there. It was a welcomed blessing to my mother as well! She was, up to that point,single-handedly raising two boisterous girls. She was free from our inquisitions and energy for at least a week end a month now, thanks to Grandma Mary.
At that time, Grandma Mary lived in Buena Park, a stones throw from Knott's Berry Farm. As I sit here and reminisce, I recall that it was because of her proximity to this very park, that I even attempted a roller coaster, at age 7. After an hours wait in line, amidst my own fears, I got stuffed into the carriage and buckled in. After 30 seconds, it was over and I had found out something about myself that has only grown with time...I LOVE a good roller coaster!
Grandma Mary cried with us, the day her daughter, our Stepmother, Lisa and our Dad moved to Tennessee which was my father's home. This, though sad as it was to see them go, started a new tradition at her home. Each time we would come over, we would record, on an old cassette recorder, a tape to Mama and Daddy. It would be a tape of whatever would come to mind.
There were tapes of us belting out Billy Joel songs and tapes of us telling of our days in school or in summer camp. These tapes were constructed during cookie bakes and ornament making marathons, costume sewing extravaganzas and while snuggled up in Grandma's giant bed, watching a horror movie!
Over the years, only one of these tapes remains in my possession. I have listened to it time and again and it always comforts me to hear those long ago voices. I love hearing my Grandmother speaking, in between our rantings, filling the folks in on family news, laughing.She has a deep and sultry quality to her voice and it is so soothing and reminds me of a simpler time in my life.
I think about those tapes and what makes them so special. For me, it was the way that we were able to say whatever we wanted and how that brought us closer together. It was one place where my sister and I could take time alone, to speak to our parents and say what was on our minds. Grandma Mary never listened in and that made us feel important and trusted.
I looked forward to each visit with Grandma Mary. She is solely responsible for my love of two of my favorite things ever...Horror movies and dressing up on Halloween!
I think of her whenever I see a brown Chevy Nova, large sunglasses, plastic cookie cutters, zebra print, open rail stair banisters, African Masks, seashells and these things bring up lovely feelings.
While we cannot always throw a moat around something we have built up and treasure, to protect it...we can protect our memories. Fondly recalling things which change us and shape us and and make us who we are today is part of honoring our past and in doing so, we make room for their memories in our future.
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