Friday, December 19, 2008

MORE CHRISTMAS

12-19-08...MORE CHRISTMAS

Childhood, I guess when you get my age those are the most precious memories you have. I know mine are. And Christmas memories are the most precious I have right now. Could be because It is the Christmas season.
Christmas was not always cold where I grew up. We just don't have as much snow and ice and cold weather here in the south. I only remember 3 white Christmas' in my entire life. Our snow usually comes in January. I can remember some Christmas' when the grass would still be green from lack of a good freeze. Still it was Christmas and a glorious time.
We all seem to think our memories are the best there is too don't we? That is because they are OUR memories.
My Parents memories were much different from mine in that they had even less that we did. It was the depression years. A lot of times they only had cornmeal in the house to eat at Mama's home. But Mama fondly remembered the many different ways my Granny could use cornmeal for them to eat. Mush sweetened with sorghum that my Grandpa made, fried cornmeal if she had an egg to go in it, no flour so cornmeal gravy made with water cause' no milk, cornbread fritters made with water and occasionally eggs.
My Grandpa had some sisters living right there who had much more but didn't share. Guess they were not taught the way we were.
One Christmas Granny told me about still brings a big lump to my throat and tears to my eyes. Grandpa had managed to get a rabbit that year. They had snow and he tracked it and killed it with a rock. Granny had some flour and she could make gravy and biscuits. They never thought much about gifts just like we didn't but that year Granny's sister had made dresses for Mama and her two sisters and mailed them. Grandpa was so prowd that year. His girls would have Christmas with plenty to eat. He visited his sister that morning and was probaby telling her about their Christmas dinner and packages. She said, "Well Will Don't you have something sweet for dessert" (OL' BAG) Of course Grandpa said no. She said well Will I'll bring you down a chocolate pie this evening for your dinner. Granny said Grandpa came home just brimming over with gratitude and love.
Well they ate their dinner, opened their gifts, and was ready for that scrumptious looking pie. It was just mounded up with that white beautiful whipped egg whites and they could see the brown crust peeking over the side of the plate. Granny said that Grandpa stood up at the end of the table and took a butcher knife ans began cutting in to that pie. All their mouths were watering in anticipation. But the knife wouldn't go in very far and when Grandpa checked here is what he found. His sister had stuffed cotton into a crust and covered it with the topping. Mama said many times that was the only time in her life she saw Grandpa cry and say a curse word. His sister said it was just a joke and didn't think anything about it. Still an ol' bag in my mind. She may have never known how deeply she hurt Grandpa and his family that year with such a viscious 'trick'? but I feel like she did. I never met her but she must have been a terrible person. No Peace Love And Joy in her Heart.
Hope all of you have a beautiful Christmas and I also wish you Peace Love And Joy. Clydene