Random Memories

Grandpa

   I always think of this as my Grandpa's clock, maybe because as a child
I remember he was the one that would always turn it on for me. I was in awe of its beauty and completely fasinated. I can still see his leathered hands gently turning it on, both our faces would light up, mine for the clock and his for the joy it brought me.

   The flames will stay still or with the simple slide of a toggle the flames will dance like a real fire. Sometimes when my grand parents weren't around I would sneak into their livingroom and turn it on, it made me smile, it made me happy.
   My grandfather as long since passed away and everyday I see this clock on the end table in my livingroom and everyday I smile and think of him. The clock is his face, it's the memories of all the love he gave me. This is the man that taught me how to play checkers, chinese checkers & shuffleboard. This is the man I dragged to the beach wearing a white undershirt, shorts, socks and dress shoes. He was so patient with my sisters & I, his only 3 grandchildren, he was kind and loving and dearly missed. xo


Nana

   This little dish sits on my dresser, just as it did on my Nana's dresser for as long as I can remember. Nana used to keep it full of bobby pins, it kept them handy for when she did her pin curls. She used to call them pin curls, taking a small strand of hair, she would spit in her fingers, wetting and smoothing the strand and then tightly curling around her fingers and bobby pinning it to her head. I loved it when she did that to me, or put rollers in my hair, I felt so special, she was beautiful and very lady-like and it made me feel beautiful and all grown up.

   Both my Nana & Grandpa always seemed well groomed, even when they were dressed casually their clothes had firm crisp creases. Nana always matched her nail polish to her lips and always had on a necklace and clip on earrings, usually plastic baubles but they were beautiful in the eyes of a child. I loved it when she was in her nightgown getting ready for bed, her evening routine of pin curls and cold cream.

   It's funny what you remember, it's the moments, the snapshots in time.
I don't remember any toys they bought me or gifts they gave me, I just remember them, my Nana, my Grandpa and all the beautiful memories.

   I don't use bobby pins but I keep them in Nana's dish....as a reminder. 
I  miss their lemon spread, their fruit cocktail, the butterscotch candies, lard in a can on the counter, their green mugs, their foil christmas tree and beautiful ornaments, Grandpas tools and Nana's perfume.

I miss them........  xo