Missing My Great-Grandmother Freda

Missing my great-grandmother Freda, She has been with the good lord since 1996 or somewhere around there. She was a wonderful grandmother to me. She was very outgoing and loved to play, whether it was a game of cards or out dancing the night away. When any family or close friends came to town there was always a gathering at her house, pot luck, lots of yummy food. My favorite was her fried chicken and her wonderful sweet macaroni salad. That no one has even came close to making since she has been gone. Although I will give my grandma C credit for trying, hers is good just not like Grandma Freda's. Lots of food and grandma always had sweets in the house, even when there was not anyone coming to town. If there was no cookies in the cookie jar. There was always some in the freeze on the porch and if she was out there, by golly there always were cool whip containers out in the garage full of cookies. I loved the frozen cookies she had. She is the one that taught me to dip them in black coffee, oh my. What a treat. To this I day love to freeze my homemade cookies just so I can dip them in my coffee, that is the only way I will have a cup , then I let me kids have the rest. I know should not give my kids coffee, but it did not hurt me so I am sure they will alright by drinking the crumbs in the little bit of coffee that is left. I have so many memories of her. Sometimes she would let me go into her room and pick out a pair of her shoes and play for a while I was there. She had every color every style of shoe that was known. She would not buy one pair but four of the same shoe in different colors. Her closets were full of clothes. Bright colors, crazy designs, of course she had the grandma blah clothes too. She even had a selection of wigs. But let me tell you this woman took pride in what she looked like. And her closet was just the beginning of it. On her vanity set a gold round tray with glass in the bottom of it and set several bottles of perfumes some were even in fancy bottles and pump sprayers. On the wall she had tons of necklaces hanging all different colors and styles A jewelry box full of clip on earrings.. Sometimes she would let me wear some of the necklace and earrings while I was running around her house. If you went into her all pink bathroom, even the tub was pink and cool weird shape tub. and you open any of the drawers there you would find twenty different colors of lipstick and tons of nail polish. My great grandmother not only had taste in fashion, but I can remember us cousins back on the back porch listening to her selection of music she had, anywhere from on top of old smoky to some song about not playing with my dingling song, to Hank Williams Jr. If we were not back listening to the tunes we were in the china hutch where all the cool board games poker chips, dominos etc. were stored. On that china hutch was a green candy dish that always had mints or lemon drops in it. If it was not on the hutch it was on her table. Grandma's house was like out of a picture everything had its place. Even after a gathering that ended at one am. It was always picture perfect. We lived a block from each other and I can always remember going over to see her in the afternoon and we would watch jeopardy together or family feud. Sometimes her boyfriend George would be over visiting. He taught my brother and I how to play golf, a card game with four cards. He was a good guy for the most part. He helped my grandmother out and they seemed to enjoy each other's company. One passion that my grandmother and I shared was Sheba. I really not for sure who Sheba belonged to, but somehow she became my dog at night and Grandma Freda's by day. She was a mixed Beagle I think. She was my best friend. Love to cuddle and have her tummy rubbed. Even if grandma was out having coffee with her friends, Sheba would be on her steps waiting for her. And then in the evening time she would come home to me. Sheba moved out to the farm with us, and sometimes she would get to see grandma. . What wonderful memories I still have of her. . Just like yesterday being able to taste the wonderful food and sweets and the smell of her lingers in the air sometimes. As I got older, Grandma started to have some problems with feeling blue and sad a lot. She seemed to struggle with that in her final days here on earth. It was sad to see her go thru some of the things she dealt with and lot of us did not understand why she was blue. She lost the drive of the partier inside her, and the will of happiness. Sometimes the unknown is for the good.

I can relate to that void inside from time to time, such a dark lonely place to be. . I sure do miss those times we shared. But I will always remember and she will never be forgotten.