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| MY SWEET GRANDMA NORA |
| THERE WE SAT, GRANDMA AND I ON HER LITTLE FRONT PORCH, WITH THE SMELL OF THE PULP MILL PERMEATING THE AIR; WHILE BARGES ON THE RIVER CAME IN AND OUT TO LOAD THEIR WARES. MY GRANDMA WAS ONE WHO LOVED TO CARE FOR YOU, SHE WOULD TALK ABOUT HER YOUNGER DAYS WHEN GROWING UP WAS HARD WORK. "YOU ALL PITCHED IN," SHE WOULD SAY, AND MANY WERE THE DAYS, YOU STAYED IN THE FIELD TIL DARK. MY SUMMERS GROWING UP WERE SPECIAL TO ME, BECAUSE SCHOOL WAS OUT, AND I COULD GO STAY WITH HER, BRIGHT AND EARLY EVERY MORNING, I COULD HEAR HER GETTING PAPA'S BREAKFAST READY, THEN OFF HE WENT TO WORK. AND AFTER HE WAS DOWN THE STREET, SHE WOULD CALL ME "GET UP SLEEPY HEAD, YOUR BREAKFAST IS ALMOST DONE." BY THEN I WAS SMELLING THE AROMA OF FRENCH TOAST FLOATING OVER MY BED, ALL THE TIME RUSHING, SO I COULD SAVOR EACH ONE. EVERY MORNING I ALWAYS KNEW THAT SHE WOULD MAKE MY FAVORITE, FRENCH TOAST WITH SYRUP, AND A DR. PEPPER IN THE LITTLE GREEN BOTTLE. AS I SAT DOWN, AND BEFORE I COULD TAKE A BITE, SHE WOULD SAY, "NOW BOW YOUR HEAD, LET'S THANK THE LORD FOR KEEPING US THROUGH THE NIGHT, AND THANK HIM FOR THIS BREAD." THERE ARE SO MANY MEMORIES OF THAT LITTLE HOUSE ON WATERS STREET, WITH THE PULP MILL ALWAY SAWING LUMBER OUR OF LOGS. MY COUSINS LIVED NEAR BY AND WE WOULD PLAY AND SOMETIMES DOWNTOWN TO THE MOVIES WE WOULD STRAY. ALWAYS ALONG THE WAY WAVING TO THOSE WE MEET. BUT GRANDMA, ALWAYS TOLD ME "BE HOME BY SUPPERTIME," PAPA LIKED TO EAT WHILE IT WAS HOT, "SO DON'T BE LATE, YOU HEAR?" SO I WOULD ALWAYS BE RIGHT ON TIME TO SET THE TABLE WHEN ALL WAS DONE, AND TAKE MY PLACE BETWEEN PAPA AND GRANDMA DEAR. I'M ALL GROWN UP WITH GRANCHILDREN OF MY OWN, AND I PRAY THAT I CAN BE THE WONDERFUL LOVING GRANDMA FOR THEM, WHEN THEY ARE IN MY HOME. SHE TOLD ME ABOUT JESUS AND HOW HE LOVED US SO, AND HE BLESSED HER IN MANY WAYS, THAT PROBABLY WE DON'T KNOW. SHE LABORED ON THIS EARTH AND WITNESSED FOR GOD, SHE RAISED SIX CHILDREN AND SHOWED THEM ALL THE RIGHT PATH TO TROD, SHE ENJOYED MANY GRAND CHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDS TOO AND LOVED THEM ALL THE SAME, SHE BLESSED THIS WORLD FOR OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS, AND WENT HOME TO REST WITH JESUS, WHERE THERE IS NO PAIN. HER LOVE LIVES ON IN OUR HEARTS, AND MINDS, AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THE TIMES, SHE WOULD PLAY HER LITTLE ORGAN AND SING TO ME, AS I SAT BESIDE HER KNEE. ALWAYS KIND, THAT'S THE WAY I REMEMBER THAT SWEET GRANDMA OF MINE...... GOD BLESS GRANDMA'S EVERYWHERE WRITTEN BY SHIRLEY BARR IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY GRANDMOTHER NORA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
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