by Margi Bettelyoun

Created on: August 10, 2009

Going to Grandma's

Close your eyes and you can see it; the big white house only a half a mile from town on the dirt road. The first thing you will see is the grove; the tall trees that have been there forever. If you concentrate really hard you can see the people hauling buckets of water to them when they were little saplings. But, of course, you never really saw that; that happened before you were born. It is just another transferred memory; transferred from one of the bucket haulers. As you see the trees, strong, tall and protective, the smells begin and you know you are almost there. For on the other side of the grove is the barnyard. Oh, the glorious smells; musky, earthy, slightly stinky...Grandpa!

Yes, there is the barn. It is so big it could be scary to your young eyes. But nothing is really scary here. It's cavernous interior is full of adventure, education, cats, and big soft cow eyes.

Now you are turning, hang on to your stomach! Everyone knows you can't possibly wait another minute to get out of the old green station wagon. There are more big trees again, all around the fenced in yard with perfect grass for little feet to run on without the bother of shoes.

One last turn and at last the car stops and there she is, waiting for us. There is no possible way she can hug all of us at the same time but we don't notice because we all feel hugged by those loving, freckled arms.

By now our legs are ready to run and run we do; through the yard gate, up the three steps, through the back door and into the magical world of Grandma's kitchen. There are buckets of eggs and milk with the cream floating on top. There is a special tub that is always filled with cookies, delicious homemade bits of heaven. There are pies with unbelievable meringue and grown up food like meat and potatoes and the warm smell of coffee. She had been watching for the old green car and put the coffee on before we pulled in.

We walk in awe into the dining room where everyone sits in easy chairs. To the left, by the door to upstairs is the big green chair that is always occupied by Aunt Ellen. Her legs crippled by MS years ago make you feel an uncomfortable pity. Then you look into her bright shiny eyes and you forget pity.

The house is just as you remember it from last year and every other year of your life. The living room is always dark and cool with great big cabbage roses on the carpet and draperies. Children

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