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My favorite thing in the world as a child was to visit my grandparents in Lothair, Kentucky.

My mamaw was the epitome of a true Christian woman, and my papaw was a leather skinned

retired coal miner with a heart of gold.

I knew when I woke, Mamaw would have something scrumptious cooking for dinner, with breakfast

ready on the table. Mamaw would sit me on her counter-top and show me how to peel potatoes

and apples, and prepare them in ways that had been passed down from generation to generation.

After Mamaw and I cleaned up the dishes, and made the beds, and tended to the garden, we

would take a walk to either a family members house or to Magic Mart, Maggard's store, or just

down to Jacks store for a quick snack.

One of my favorite family members to visit was my Aunt Lori Martin. She was quite a talker,

but she always had gum. She had a sense of humor that had no age limit. I loved to listen

to her stories and jokes. Mamaw called me Lil Lori because I talked so much.

My all time favorite days there was when Mamaw and Papaw took me to the bargain barn. For

those of you not familiar with Eastern Kentucky, this was equivalent to a thrift store. My

grandparents would buy me an antique toy that I could play with while visiting them.

My papaw was very fond of me and he treated me like the little porcelon dolls they would buy

except when Mamaw wasn't looking. He would tell her we were going out 'visiting'. I will

always remember her telling her to keep me out of that honky tonk, and he would religiously

swear that he would never!

Fifteen minutes later, we were always walking into "The Brown Derby", Papaw's favorite (and

only), bar in town. Papaw would set me on the bar and say give my little Shirley Temple one

of everything sweet behind that counter. After about 30 minutes of him having me sing and

dance and cheer for his buddies, we would head back up the hill to home, me with a bag of

candy, and a promise to my Papaw that we had just been down to Jacks store, 'visiting.'

Learn more about this author, Sharon Smith.
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