My G.G.'s House

Growing up, I would go to G.G.'s house. I loved this house - Westover as she liked to call it. It smelled like fresh bread, the floors creaked when you walked, and every room had something for me to explore. The library had so many books that I would eventually have my nose stuck in as I grew older. I also loved to climb the magnolia trees which I fell out of more than once.

I have been told that I was allowed to do more in her house than any of her grandchildren (please note that the grandchildren were boys -- 6 of them). No child was ever allowed to go in the living room.... until me. There in the living room was the tea set that I thought was once a queen's. The writing desk had old letters from her brother in WWII and photographs that I loved to read and imagine who the people were. On one table was a little music box that G.G. eventually gave to me. I loved to twist the crank and listen to the song over and over. The song is "Always" by Irving Berlin. My great-grandfather whom I never met bought it for her. It was their song and he would sing it to her. The piano was there in the far corner. I loved to "play" on that piano. I would make up all kinds of songs which I'm sure drove my parents crazy, but my great grandmother loved it. G.G. would play for me and I would sit on the bench and listen to her. The last time I heard her play the piano was at my13th birthday when she sang and played hymns at the piano in our house.

There is something about that house that I can't explain. Not too long ago I was in a store and I picked up a candle to smell it. The familiarity of the smell smacked me in the face and the emotions came pouring in (no I didn't cry). So, I stood in the check out line smelling this candle trying to figure out what was so familiar about it. I finally realized it just as I was about to check out. It smelled just like G.G.'s house. It smelled like the library, the pillows, the rooms I would hide in and explore for hours. I loved that smell. It made me realize just how much I missed her and that wonderful house.




G.G.'s 80th birthday


Today would have been her 96th birthday, but I know she is happy where she is :)