January 23, a Date to Remember

There are a number of dates in history that are connected to famous events. We just celebrated Martin Luther King's birthday, the President's days are coming, the Ides of March, and one of the most famous, the night the Titanic went down, April 15th, 1912. There have been several movies made about this historic occurrence, one entitled, "A Night to Remember". For me, January 23rd became one of those personal dates that I'll always remember, and now let me tell you why.

The bond that most grandchildren have with their grandparents is, undeniably, one of those relationships that can be very special. Although I never knew one of my grandparents, the other three were just, oh so wonderful in their own way. My grandmother, probably because she had more of those mothering instincts, topped the list. Her warm personality, gentle kindness, and diminutive size made her just right. She and my grandfather would come to our house for dinner almost every Sunday. If they couldn't come, the family would go to their home in the big city, Boston. Sometimes, several of us would be intentionally left behind to stay with Grammy for a few days. It is those times that I remember most vividly.

She had this dining room table set that we sat under for hours playing a game called "airplane". We pretended we were in the cockpit readying ourselves for takeoffs and landings; we even imitated all those familiar sounds. She had this old treadle sewing machine that served as our indoor see saw, after we moved on from the dining room. Then there was the front room where we could set up our little cities with cars and people, simply because there was enough room in there for this. And, of course, the winding stair well that provided her entry way. It was perfect for anything else we needed. Grandma's indoor playground had it all.

Naturally, she would have to have fed us at some point too. She had Ovaltine to make the chocolate milk. And if it was "mashed potato day" at Bristol Road, you'd have been in heaven, because hers were the best; lumpy as I recall. The rest of the menu didn't matter much. We all nestled into this nook in the kitchen where the dinner conversation took center stage. After the main course, we undoubtedly had a sweet treat from her infamous bakery down the street.

Yes, Grandma's on Bristol Road was an early learning center for my siblings and me. It was replete with whatever a kid could need and an endless supply of love. So, whenever January 23rd comes around, I think of the grandmother of grandmothers, the only grandmother I ever knew. By that final day of her life, she had accomplished the work of 2 grandmothers, an achievement that she, I'm certain, could be proud of for an eternity!