When I was little around 4 or 5 I went to Grandmas house a couple times a month.  She had broken her ankle and was still recovering when I came one weekend.  We were all in the back yard that Saturday, I was swimming in a metal washtub and running around the yard while Grandpa did yard stuff, and Grandma sat on the bench swing.  I don't remember what Grandmas wanted me to do but I wouldn't do it and she finally got upset enough to tell me Yes... I remember this part...if you don't come over here right now, the next time you do I will spank you!  I of course just giggled and ran my merry way.  About an hour later I had forgotten all about this and went to give her a hug and she spanked my little butt :-)  then told me I should never ignore her again and when she says she will do something she meant it.  Needless to say I never ran from her again ;-)  She used to tell me that story all the time.  She liked to tell everyone lol, but the funny thing is she probably only spanked me twice the whole time I was growing up.  I told her this once and she said that is because I learned my lesson from those two times and that she got her bluff in early :-) 

Smart woman.

Back in the day when I was maybe 9 years old, so that would be about 1959, my mother was playing first base for the All Women O-I Glass Plant slow pitch softball team. This memory comes to me cause I spent all day trying to get into the 25th Street Theater to see a move, took me three hours, got in line after line, got settled, got my pop corn for this new Disney Movie and Mother ran into the theater and pulled me out kicking and screaming (not) cause we had to go to the O-I Glass Plant Country Club so she could play slow pitch softball! Do not remember much after that, but do recall seeing mother playing first base, catching the ball, throwing the ball, and even saw her hit a tripple, but think they lost that game, but again my heart was not in it since I did not get to see that Disney Dog movie...smiles and frowns. Mother did a lot of things for the O-I Glass Plant other than just work there...smiles.

Mother worked for the O-I Glass Plant in Waco Texas for 40 years and became more of a legend over time as the Iron Maiden. The jobs at the glass plant were not easy and many did not make it in those jobs, mother on the other hand loved the work and the money, she made more money there than most in the Waco area. She started on the line and worked her way to middle management and loved every minute of it. I worked at the glass plant the summer after high school and it was funny to see all the men get out of her way and show respect while at the same time yelling at her or making jokes about women if they dare, mother could give as good or better than they gave it...smiles. My mother was one hell of a woman and she was good at what she did in the work place and all who worked with her, for her, and the few who supervised her seemed to know they were lucky to know her and have her in their work place. The life and times of us is not always easy, mother did her best to make life easy for her family, her friends and her self...she is missed.

My Grandma Bea was a strong willed wonderful woman.  She had stories of every silly thing I ever did and loved to retell them often :-)  She let me know I was loved as well as my little family.  We talk about her at least 3 or 4 times a month as we still use the afghans she made us and I still have some kitchen things she let me have a long time ago.  My older children Britney and Tyler remember her but my younger ones didn't know her that well.  They do remember eating with her a few times and visiting her in a hotel and that was fun for them, so they know who I am talking about when I am laughing about being loved better than snuff as she always used to tell me :-) As Britney has said above, sometimes I think I can feel here here watching over me and that is a comfort.  I think she is proud of Jeremy and I and our little family and that makes me happy.  She and Grandpa were always my role models for what a happy marraige was like and when I told her that she laughed and told me it was only happy because they had endured the hard times and never gave up on one another; and then proceed to grip about Grandpa doing this or that and Grandpa in the back ground saying, "Now Beeeaa she dosen't want to hear any of that."  Of course Grandma was grinning the whole time.  I miss them both but feel sure they are together.  That alone makes me able to miss them well and not be to upset when I think of them every year on their Birthdays.

I remember when Grandma Bea would tell us all the time that we were, "Making Memories." I loved it, every time she said it. Sometimes I feel like she's still here, checking in from time to time. 

I was cleaning out some old drawers and came across some super glue; it busted, and glue was all over my hands. I felt an urge to use vinegar. Grandma always told us to use vinegar for everything. It worked and all of the glue came off of my hand. :)