To...go down memory lane, School Street
was a second home for many, many years. Steve and I
spent much of our early years at grandma's. For a
while after we moved from High Street, our family
lived on Maiden Lane, right behind School Street,
then we lived on Main Street and visited grandma
almost daily. When we started school, she used to
send her handy man, Mr. Green (?), to take us to
school every day. I had a second bed in her room for
years (until I was 10 or so). When Crystal stayed
with her, she and I would share the room nearest the
large bathroom with bath in the front.
When we were young, all the
nurses/aides would check up on us particularly during
meals. Vegetables had habit of disappearing off our
plates into the dog's dish. (He didn't like Brussels
sprouts either). Steve and I used to go upstairs and
if Ceil and Ethel would let us, we would play
checkers with Neil. Neil had underdeveloped legs, but
he put up with us regularly. Ada was always in the
rocking chair, and there was an elderly couple who
adored us kids. Her name escapes me at the moment.
Gladys (an aide) would let us get away with most
anything. My Aunt Linda (Baker then) also worked
there. Steve and I were in her wedding, and she
brought the wedding party over after the ceremony so
everyone could see.
The top floor of the barn/garage was
off limits and therefore irresistible. Years later
she would tell me that she would let us get away with
being there, "because sometimes she was supposed
to look the other way". There was a huge tree in
back of the barn perfect for climbing. We would
always pick the daffodils from the creek in the
spring. She always had bird feeders or suet out. She
liked to watch them from the window when she was
doing dishes. The rhubarb in the garden was a special
treat to eat raw.
She always made us a huge breakfast, a
glass of milk, toast, one egg soft boiled and cereal.
Sunday dinner was always a big dinner. Dad was
usually there, or he would often be down, looking for
leftovers.
The pantry under the stairs was a great
place to hide.
She had a great big tin full of buttons
that I loved to play with.
In the summer she took us to the
playground nearly every day. Sometimes she would take
us to Jacob's Ladder and let us feed the reindeer.
She would make sandwiches and drive us to some
special place and let us run around outside up and
down the hills. She would sing the umbrella man to
us. She came in every night to tuck us in and say our
prayers with us.
Some of the memories are of High Street
too. Occasionally two or three times a year, she made
us "the special drink", grape juice, ginger
ale and a dash of lemon, or the salad with the little
shrimp which we would eat out on the back porch (High
Street).
She loved to go for drives,
particularly in the autumn. She would drive a certain
road that was "ribbed" because the
vibration made Steve's feet tickle. When we came down
a big hill she would "coast" the car for
us. She would drive us to see the beaver's house. She
took us for vaccinations. She took us to Georgia to
visit Aunt Allison and her family. I left playdoh on
her brick patio so I know I made an impression.
Grandma was my second mother growing up.
Never in my life have I ever known such unconditional
love. When I was in my first year of college, she
would make pork roast for me every Tuesday night for
dinner, because she knew it was my favorite. She
would take us to dinner at the Log Cabin for veal
parmesan. Every summer she would take us to Taconic
Park for a picnic. She would
make me spell the days of the week to her before
bedtime. She taught me how to crochet and knit. She
would listen to me read aloud to her for long periods
of time. She would tease "Nobody loves me
everybody hates me, I'm going to the garden to eat
some worms." That plague was in her bedroom ever
since I can remember. I can go on for a while. She
was very special to me and made me feel very special
to her.
Tracy Larkin-Thomason
December 26, 1998
