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Monday, March 28, 2011

Memory Lane Monday's


Thank you for joining me for another Memory Lane Monday. I am linking up with Donna from Brynwood Needlework's . If you have a chance hop over to Donna's and check out her post about her dancing lessons as a beautiful young girl.

My memory today is about my grandmother who I always called MaMa.. When my children were little they called her Little MaMa.

My MaMa was only 4'11" but as they say dynamite comes in small packages and I am guessing that saying was originated from someone that knew Ruby.  She shared her birth and life with a identical twin sister and this picture was taken at their 80th birthday party. Ruby on the left  and her sister Pearl sitting on the right. Funny thing about their names there was another sister older and she was named Opal. Their mother named them all after jewels.

I can remember picking out these dresses with my Mama for this special occassion. We were on a hunt for the prefect dress and found it we both wanted Pearl to have one too. It was the first time since they were teens that they dressed just alike.

MaMa told me once that they looked so much a like that when they went on double dates to dances that they would go to the rest room and come back out and switch partners for a while. Oh how I wish I could of seen her back then doing just something as crazy as I would do. lol

Mama of course even at the age of  80 as seen in the picture had her hair colored. Her sister Pearl wore hers natural which was a beautiful white. She wore it up all the time in a bun where my Mama kept her hair short.

The memory I wanted to share with you today was of how she would cut loose and be fancy free when it was only the two of us around. One summer day while spending it at her house she brought out some old records and she tickled me to death by doing the Charleston. I am guessing she was probably then in her 60's but that little ole lady never missed a step and danced on and on.

To this day if I am quiet and close my eyes I can still see her in her little house dress swinging those legs and arms to that music. She had a grin on her face that was usually shared at really happy times and I know that she enjoyed her dance as much that day as I did.

If you ever get the chance to spend a day alone with your grandbabies just put on a record you love and dance with them. When Kaci was around 4 or 5 the first thing she would do when she came to my house was take my arm and lead me to the back bedroom where she wanted me to put on the music and the two of us would dance until someone found us.

Even last year she brought a note to me while the house was full of friends and relatives and I opened the note and she said, "Grandma Yellow Hair do you want to come upstairs and dance to Elvis with me?"
Walking up those stairs that day I had my MaMa's same grin on my face and I knew I was making happy memories.


Here is a picture of my brothers Gary, Tommy, MaMa and Me in the front row. My brother Doy in back was graduating from High School 1967. 


This is me taken at MaMa's house in Freeport, Texas. I have the pink lamp on top of the TV sitting by my bed now.  What do you think of my boots with my dress? hahaha

Hope you have a wonderful week and you make a lot of good memories.

Love to all
Maggie


30 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful story!! The older I get the more my memories mean to me. Sometimes a fragrance or a song will bring back the most wonderful feelings......
Love,
Marilyn

Julia said...

Well Maggie, aren't you the cutest little girl in that pretty dress and I love, love those cowboy boots.

You are so right about making good memories with your grandkids but It also should start with our own kids first. I know that it's easier with the grandkids because we are more mature and are more aware of how quickly time slips away but even our own kids needs to have special memories of our special time together. I love your post. JB

Createology said...

Love your memories and pictures. These stories are the best. Dancing is such a freeing expression of our selves. It is wonderful that you learned that very happy smile on your MaMa's face and continue to pass that on to your littles. Happy memories...

Tracy said...

Oh Maggie,
What a wonderful blog filled with memories...wonderful! I love the old TV and your boots; now those are some legs on you as a teenager, I want you to know!
Just fun!
thanks for your kind words of support...my day was better until 1:30 when I had to have a lump on my tongue removed to have a biopsy. damn, that hurts!
that was antoher thing that went wrong last week but didn't mention...anyway, thanks for the smiles!

Sue @ Not the Good Scissors! said...

Such wonderful memories. I have been thinking about my Great Grandmother a lot these last few months. I want to put a tribute together for her. Actually the name of my blog is a nod to her. She taught me how to sew and I remember that as clear as if it were yesterday. She was a huge influence on me.
Love you girlie.
P.S. You were a cutie patootie and I love the boots.

Arkansas Patti said...

Loved the pictures of the sisters. What rascles. I dated a twin once and never knew who I was really with.
So there was a real Pearl. Did she have the spunk your alter ego has?
Beautiful memories, thanks for letting us join you. Grandmothers are the best.

Linda said...

I loved the story of your Mama and her twin sister. I have an identical twin, and I can't imagine life without her. We have said so many times that everyone needs a twin. I am so glad she lives right across the street from me!

acorn hollow said...

When my daughter was little and we were having a snow storm I would sneak up and wake her up. we would bundle up and go sleding among the snow flakes and then fall laughing making snow angels. I plan on making memories with my new grandbaby. I have such wonderful memories of my gram and in the end that is all that is really left isn't it?
cathy

yaya said...

Maggie, such a good idea for a post! I might have to do the same...and I loved the stories and the memories you've held so dear. How cute is the pic with the identical clothes! I did notice the hair colors and thought, even though they're twins, they are still individuals with their own styles! I know you're a super Grandma and your Grandkiddos will always cherish their memories of you as well! Have a good week!

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

What a great memory, Maggie! I dance with my little eight month old granddaughter now, mostly to the themes to children's DVD's, but she gets it! I used to dance around with my daughter, too, when she was little, so I'm sure I'll be doing it with this little one {as long as I don't throw a hip out or anything!}.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Quite the fashion statement ya make wearin' those boots girl!!! Seems like ya come by all you sweet spunkiness naturally!!!

Love that pic of the twins!!!

Thanks so much for the great read sweetie!!!

God bless and have a beautiful day my friend!!!

Buttercup said...

Maggie, what sweet memories. My mother's mother lived with us and so we spent a lot of time together. We especially liked watching Mitch Miller and Lawrence Welk together. Whenever I hear "Yellow Rose of Texas" or "Que Sera" I think of my grandmother. Those were our songs!

Hugs across the miles!

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

My grandma's name was Ruby!
Miss her............
xx

Deb said...

that is a great post...I bet your MaMa was a great lady...I'm 4'11 too...LOL

Pat said...

What a lovely post. You are creating the same memories for your sweet granddaughter that your MaMa made for your. I was blessed with two amazing Grandmothers and knew I wanted to be the Mom Mom to Dylan that they were to me.

You are a Wonderful Grandmayellowhair!

Shirley said...

Thanks Maggie for sharing your post with us today. It brought back some beautiful memories. It is something that no one can take away from us. I liked your mini microwave from your previous post. It made me want one for my office so I could warm up my coffee without going downstairs. Hope you are doing o.k. Take Care. Your Missouri Friend.

A Tale of Two Cities said...

Oh, I love those names of the sisters--all jewels of a mother's crown. How cute the twins are in their matching dresses! Such sweet memories...

Brynwood Needleworks said...

Hi Maggie:
I love your stroll down Memory Lane this month! The photos are precious and I especially love your cowboy boots with your sweet little dress.

Thanks for joining the party and can't wait to see what you have cooked up for next month!

Hugs,
xoxo
Dee

Susan Anderson said...

What a cute picture of you in those cowboy boots! And your Mama sounds wonderful.

=)

Cat Nap Inn Primitives said...

what wonderful memories..and I love your boots..;) what a cutie patootie you are.:)

Olga said...

Ah, what sweet memories. My day will be filled with nostalgia now.

Sea Witch said...

Love Love Love the boots with the dress. What a joyful post. I miss my grandmother (we nicknamed the raisen). She was 4'11' and a stick of loaded dynamite. She worked every day of her life until she retired at 93. She loudly voiced her opinion whether you wanted it or not...we loved her. Miss you grandma. Sea Witch

Sonny G said...

This was such a joy to read and oh my the photos made me cry.. I too can remember the scent of my grandma and how she'd sway at the kitchen sink when Lawrence Welk's band was playin on tv.. I called her Nana.. she was only 4'11 when I was 12 and we were the same height:)
thanks for bringing back such sweet memories for me and for sharing yours..
xoxoxoxo
Sonny

HumorSmith said...

Thanks for the flashback Maggie love. I had a grandma like that. Into her 80's, if you wnet to her house at 10 PM or later and said, "Let's go get some food" she was in the car before you could stand up. She was also queen of dominoes, and the rest of us were a bit scared to play against her, but we did, and she always won. I miss her.

Kristy said...

Maggie, I just crossed paths with your blog via Yaya's blog. I just spent the last five minutes reading through your most recent "memory lane monday" and I'll be honest with you it brought me to tears. I lost my "Poppa" last summer and we had a similar relationship to that of you and your Mama! It made me smile to read you saying when you close your eyes you can see it as well, I am just the same. I always have memories to hold on to and it really makes me happy there are people like you to share similar stories and good times with. Thank you for this lovely post, it really was beautiful x

Kristy
myheartstumbles.blogspot.com

Donna said...

Your MaMa was like my GrandMa...spunky, funny and all around amazing!! She could still jump up on the kitchen counter tps at 90 to retrieve a tea pot!!
Thanks for a great story!!

Draffin Bears said...

Dear Maggie,

I loved reading about your dear Grandmother and what happy memories you have and love that they all had the names of precious jewels.
How sweet is the photo of you with your little boots and cute dress, you were a darling and still are. Thanks for sharing the lovely post.

Hope that you are having a lovely week
Hugs
Carolyn

Libbie said...

Maggie this post was WONDERFUL!!! I LOVE the grils all named after jewels! How cute is that!!! & those dresses! Yes...you were makining good memories indeed! & I love that you knew it at the time! Thanks for sharing!!! p.s. LOVE the boots with the dress!!!

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

What a sweet memory!

I can remember my grandmother playing 45's of all the great crooners of her generation while she cleaned house.

I loved to go "help" her clean...

xxoo,

RMW

Janet Metzger, Artist said...

Morning Maggie,
Good memories indeed! What a pair of beauitful ladies.
Loved the photo of you and the TV...we have come so far in our lifetimes. I am looking over at our flatscreen High Definition TV and am amazed at the progress we have made in technology.
But the heart strings of life remain the same.

Have a lovely weekend

janet xox