I remember ...

​

When I try to remember Grandpa Abernathy and Tilly it is mostly sensory. I have a very vivid picture in my mind of their trailer. 

I remember being amazed that Grandpa had read the entire Bible all the way through so many times. 

I remember the wooden bust of the Last Supper (or was it a painting?) 

I remember Grandpa always had a stubbly rough face but a loving honest smile.

I remember overalls that smelled like gasoline, he must have been a hard worker. 

I remember they both spoke very loud and Grandpa had a very distinct voice that I can still hear.

I remember never wanting to eat any of the food that Tilly had made and feeling bad becasue I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

I remember Tilly always being happy to see us, it seemed like she was always smiling.

 I remember...

 

Ridding in the very back of their station wagon because it was the neatest thing to be ridding backwards! Special birthday outings where I could get any CD I wanted from Tower Records. 

Getting a Christmas ornaments from Grandma Davis most years. 

Spending the whole day at their apartment making a menu and planning a special Anniversary dinner for Mom and Dad. 

Thinking it was the coolest thing that they had so many stuffed animals in their apartment and lots of Redskins stuff.

I always thought it was so neat that Grandpa Davis played the french horn in the Navy band. (I think that's right)

I loved how they came to my band concerts :)

Grandpa Davis' silly funny, sometimes inappropriate, humor was the best. I can hear his laugh very vividly.

The way Grandma would wrinkle her nose when she thought something was funny and she started to laugh.

I remember...

​

Hair in rollers watching Alford Hitchcock on the pull out sofa in Grandma and Grandpa Bell's house. I remember Grandma's hands were rough, probably from washing them fifty times a day because she did nothing but cook it seemed like. Even though the skin on her hands felt a little rough and dry it was always soothing when she would roll my hair into the curlers. 

The way the basement smelled because the walls were covered in plastic...(because of termites??) and the sound of the plastic wheels rolling over the cement floor from the play car that was in the basement. 

Playing on the front porch (because I always wanted a front porch) and it felt like we were in a movie... there was even lattice on one side of the railing. I also remember being bribed a dollar from Grandma to stop sucking my thumb... I didn't suck it the rest of the day :) And I have a faint memory of being afraid to play in their backyard because of snakes.

Grandpa was quiet but I remember he smiles like Dad.  He also talked like Dad, the way Dad pauses when he's telling stories.