Memories of Gladys from her grandchildren

I asked my sisters/cousins to come up with some memories of Grandmom, to add to mine and to share with everyone. They delivered. Here they are (in no particular order). Please take time to enjoy them .

Lots and lots of swimming.

Doing flips off the side of the pool.

Eating watermelon until we were covered in red sticky juice and jumping in the pool to clean off.

Using the "window" from the laundry room into the back room for games and the like.

Sleep-overs at her house, lots-o-girls in one bed!

Gram's variety of pickles. I used to think her house was the only place you could get those cute little pickles. I thought the rest of the world had to have dill, only Gram had variety.

Her sweet iced tea; like the pickles, I thought it was tea you could only get at her house.

Eating Little Ceasars (Pizza! Pizza!) around her bar.

Playing at the playground at Bethel Mill Park.

Feeding the ducks at Bethel Mill Park, then racing to get into the pool as soon as we got back.

Playing with her touch-lamp.

Night-time pool swimming adventures (bathing suits optional?).

Eating out at Friendly's.

Waiting there overnight while mom was in labor with Sandy. And then being told she had been born (and thinking they had named her after a beach).

When we would leave, grandma and grandpa would stand at the front door and wave until you couldn't see them anymore.

She was completely fine with tons of people invading her home almost every single weekend in summer to use her pool.

Hanging out in the pool under the diving board while we were taking turns jumping.

Changing in the smallest, hottest shed ever!

Her voice. Can't describe it. Just felt...warm, and alive.

Partying up at the anniversary around the corner from Cindy's (it was like a block party).

Playing mermaid and never wanting to get out of the pool.

Watching fireworks down at the school or from the pool during summer.

Having to put on sunscreen in the car on the way over so we could go swimming right away.

Being given the priviledge of spraying water into the birdbath.

Waiting 30 minutes (an eternity) after we ate to go back into the pool.

Trying not to drip water on the floor when you had to go in and use the bathroom (because the chlorine would ruin the carpet).

Her perfume (smelled like the "Musky Jasmine" scent from Love's perfume)

The candy dishes around the house with different candies in them.

Hated the squishy toilet when you came in from the pool, and your legs stuck to the seat. And it was always cold because of the A/C vent right above you.

Whitey used to swim with us.

Wanting to pop the "bubbles" on the pool cover (like BIG bubble wrap), and wanting to walk across it.

The park and waterfalls.

Playing the games that she kept in the hot, dark shed.

Swimming under the Chinese lanterns.

That statue of the little boy holding the lantern in the from of the yard (kept changing colors).

Grandmom taking me to Friendly's, and me throwing up all over the table, and her taking me home and giving me a blanket (I was traumatized from Friendly's for a while after that).

I remember seeing our Christmas presents behind a chair once...a few Sprites from Rainbow Brite and a Lurkey doll. When we opened them up the next morning, I was disappointed that all my sisters got Sprites and I got the Lurkey doll.

Being amazed at how tan she was.

Sitting at the bar and thinking it was cool (and grown-up).

Mike shattering one of the glass tables by putting the candy back on it too hard.

Trick-or-treating in the neighborhood and being terrified of the person next door (I think because of some scary movie inside, or some sort of decoration...or maybe it was the rubber mask with the axe through the head).

My (Kim's) bridal shower was held there.

Christmas mornings with the whole family. Super-long table in the living room, across from Grandpop's old record player.