Posted by
GeorgAnna
at
3:56 PM
FEED THE ANIMALS and MEMORIES
You might wonder what this game has to do with memories , right? Everyone in the May family will remember THE BIG YELLOW HOUSE
Grandma and Grandpa May's house on Carter Street, where the lives of so many were influenced. Yesterday I got an e-mail from Karen, who needed a copy of a letter she once wrote for the 60th anniversary party for the Mays in 1988. Amazingly I found it, in a book of letters many sent in with their memories. Here is what Karen wrote :
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An interesting thing happened to me one day at a Primary inservice meeting. We were asked to think back to our childhood to a place in which we felt very safe. What came to my mind was a picture of a 1 1/2 block section of Baker, Oregon. I was about 7 years old at the time and was on my bicycle half way between our house and Grandma and Grandpa's house. I thought it was odd that I was between the two houses.
We then had to answer the question of why we were there, who we were with, and what we were doing. My mind focused on Grandma May. I was in her house, and although I think there were other people around, I don't know who they were. It was just Grandma May and me at the kitchen table playing a game about feeding peanuts to elephants. I know there were good smells all around (because at Grandma's house there always are) and I think Grandpa May was in the bedroom taking his afternoon nap. He always closed up the bicycle shop to eat lunch with Grandma and take a nap.
After getting this image in my mind, I had to explain it to the person sitting next to me and tell her why I thought of this place at this time. I think I thought of this because 1 1/2 blocks away there was a house full of little Fullers and my Mother was probably very busy taking care of and picking up after all of us. I remember many other days when I went over to Grandma's JUST TO BE THERE with her. Or I would walk to town with my brothers just to visit with Grandpa. Sometimes he would open the cash register and give us each a dime for an ice cream cone.
It's nice to know that place is still there. A place to go JUST TO BE THERE. A place where you didn't have to do anything, yet a place where there is always something to do. Always a mystery to find in the attic, a toy or game to find hiding in the closet, a photo book to wander back in time with, or a backyard hamburger and homemade ice cream party.
With all of the relatives moving here and there across the country, the big yellow house on Carter Street. is the one stable thing we can all go back to. I hope the two people who live there know they are dearly loved by many, many people.
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Here is the interesting part. A couple of months ago son Linn told me, "I bought a game on E-bay that they are sending to you. You'll know what I mean when it comes"
Well, it came A GAME OF FEED THE ANIMALS
but I had no memory at all of it, perhaps because I was home tending
"Little Fullers"
But the big yellow house I remember, having lived it in for 19 years before I got married.
It's fun to know that my kids loved going to Grandma's house.
Maybe the person who wrote LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD also had memories
of a grandma's house she visited, just her and Grandma
THE BIG YELLOW HOUSE
After I wrote this, I was wondering if people thought good things about my house.
I got an e-mail from daughter Ruth :
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I loved this story. Thanks for sending it. I thought I'd mention that my kids feel the same way about your house. Pearl calls it "the house with no worries". We decided that is partly because we always go in the summer, when there's no school or homework, and we can all just veg and relax. They also said we have time to do stuff we don't normally do, like sit around outside and talk, or watch old Bearenstein Bears or family videos. They all agree that your house had a particular smell, that they like. Maybe it's food cooking, or the basement smell that they like, but it's particular to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Isn't that cool? I was worried that they wouldn't have those lasting feelings, since we don't live close and see you as often, but they are there none the less. I think it's just the fact that we are on vacation, with nothing to do but relax and spend time together. That's what makes all grandmas' houses special. That, and making pies. They love making pies with you.
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What more could a grandma ask for?
I have read that of all the senses, smell is the one that is strongest
for bringing up memories
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What's amazing is the number of people who were touched by Grandma and Grandpa May. I too have these feelings with their home. Seeing it again this summer touched my heart, brought back memories and really made me feel sad that my wife and children won't have the opportunity to be touched by them as I have. At least not in this life. :-)
benicholmikevanina said...
October 2, 2009 at 10:28 AM
What's amazing is the number of people who were touched by Grandma and Grandpa May. I too have these feelings with their home. Seeing it again this summer touched my heart, brought back memories and really made me feel sad that my wife and children won't have the opportunity to be touched by them as I have. At least not in this life. :-)
benicholmikevanina said...
October 2, 2009 at 10:29 AM
What's amazing is the number of people who were touched by Grandma and Grandpa May. I too have these feelings with their home. Seeing it again this summer touched my heart, brought back memories and really made me feel sad that my wife and children won't have the opportunity to be touched by them as I have. At least not in this life. :-)
benicholmikevanina said...
October 2, 2009 at 10:30 AM