I remember what the house was like when we spent the night at Grandma's. [View All]

[Bertha Venation]

In the evening, we'd sit on the floor in front of her big TV and eat Planter's Dry-Roasted Peanuts and drink Dr Pepper. We'd watch "Truth or Consequences," "Bowling for Dollars," and "What's My Line." The nubby carpet was dusty. I liked doing that so much; it's one of my best memories.

Suzy was Grandma's little black & white dog. Well, when I was a child, she was huge. I held her front paws and we danced; she was almost as tall as I was. But when I saw a picture after Grandma died, I was surprised at how little Suzy was.

Although I know it had to be small, the room we slept in seemed enormous to me. It held three twin beds with tiny nightstands between them.

After we all went to bed, the house was . . . nice. I don't know how else to describe it. I got out of bed once in the middle of the night and walked around. I liked it. The house was cool and dark and smelled like Grandma.

I can close my eyes and be standing in the kitchen, able to tell you where everything was. I remember the glasses my grandma and her husband drank their buttermilk from. I remember the brand of buttermilk -- Foremost -- and remember the label. I know the cabinets in which she kept her Melmac dishes. I think my sister still has Grandma's favorite paring knife, the one she used to peel an apple everyday for her husband's lunch. For breakfast Grandma gave us Raisin Bran -- actually bran flakes to which she added raisins. Same thing, really. She was inventive. I loved her salad dressing: mayonnaise, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish. I remember standing in the kitchen and Grandma giving me a Bubble-Up cold from the fridge.

On the back patio sat an old washing machine with a wringer. I'll never forget that. Grandma grew tomatoes in her garden, and I was grossed out watching her pluck the fat blue worms off the plants and smushing them underfoot. She had a plum tree and that was my favorite part of her backyard. I loved those plums so much. They were better than any plums I've ever had since.