Day 654: A Gift from Grandma

I added this new photograph
to Creative Journey
in my Photography section,
Cow Creamer

In the summer of 1965, my parents went to the New York World's Fair. It was a big deal. There were 10 children to deal with. The older ones stayed home. We younger ones were farmed out to various relatives for the week.

My sister Janet, my brother Jon and I spent the week with Grandma and her husband who we called "Uncle Joe Fat." I was 7 years old.

That week, I learned how to dance The Jerk with the neighbor girl. We picked apricots off the tree in the back yard and made jam. We got to stay up 'late' and watch Grandma's favorite soap opera, Peyton Place. Grandma taught me to knit. I still have the set of pink double-pointed knitting needles she gave me. One of them is bent.

Another thing happened that week that changed my life forever. Yet ... I still don't have the courage to name it out loud. My sister Janet saw it happen and helped me deal with it years later, for my memory had blocked most of it out.

I loved my Grandma. At the end of the week, she lead me over to her china cabinet and said I could pick out any one thing and have it for myself. I picked this cow creamer. I thought it was funny that you could fill a cow with milk, and then pour the milk out of the cow's mouth. She now holds a place of honor in my own china cabinet.