Prologue
As I reflected on various places that have impacted my life, I kept reliving my teenage journey. I have been through the ups and downs, the heartbreaks, and the triumphs. Many incidents that occurred in my journey have shaped me into the person I am today. Without my family to help guide me, I’d be lost. As I’ve matured, I have a much more deeper appreciation for my family and I cherish every moment that is spent with them.
My grandparents have always played a tremendous role in my life. Aside from my grandmothers famous homemade Italian cooking, their house holds countless memories that I will treasure as my life moves forward. During the winter, I can't help but think about my grandfather and his passing. For this assignment, I chose to focus on my grandparent’s house and the memories that I shared with my grandfather inside the house and outside of the house.
Tweets That Inspired my Twitterive:
Looks like I'm going to grandmas house this weekend #twitterive
There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find ways in which you yourself have altered -Nelson Mandela #twitterive
The memories I have at grandma's house will be forever treasured #twitterive
"Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." The Wonder Years #twitterive
Every time I walk into my grand mom's house, I think of you.. Miss you everyday pop-pop #twitterive
Pop-pop, remember we used to go fishing here? #twitterivehttp://twitpic.com/3zew2m
A Step Back in Time
I can remember like it was yesterday. I was twelve and my brother Mike was thirteen. We had to sleep over my grandparent’s house while my parents were away on vacation.
“Pop-pop can I go out to the movies with my friends tonight? Its not a school night,” I asked.
“No, it is dark out. You are not allowed out past 8:00,” He said firmly.
To put it mildly, my grandparents were very old fashioned. Even when I got my license, they refused to let me drive when it was dark out. As a young teenager, I used to get frustrated because my grandparents were so strict. I would dread staying over their house because I knew they wouldn’t let me go anywhere. When I think back to how firm they were, I laugh. They were conservatives. Of course being the baby in the family didn’t help much either.To this day, my grand mom still tries to brush my hair.
My grandfather was someone who I could joke around with and talk to for long periods of time. He was someone who would always listen to what I had to say, even if the things I said were not important. In my grandparents house, my favorite place to talk was their sunroom. Whenever I would sleep over, I would ask my pop-pop to eat breakfast with me in the sunroom so I had someone to talk to. Even though the sunroom in my grandparents house was my favorite room, nothing compares to the neighborhood lake.
The lake was located two blocks down from my grandparent’s house. Once I discovered that we could fish there (but we had to put them back in the water), it soon became a new ritual for my grandfather and me.
"Hey guys, can I come fishing? I am tired of just laying around and eating all day," said my brother Mike.
"Nope, it's me and Kimberly's time together. I will take you another time," Said my grandfather as he put his arm around my shoulder.
"Are you kidding me! That brat always gets what she wants." Mike said as he started to walk back into the kitchen.
"If you give me an attitude like that again, I won’t take you finishing at all!" Pop-pop yelled as we started walking out the door with our fishing poles.
I always laughed when my brother got in trouble, especially when my grandfather yells at him. I though it was so amusing. In my grandparent’s eyes, I am the youngest; therefore, I get favored over others. I couldn't argue with that belief.
We fished for hours. Sometimes, we wouldn’t leave the lake until the sun was setting and the sky turned orange. Once it turned to dark, we would walk back to my second home.
"Where have you been?" Grand mom screamed.
"Relax Betty, we were just watching the sunset." Said pop-pop.
"You two are late for supper, now wash your hands and come sit down."
My grandfather and I looked at each other and chuckled every time my grand mom would yell at us for being late. We knew she would get over it an hour later so being late became a normal thing.
The lake became a huge part of my life. Even when I first started driving, I would make sure I was able to have time to go there with my grandfather at least once a weekend. There was nothing special about this lake. In fact, it was a man-made lake that consisted of three types of fish: catfish, cowfish, and trout. It didn't matter how big the lake was or how many different types of fishes it had, what mattered was being able to spend treasured moments with someone close to my heart.
A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.
~Henry David Thoreau
~Henry David Thoreau
Sunday Dinners
As we drove to my grandparent’s house mike gave me a strange look.
“What are you looking at?” I asked.
“I can’t wait to stuff my face, I’m already thinking about how I am going to be sick after I’m done eating,” said Mike.
As we pulled into the driveway, my family and I walked in, gave grand mom and pop-pop a kiss, and headed to the T.V. room until my grand mom was finished doing some last minute cooking.
“Dinners ready!” grand mom yelled from the kitchen.
My entire family got up from the couches and went running into the living room to see the table filled with bread, pastas, meatballs and sausages.
“pop-pop, don’t forget to sit next to me,” I said as I sat down.
“Do I ever forget?” He chuckled.
“I swear, Kimberly still acts like she’s a kid sometimes,” Chris said.
My parents and other siblings started laughing. I ignored what he said and started scooping some eggplant on my dish.
“She’s not a child. She’s my little princess,” said pop-pop.
“That’s right, thanks for backing me up,” I said as I looked at my brother Chris across the table.
Everyone stopped laughing and started yelling about something else, which usually started with a popular show on television and ended with the topic on politics. Even though I would usually get a headache from my family talking so loud, there is nothing in the world that compares to Sunday dinners at my grandparents.
Let's dance to your favorite song:
The
Broken Chain
I little knew that morning. God was going to call your name,
In life I loved you dearly, in death I do the same.
It broke my heart to loose you, you did not go alone,
for part of me went with you, the day God called you home.
You left me beautiful memories your love is still my guide,and though we cannot see you, you're always at my side.
Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same,
but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.
-Ron Tranmer
Dear Diary,
It has been nine years. Memories of pop-pop still linger in my mind. It feels like yesterday that my grandparents would take their grand kids crabbing. Even though I dreaded the
disgusting smell, I loved crabbing in pop-pops tiny twelve-foot boat. What I loved most about crabbing was bringing them home for grand mom to cook. Pop-pop and I used to throw them in the pot and watch the poor little crabs slowly pass away. We rarely got to go crabbing, but fishing at the neighborhood lake became a monthly ritual.
Whenever I think about the pranks Mike and I pulled on pop-pop I start laughing. We used to get in so much trouble when we slept over their house. We would call the house in the middle of the night and make pop-pop get out of his bed to answer the phone. Once he answered the phone, we would hang up immediately. We did this about two to three times a night. When pop-pop walked back into his room, all we heard on the way back was "those pests, why the hell do they call so late." Mike and I would laugh so hard we would have to stick our faces into our pillows so pop-pop wouldn't hear us. Every time I go into the guest room, I think about the many times I slept at my grand parents house. It gives me a warm feeling like I was little again, but when I step foot in my grandparent’s bedroom it almost feels like my pop-pop never left. After several years, his clothes still hang in his closest as if he just went on vacation.
If pop-pop saw me now, he would be so proud. He always had faith in me, even when I was going through a "rebellious" stage. Pop-pop saw me interact with children, but he would be surprised to know that I am pursuing a career in special education. I wish he was around to see all my accomplishments throughout the years. Most of all, I wish he was around to see me walk at graduation. I know he can see me, but it still hurts knowing that I can't see him. I'm sure he is smiling from down from heaven feeling so grateful that he was blessed with six wonderful grand children.
