MAMA & PAPA DEAN

This picture, made years ago, is the only one I have of Mama and Papa, my maternal grandparents. It brings back a myriad of memories as I look at who they were, and how they affected my life! When we visited in the summer, their house had a special, cared-for smell of country living. The house itself was made completely of wood, inside and out, with wooden walls, wooden floors and wooden ceilings. The house had a wholesome wood smell, and Mama swept the floors daily to make sure it stayed clean. When we visited, mother always made sure we helped out, so we weren't a burden to them. We helped with the sweeping, dish washing and whatever other chores we were assigned, and they had to be finished before we were free to play and roam the woods. If I could only count the times we raced down the hallway, through the house, from the back porch to the front, and bounded off the steps or one end of the porch or the other! This house, with a hall that separated the house into two side, from the back porch, straight through to the front porch, was set on brick pillars, and at some points under the house, one could stand up without bumping into the foundation boards--and other times one COULD NOT!!! OUCH! Mama and Papa had a collie dog, and he would run under the house, barking because we were running. Woe be the kid that dog nabbed-if you stopped, he would too, and we knew to stop immediately to keep from being bitten!!! There was a wooden swing on the front porch, just right for three or four kids to swing for ages! If one sat in the middle, and held the two chains, pulled inward, the swing would tip backward, and sometimes dump the swinger(s) out, only to be repeated until one learned the exact amount of pressure to use to tip backward without falling!! Quite a feat for kids! Other fond memories this picture evokes are of walking down the red dirt road, hot and sweaty, and coming back to the house for our afternoon treat. This treat was called a "spanking" by Papa and he would have us line up for our "spanking". He would swat each of us gently on the backside, and then send us to the dining room where Mama would give each of us a Dr. Pepper or a Coca Cola--not a Coke, or Pepper, but the full name of the cherished soft drinks. These were real treats because our mother did not believe in allowing soft drinks regularly, so to be given one each day was a delight beyond imagination! One day, I'll tell you about Garland, Alabama and how much fun it was to ride in the back of Papa's pick-up on a trip to the store, but for now, I hope this has given you just a taste of a simpler time when children entertained themselves, and were expected to come up with their own ideas for entertainment. TV was only turned on at night to watch the news. Besides, who had time for TV when the outdoors offered Hide N Seek, and Lightening Bugs, galore!