Thoughts about Grandma Lee on Mother's Day

My Grandma Lee's home in Cayuga North Dakota

I am thinking that Grandma and Grandpa Lee sold their farm to Halver, their son, in the early 50's.  They then moved to this stone house in Cayuga.  I don't think Grandpa lived long after the move.  I believe he died of prostate cancer.  Grandma lived here for about a dozen years or so.  Her brother, Henry, lived with her much of that time.  Henry never married.  This picture was taken a couple of years ago.  As one can see, nobody lives there and I would say it has been a long time since it was occupied.  Some memories of Grandma in Cayuga.

• Uncle Henry lived with her and he smoked.  Grandma would not allow him to smoke in the house but in the winter time he could stand in the entry on the left of the picture.  The main door to the house is hidden by bushes.  When a person would enter the house the smell in the entry way from Henry's smoke.  I am SURE, whatever he smoked, they were the worst smelling cigarette in the world!
• The living room was the area of the house that is in the foreground of the picture.  It was there that Henry and I would sit and play Chinese Checkers.  I remember well, when I was in the 6th grade I became good enough to beat Henry most of the time.  At that point I almost had to beg him to play.  It was not long before we did not play at all.
• I often stayed with Grandma after a late late basketball or football game as Dad did not want to drive to Cayuga and sit in the car until midnight or later.  I was at Grandmas the night Ronald died.  
• Grandma always had cookies.  I mean always.  Mom would tell us on our drive to Grandmas that we should not ask for cookies.  She often reminded me of the time we were about to leave and I said to Grandma, "Mom said we can not ask for a cookie" Did I get a cookie?  I got 2 cookies, a big hug and a hardy laugh!
• I remember that Grandma always seemed to be happy and she was so fun to be with.  When they lived on the farm she canned and put up all kinds of garden things.  She had more kinds of berries---all of them ended up in great tasting jam or jelly.  She and Grandpa also had plum trees, apple trees and even a pear tree.
• For some reason Grandma thought the world was a better place if you ate oatmeal everyday.  As I think back maybe her oatmeal helped me do well in sports but if it did I will never admit it.
• When they were on the farm Dave and I could ride the big bike and the little bike to visit them. The ride was only 3 1/2 miles.  I would have to pedal hard to keep up with Dave on the BIG bike.  That did not happen very much as we were pretty small when they moved to town.
• Grandpa's laugh was big and bold enough to fill the Grand Canyon. I can still see him arch his back, throw his head back and laugh with a sound that seemed to fill the earth.  This was especially true when he would purposely delay present opening by eating and eating at Christmas time.  I can still see his huge hands too.  To me, they could do anything.
• As Grandma was dying in the Veblen Hospital she gave me a $20 for high school graduation.  As Dad and I walked to the car my fingers were white from holding that bill.
• A sad day when Aunt Amanda came from CA after Grandma died.  She and her sister Ragna were to get Grandma's things.  They pulled up to the house with a U-haul trailer and everything went in.  I did not see my beloved Chinese Checkers game leave but I knew they took it and I was sad!  A mainstay in Grandma's home was the china head of a doll.  I have no idea where it came from but that left too and it seemed like that was almost part of Grandma.

So on Mother's Day, I remember Grandma Lee not as a mother but as a wonderful grandma and a great friend.