Always Remembered, Never Forgotten!

The word childhood is synonymous with family for me. As a child I spent every holiday with my cousins. There were eight of us total (this includes a close family friend that we adopted as a cousin) and we were all girls. I have vivid memories of lining up on the fireplace before Easter mass with frilly dresses, itchy can cans and patent shoes. I savored our Christmas Eve tradition of a big family dinner, opening gifts, modeling new clothes, and Christmas mass. When I smell fresh cut grass or honeysuckle I’m instantly converted back to my grandparent’s farm where I would swing, sing songs and play hide-and-go seek on the blanket of soft green grass with my cousins. As we’ve all grown and married and had children and moved on, it’s been harder and harder to stay connected. The great thing about cousins, is when we get together we instantly pick up where we left off. We are friends for life!

The center point of my family has been my grandparents, Joe and Irene Koditek. Married for 69 years and living in the same house, they have brought all of us stability. Over my life I have moved several times but when I visited my grandparents, I always felt like I was home. They lived in an old white farm house with black shutters and a big front porch. You always knew when a stranger was visiting because they would attempt to use the front door. Their house had no central heat or air conditioning and only one bathroom but even on the hottest days, the coldest nights, and longest waits for the bathroom, everyone was comfortable when they visited.

I have fond memories of visiting Grandma and Grandpa in the summertime. I remember Granny fixing lemonade and banana pudding. I also recall the night that she slept in the camper with me because I wanted to go camping. Grandpa was always ornery and I remembering him teasing or telling tall tales. I also remember sitting outside with him and watching the birds after dinner.

In January of this year Grandpa passed away at 92 years of age. I tried to find peace and comfort that he had no more pain or suffering and that he had lived a wonderful, fulfilled life. My entire family gathered at Grandpa’s funeral and I really felt comforted by them, it was a true celebration of his life. Granny is still living but has Alzheimer’s. It is really hard for me to connect with her but I love her just the same. Her condition would not allow her to live alone so she resides in an assisted living center. After debate and dilemma, it was decided that the farm should be sold. An auctioneer was hired and the arduous task of emptying the contents of a home filled with 69 years of possessions and collections began. My mother and aunts contacted me and my cousins many times to ask what possessions we wanted. Still numb from the death of Grandpa, I could not think of anything to ask for. This made me feel guilty, there should be something I would want but I had what I needed. I had 34 years of wonderful memories that money could not buy.

  

   

  

 

 

Shortly after the funeral I discovered a small flower pot that my grandmother gave me when she’d shared her aloe vera. The pot was white hobnail milk glass. I told my mother and aunt that if they came across anymore milk glass, I’d like to have it.

Several months later my mother delivered a box of several vases and dishes, all white milk glass. I was very surprised and very happy to receive them. As the auction approached a feeling of panic set in. I could not fathom never seeing the farm again. I needed one more turn on the swing, one more trot down the old blue staircase, one more taste of honeysuckle. My daughter Lily and I made the trip to Muskogee. As I parked my car and stepped out into the wet grass (freshly coated with dew) the smell of honeysuckle overwhelmed me. As I approached the house, I realized just that, this is just a house, it was no longer a home and no matter what becomes of it, I will always cherish the memories made there. Words cannot describe the feeling of seeing 69 years worth of possessions scattered about the grounds of that farm. It turned out that the auction held some hidden treasures: some glass serve ware, another milk glass piece, a glass cake stand, and my grandmother’s cast iron skillet that she fried chicken in every Sunday. These are all items I bid on and won.

As hard as it was to watch the auction there was a silver lining for me. I relished in the joy of watching Lily swing on my favorite swing. I cried tears of joy as she tasted honeysuckle with me for the very first time. I admired her as she ran through the soft green grass, playing with her cousins the way I had once played with mine. As we left the farm that night, I was exhausted but I had peace. People change, things change, and time changes everything but the memories made at the farm will always be with me.