This is the day after my grandmother, Marion Northrop passed away and my mind is filled with the memories of a great childhood with she and my grandfather. I remember visiting her frequently as a child and I clearly remember that she was entirely a meat and potatoes person. Always mashed potatoes and some kind of meat and vegetable. I don't know why that is the first thing that popped into my head but I guess I love food too much. Some of my favorites were mashed potatoes, gravy and roast beef, chicken and biskets and creamed potatoes. For breakfast she often made pancakes which were very good, but the women would put ketchup on her pancakes (paincakes as she called them). That I could never do! She and Gramp were also big fans of real Pennsylvania maple syrup and it was not unusually to have a gallon of maple syrup and some maple candy on hand. The woman also ate a ton of bologna sandwitches. I don't know why but she did. Perhaps it was a money saving effort, I really don't know.
The reality is she was a Christian woman who I believed loved the Lord and loved her children and grandchildren. Gram, as we all called her, took us on vacations with her to the outer banks in NC, kept my grandfather in line :), took us to church with her and loved on us whenever she could. Every morning, she and my grandfather had devotions at the kitchen table and would pray for each person in the family. Isn't that an amazing legacy and testimony to her faithfulness? I remember her yelling at Gramp to get up and take me fishing. Gramp would have some excuse and would say the fish are not biting because..., but Gram would stay on him until he took me. By the way Gramp was usually right and the fish were not bitting, but who cared. That is dedication to the family unit! Take a kid fishing even when you know you won't catch anything. Even with the suffering she had early on in her life with bad stomach ulcers which the medical community claimed was from worrying, she did quite well at keeping her cool with all of the little grandmonsters running around.
I also remember that she liked to watch people. What I mean is she would just sit on the porch and watch people. I as a youngster could not understand this even a little bit but she loved to do it. At one point she even began parking downtown and would just sit and watch people go by and see which ones she knew. Intersting hobby I suppose and it didn't cost any money. I remember taking walks every night I was there with she and gramp down to the donut shop and she was horrified that I could eat an entire eclair. This of course would cause her to worry about my weight and the weight of each member of my family.
I sit here now wondering why I am not in total tears after her recent death. Have I become hardened by the world and all its sin that I can no longer feel? I don't know. Perhaps it is because I have been expecting it and know she is with God and her husband. All I can say is that I loved her and I will miss her. Till we meet again Gram on the other side!
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