MOVING DAY

IT WAS A LONG 3 MONTHS BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO FINISH THE MORTGAGE PROCESS, AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAD TO SELL THE RAT HOLE. CHRISTMAS WAS WONDERFUL THAT YEAR, THE FIRST CHRISTMAS FOR AARON AND THE LITTLE GIRLS REALLY ENJOYED HAVING HIM TO SPOIL. WE HAD A FAMILY TRADITION OF EATING HOLIDAY MEALS AT MARTIN'S PARENTS HOMES, SO, ON CHRISTMAS DAY, WE ATE LOLA'S FABULOUS PIE WITH OUR CHRISTMAS MEAL. THERE WAS ALSO THE TRADITIONAL TURKEY DINNER- BUT EVERYONE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE PIE. ON CHRISTMAS EVE, WE HAD GONE TO MARTIN'S MOM'S HOUSE, (HER NAME WAS DORIS) AND OPENED GIFTS WITH ALL THE COUSINS. EACH YEAR ON THE WAY HOME ON CHRISTMAS EVE, WE WOULD LOOK UP INTO THE SKY, (AND SEEING THE LIGHTS OF A PASSING PLANE) SAY, "OH, WE HAVE TO HURRY! SEE, SANTA IS LOOKING FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD." OF COURSE WE HAD TO SET OUT THE COOKIES AND MILK FOR SANTA- AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF COOKIES TO BE HAD- THE GIRLS AND I HAD BEEN BAKING FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. LOOKING BACK, I DON'T KNOW WHY I FELT THAT I HAD TO BAKE SO MANY CHRISTMAS GOODIES, I ALWAYS MADE HUNDREDS OF COOKIES, FUDGE BY THE POUND, CHOCOLATE DIPPED PRETZELS, AND OTHER TRADITIONAL WONDERS. STILL, IN SPITE OF THE HUGE NUMBERS, EVERYTHING WAS EATEN- AND WE ENDED UP LOOKING FOR MORE. IT WAS SO SPECIAL, AND MARTIN NEVER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE COST OR THE TIME IT TOOK. I THINK THAT BOBBIE JO LEARNED TO BE AN EXCELLENT COOK, BECAUSE SHE LOVED COOKING SO MUCH WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE. AARON AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES IN THE FAMILY THAT LOVE FRUITCAKE, AND MY MOTHER WOULD SEND A FABULOUS FRUITCAKE FROM A SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS NAMED CORSICANA EVERY YEAR. I WOULD CHILL IT AND SLICE IT THIN, AND TRY TO MAKE IT LAST, AND INDEED IT WOULD STRETCH FOR AWHILE WHEN IT WAS ONLY ME EATING IT, BUT THEN WHEN AARON GOT OLDER, IT WAS NO USE. THAT POOR CAKE NEVER EVEN MADE IT OUT OF DECEMBER. THERE WASN'T MUCH CAKE IN IT, MOSTLY FRUIT AND NUTS. PINEAPPLE, CHERRIES, RED AND GREEN, AND OH, THE PECANS. I DON'T BUY THOSE CAKES ANYMORE, THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE. BUT I DO REMEMBER HOW I LOVED THEM. (I USED TO SAVE THE METAL TINS THEY CAME IN AND PUT BUTTONS OR SOMETHING CRAFTY IN THEM.) NEW YEARS CAME AND ONCE AGAIN WE SAT DOWN AT LOLA'S AND MARTIN SR.'S TO HAVE A TRADITIONAL NEW YEARS DINNER. EACH ITEM HAD SIGNIFIGANCE FOR LUCK FOR THE NEW YEAR. FIRST, THERE WAS A HUGE HAM, TO EAT HIGH ON THE HOG ALL YEAR LONG. THEN, CABBAGE SO YOU WOULD HAVE LOTS OF MONEY. THEN, BLACK EYED PEAS, (YUCK) AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GIVE GOOD LUCK. WE HAD CORN BREAD AND HOME MADE WHITE ROLLS, JUST BECAUSE, AND OF COURSE, LOLA'S PIES. THE TALK WOULD CENTER AROUND THE PLANS FOR THE NEW YEAR, SUCH THINGS AS "THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO SAVE MORE MONEY, OR I AM GOING TO PAY OFF THE TRUCK, OR I SWEAR, I AM GOING TO DO BETTER AROUND THE HOUSE". YOU KNOW, THE USUAL THINGS. PAWPAW, (MARTIN'S GRANDDADDY) WOULD SAY, "WHEN I WAS A KID, WE DIDN'T HAVE IT GOOD LIKE Y'ALL DO. I HAD TO WORK FOR .50 CENTS A DAY. I WORKED ALL DAY AND THEN HAD TO COME HOME AND TEND THE ANIMALS." AND ON AND ON. WE LOVED HIS STORIES, HE SURE COULD COME UP WITH SOME. PAWPAW LIVED TO BE 92 YEARS OLD AND AS LONG AS MARTIN CAN REMEMBER PAWPAW WOULD GET UP EVERY MORNING, EAT GERMAN SAUSAGE, EGGS AND GRITS AND WORK AROUND THE HOUSE. THEN, AT THE SAME TIME EACH DAY, HE WOULD WALK 8 BLOCKS TO THE BEER JOINT FOR A SIX PACK. HE WOULD DRINK THAT SIX PACK LIKE THIS: THREE AT THE BEER JOINT AND THREE AT HOME IN THE EVENING. EVERY DAY, NO MATTER WHAT. THEN AFTER A MEAL OF BEANS AND CORNBREAD, HE WOULD GO TO BED. WHEN SHE WAS STILL ALIVE, NANNY, (MARTIN'S GRANDMOTHER) WOULD COOK A POT OF BEANS EVERY FOURTH DAY. THEY WERE DELICIOUS-FULL OF BACON, AND THE FIRST DAY EVERYONE WAS ANXIOUS TO HAVE SOME. THE SECOND DAY THEY WERE EVEM BETTER AND THE THIRD DAY, THEY WERE THE BEST OF ALL. THAT IS BECAUSE SHE WOULD THROW OUT WHAT WAS LEFT AND START OVER THE NEXT MORNING. PINTO BEANS, BUTTER BEANS AND WHITE BEANS, WHE WAS A WHIZ WITH BEANS. OF COURSE, THE SIDE EFFECTS WERE NOT AS PLEASANT- THE LITTLE COUSINS WOULD HAVE CONTESTS TO SEE WHO COULD TOOT THE LOUDEST, LONGEST OR SMELLIEST. "Y'ALL GET OUTSIDE IF YOU HAVE TO EXPELL!" CALLED NANNY. WORST OF ALL WAS PAWPAW- SHE COULDN'T THROW HIM OUT AND HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT. THE CHILDREN WERE HYSTERICAL WHEN HE WOULD AGGRAVATE HER LIKE THAT. HE WAS ALWAYS CHEERFUL AND HAD A POCKET OF QUARTERS FOR MY CHILDREN EACH TIME THEY CAME TO SEE HIM. HOW WE LOVED PAWPAW AND NANNY. ANYWAY, AFTER WE MADE OUR RESOLUTIONS, AND PAWPAW TOLD HIS STORIES, WE WOULD SAY THAT THE BEST THING ABOUT NEW YEAR'S DINNER WAS THAT ALL THE TURKEY AND DRESSING FROM CHRISTMAS WAS GONE AND WE WERE GLAD WE DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK AT IT ANY MORE FOR AWHILE. THE MEN WOULD GO INTO THE LIVING ROOM, AND I WOULD MAKE THE OBLIGATORY STATEMENT, "LOLA, I SURE WISH I COULD BAKE PIES LIKE YOU DO". "WELL HONEY, YOU JUST TAKE YOUR HAND, AND THROW IN SEVERAL HANDFULS OF FLOUR, A SCOOP OF LARD AND SOME SALT. TOSS A BIT OF COLD WATER IN AND ROLL IT OUT. DON'T USE ANYTHING BUT LARD, IT MAKES THE CRUST FLAKY!" THEN SHE WOULD TELL US ABOUT THE FILLINGS, CHOCOLATE, LEMON, CUSTARD, PECAN, SWEET POTATO, PUMPKIN, APPLE OR MINCE. "NEXT YEAR, IF YOU PRACTICE, YOU CAN MAKE THE PIES!" SHE WOULD SAY. FIRST OF ALL, MY HANDS ARE PROBABLY TWICE THE SIZE OF HERS, AND I WAS NOT SURE JUST HOW MUCH OF A SCOOP OF LARD TO PUT IN THERE. I KNEW HER FEELINGS WOULD BE HURT IF I TRIED TO MAKE THE HOLIDAY PIES, SO, I NEVER MADE MUCH OF AN EFFORT, AND IF I MADE PIE, IT WAS AT HOME SO SHE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. WHEN LOLA DIED, BOBBIE INSISTED ON HAVING HER PIE PANS. AND GUESS WHAT? SHE MADE THE BEST PIE! "NOW WATCH ME MAMA!" BOBBIE JO WOULD SAY." JUST TAKE YOUR HANDS AND SCOOP IN THE FLOUR, ADD A SCOOP OF LARD AND SOME ICE WATER. IT'S EASY!" AND OF COURSE THE PIES WOULD BE SUPERB. IT WAS LIKE LOLA REINCARNATED IN THE KITCHEN. I HAVE THOSE PIE PANS NOW- I HOPE THAT MAYBE ONE DAY, I CAN DO THEM JUSTICE AGAIN. FORTUNATELY BECKY IS REALLY GOOD WITH PIES TOO. WELL, DINNER IS OVER, THE MEN HAVE THEIR BEER, (EXCEPT FOR MARTIN), THE WOMEN ARE CLEANING UP AND ALL OF US ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BETTER TIMES. ME, I AM PLANNING TO MOVE TO OUR NEW HOUSE, AND THERE WAS MUCH TO DO. MARTIN BEGAN THE REPAIRS ON THE RAT HOLE. DAY AND NIGHT, HE WORKED AT THE POST OFFICE, AND THEN AT THE HOUSE TO GET IT READY TO SELL. HE WAS A WALKING ZOMBIE. ONE NIGHT, ABOUT 3 O:CLOCK IN THE MORNING, I GOT UP TO MAKE HIS BREAKFAST AND SEE HIM OUT THE DOOR. HE HAD TO BE AT WORK BY 4:O CLOCK AM, SO OFF HE WENT AND I WENT BACK TO BED. NOT LONG AFTER, I HEARD A NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE. I QUIETLY WALKED INTO THE LIVING ROOM, AND THERE IT WAS AGAIN. SOMEONE WAS ON THE PORCH! IT WAS NOT A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND TO TELL THE TRUTH, WE KEPT A SHOTGUN HIGH UP IN THE CLOSET JUST IN CASE WE EVER NEEDED IT. I HEARD SOMEONE AT THE FRONT WINDOWS. "WHO IS IT!!!" I DEMANDED- AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I WENT TO THE CLOSET AND GOT THE GUN DOWN. MY HEART WAS POUNDING, BUT I HAD 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND MY HUSBAND WAS AT WORK. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH, BUT I WAS GOING TO PROTECT MY KIDS. I WENT BACK INTO THE LIVING ROOM. I SAW THE DOOR HANDLE BEGIN TO TURN, AND THEN THE PERPETRATOR BEGAN TO RATTLE THE KNOB! "WHO IS IT?!!!" I YELLED. WHILE COCKING THE GUN, I SCREAMED, "YOU BETTER SPEAK UP OR I'M GOING TO BLOW A HOLE IN YOUR GUTS RIGHT THROUGH THIS DOOR!!!! "HONEY, HONEY, NO, NO, IT'S ME, JUST ME" SAID MARTIN. "PUT THE GUN DOWN, IT'S JUST ME!" IT TURNS OUT THAT MARTIN HAD FORGOTTEN HIS LUNCH, DROVE HOME TO GET IT AND DIDN'T HAVE A KEY. WHEN HE REALIZED THAT I THOUGHT HE WAS A BURGLAR, HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY TO PLAY A JOKE ON ME. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR, HE WAS AS WHITE AS A SHEET, AND THE FIRST THING HE SAID WAS, "WHERE'S THE GUN?" HE KNEW I WASN'T ABOUT TO FOOL AROUND WHEN I THOUGHT MY FAMILY WAS IN DANGER! AFTER THAT HE WAS CAREFUL TO LET ME KNOW WHEN HE WAS COMING IN AT NIGHT, AND HE ALWAYS TO OUR KIDS WHEN THEY WERE OLDER, "DON'T TRY TO SNEAK UP ON MAMA, SHE DOESN'T FOOL AROUND!" FINALLY, THE REPAIRS WERE DONE, AND TO OUR SURPRISE, WE SOLD THE HOUSE RIGHT AWAY TO A PROFIT OF 2,000.00! ON MOVING DAY, MARTIN DROPPED ME AND THE KIDS OFF TO START PUTTING THINGS AWAY IN THE NEW HOUSE AND WENT BACK FOR MORE OF OUR THINGS. IT WAS ABOUT A 40 MILE ROUND TRIP AND SO HE WAS GONE FOR AWHILE. I REALIZED THAT HE TOOK THE KEY WITH HIM AND THERE I WAS WITH THE CHILDREN AND NO WAY TO GET IN. BUT AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, THE WINDOW IN THE FRONT WAS NOT LOCKED, AND I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A BROOM AND PUSH IT UP. UNFORTUNATLEY, THE WINDOW WAS ALSO ABOUT 5 FEET OFF THE GROUND AS THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT ON BLOCKS. JESSICA AND BOBBIE JO WERE WAITING IN THE FRONT YARD, WATCHING AARON IN HIS LITTLE CARRIER. I WENT TO THE EDGE OF THE PORCH, AND WITH A NIMBLE LEAP, WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE DISTANCE TO THE WINDOW AND THROW MYSELF HALFWAY IN THE OPEN WINDOW . I LANDED FACE DOWN ON THE WINDOW SILL, FANNY HANGING OUTSIDE AND MY HEAD INSIDE. THEN, OF COURSE, THE WINDOW SLAMMED DOWN AND I WAS TRAPPED. I COULD NOT GET THE WINDOW BACK UP, AND WAS WELL AND TRULY STUCK. I CALLED FOR JESSICA, BUT S HE COULD NOT HELP, SHE WAS TOO LITTLE. THE WORST PART WAS, I WAS WEARING AN OLD DRESS, AND IT HAD RIDDEN UP TO SHOW MY UNDIES TO ANYONE WHO WAS LOOKING. JESSICA TOLD ME THERE WERE SOME MEN WORKING ACROSS THE STREET, MAYBE THEY COULD HELP. "OH GOOD, SWEETIE! GO AND GET THEM TO HELP ME" I TOLD HER. "BUT MAMA, YOUR GREAT BIG UNDERWEAR IS SHOWING! YOU CAN'T SHOW THEM YOUR GREAT BIG UNDERWEAR! YOU TOLD ME NEVER TO SHOW MY UNDERWEAR, IT ISN'T NICE!" BY NOW THE BLOOD IS RUSHING TO MY HEAD, AND MY GUTS ARE KILLING ME. AND YES, MY "GREAT BIG UNDERWEAR" ARE SHOWING, BUT WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE? "SISSY! GO TELL THE MEN TO COME AND HELP ME! MAMA NEEDS HELP!" SO SHE WENT TO THE EDGE OF THE YARD AND TOLD THE MEN THAT I WAS STUCK. I KNEW THEY UNDERSTOOD HER WHEN I HEARD THE HOOTS OF LAUGHTER- AND AS THEY CAME DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, JESSICA WAS STEADILY SCOLDING, "DON'T YOU LOOK AT MY MAMA'S UNDERWEAR! STOP PEEKING! IT ISN'T NICE!" WELL, THOSE DARLING MEN GOT THE WINDOW RAISED, ACTED LIKE THEY DIDN'T SEE MY UNDERWEAR, AND TRIED NOT TO BURST OUT LAUGHING WHEN I FELL ON INTO THE HOUSE. ONE OF THEM HAD AARON, AND THE OTHER WAS TELLING JESSICA THAT HE DID NOT PEEK AT MY UNDERWEAR. "YES YOU DID" SHE SAID, "THEY ARE TOO BIG TO MISS!" POOR MAN HAD TO WALK AWAY TO HIDE HIS AMUSEMENT. THE REST OF THE DAY WENT OFF WITHOUT INCIDENT- I SHOULD SAY IT WAS THE FIRST OF APRIL, APRIL FOOL'S DAY,AND ONE I WON'T EVER FORGET! TOMORROW, I WILL CONTINUE LIFE IN OUR NEW HOUSE, AND MAYBE EVEN TELL YOU ABOUT A SURPRISE! LOVE, NANASEE