Memories

Special Memories These should jog your brains! My first cooking lesson from Gram: Pork chops covered with onions, carrots, and potatoes in an electric fry pan. “Never have pizza for dinner without Salad!” said Gram. Gram taught me to give Paul graham crackers & milk made into cereal to keep him sleeping thru the nite. “One must have a mushroom brush” says she. I learned about Smith & Kearns, Scotch & Water, Manhattans with an olive not a cherry. Cocktail time’s call: Dinner Is Ready, always produced in unison, “well maybe just a half.” ABSOLUTELY no football during dinner on Thanksgiving. When in Shawano, Mommo served ham & duck. Making pickles with Mommo & Boppy in the screened in porch with the wash tubs full of cukes. Mommo’s French fried onion rings, she must have been frying for hours to feed us all. I learned a new card game, 500. Jean’s wedding at the Madison Club. I didn’t dance too well with Gramps; I wonder if it was him or me''''' Church, and afterwards the always anxiously awaited Bloody Mary’s, with a pickle no less! Helping at the office for the upcoming events for the Farm Equip. Assoc. ('') Somewhere in there I recall beers at a German beer garden. Las Vegas nite perhaps. Then there was, THE Most unforgettable Grande Hotel on Mackinac Island. Paul and I and Gramps climbing around at Fort Mackinac, Gramp’s & his Mexican Scrambled eggs, the piano in the lobby, such class. Luncheons at the buffet on the huge porch. No cars allowed on the island; we took a horse & carriage to the village. The steep hill down to the ”pool“ (if I recall correctly). AND, I even remember what nightgown I wore! I can visualize a Christmas on Hiawatha Circle; Rick & Ruth’s first one together I think, opening a box of cheese, olives, sausage, from Tom & I. They wore matching red sweaters. Just like Tom & I did in Mary Brackob’s white house on Main St. We were opening wedding gifts. That house was moved in its entirety. Jean got a car for her Barbie Doll. A must, was to take Paul to see the insurance company’s fountain; Cuna Mutual comes to mind. Paul and Jean at the zoo on a camel Paul crying the whole time. Our trips to the Cave of the Mounds. One of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs Was there too I think. Also, in Madison’s Hiawatha Circle you taught me how to play bridge. The breezeway’s cocktails, & hors d’ oeuvres. ‘Round four o’clock, Gram, you retired to spruce up to greet Gramps when he arrived home. You were “always in a dress too“with your face pretty as could be; just like Leave It To Beaver‘s Mother…. June Cleaver. I always requested shish-ka-bobs on my birthday; I REALLY appreciated them ‘cause I know the trouble you went thru Gram & Gramps. Another specialty I anticipated was your Pork roast on the grill with potatoes wrapped in foil. ALWAYS memorable, were our INFAMOUS treks through the gutter after the steak, & salad, with baked potatoes we died for. In Madison’s Hiawatha Circle you taught me how to play bridge. You introduced me to J& B scotch Gram, at Nob Hill. Jean’s play: Geo. Orwell‘s 1984, “Big Brother Is Watching“… The basement dormitory, Rick & Ruth & Tom & Jaemy……….there was Waaaay too much talking and laughing to settle down. Think the Beers had anything to do with it' Gram near fainted when she saw Tom & I take a shower together. Gramp’s marinated olives in Vodka as my Christmas gift one year; they were especially for my “sea water specials” as he called them. The famous quote: “it’s gotta be cocktail time somewhere in the world” Seems to me there was a clock that was set @ 5:00 somewhere; maybe on the wall in the Madison office. I can picture me in a pink quilted bathrobe on your couch with two black eyes from a surgery on my schnaze. Your first apartment with the patio entrance. Going to buy shoes, Gram Worked, Manchester‘s (perhaps is the name). You Two Never Treated Me as an In-law. On the contrary you were, And still are my Mom & Dad. JUST SO YOU KNOW……………….. Now it is fitting to tell you why, I began to refer to you as Gram & Gramps: Wherever we were, you two, Paul & I, were having lunch. As did Your grandson, I called you grandma Chris. You kindly chastised me with: “don’t call me grandma.” I thought and remain thinking today, that to call you Chris & Marve would have been the same as calling the Brackob’s: Mary & Jim; Not mother or father. I would never have said: “Mary I’m home.” Nor would Jean walk through the door and greet you with, “I’m home Chris”. It would be totally disrespectful. Thus: Gram & Gramps My first home as a member of the Steinke family was with you in your den Gram & Gramp’s. The bar in the basement in Shawano; & Gram’s New Year’s Eve Hula skirt. My next home as a Steinke was also Provided by the two of you. You made it possible for us to live in Stevens Point, WI. You sent us to Deluth and suggested we eat at ('''') The Flame. We took Mommo & Boppy along with us. By the grace of God, & the two of you, we once again had a roof over our heads. That first home away from home, was a mobile home. I even remember the colors in the curtains I made in for bedroom, lavender & pale green flowers. The book next to the bed I was reading was Gone with the Wind. I still have “that exact“ copy. You gave us a set of white two-seater couch-like pieces of furniture for the living room (from your basement wreck room I believe.) Boppy built a wooden cupboard to use as a pantry.( that piece went on to Paul in Jacksonville.) Boppy also made a changing table for Paul; Tom used it for a desk too. Mary Brackob bought us a burnt orange rug for the living room to match the patterned drapes. I even recall two pieces of my new maternity wardrobe from my first mom. One was sage colored pants and top, worn while trimming our first Christmas tree. The other was a skirt, with a tunic top, black/white/a small check for a dressy frock. It looked great with my raspberry angora sweater, along with the red shoes I wore at the wedding & the reception in the Bilmay Hotel. Mommo taught me how to sew a white Suit for Tom’s graduation; did a good job at that! To this day a particular method is in my stash of mending & projects. I had on a lovely yellow hat with a veil & flower, it was the very popular fashion at that time. Somewhere in space & time Grandpa Louis gave us a large chest of drawers. It was cherry wood and my brother Bob near killed me when I painted it. (I still have the legs cut from it in case he ever decides to take it & refinish it to it’s original finish.) That was the Clay St. address. The owner’s of the bowling alley behind the house had a swimming pool we were able to use. This sequence of memories are not in order; however, if I have to edit this once more, It Would Definitely Be Martini Time here in the Metropolis of Bondooooool. We began this New Year with the best possible of all celebrations; Your 70th Wedding Anniversary. What could possibly be a more precious memory to add to this'! Jaem