My youngest memories of the Haywood clan all center on a small town in central Ohio. Grandma's house in Powell seemed to be at the top of one of the steepest hills off of 315 that we could climb in our Chevy Nova. Sometimes I would look out the back window and wonder if we would roll backwards into the Olentangy if mom slowed the car down too much. We would pass an old school and turn at the corner where Claire's General Store was. You could see the bingo hall where I got to go wearing my red velvet dress that mom had made me and where the Powell Christmas tree was lit up from. Then there Grandma's house, that was a converted old school house, would be with the garden running along one side of the house, the old outhouse behind the garden, the sidewalk that didn't quite make it to the road, and the fantastic yard. My cousin Joey and I would play badminton on that sidewalk (the line separating blocks being our net). Grandpa would take us for rides on his tractor. The sawmill behind the house would be buzzing cutting wood. Grandma's poodle would come out and bark at the neighbor's dog. The porch swing would be full of cousins. When we were bad and hiding from the other cousins we would climb in Grandma's massive closets and look at the old chalkboards. And of course, in the front of the house was the old school bell turned upside down and planted with flowers.
When Grandpa died and all six children were married and moved out Grandma sold the house and moved to Columbus. The old school house cum Grandma's house was turned into a dentist office and other office space. The school bell stayed, the outhouse was knocked down, and the sawmill encroached ever closer. This year for mother's day, some how, my uncles were able to purchase the old school bell, sand blast it, paint it, and have it put on an oak mount to give to Grandma. While Grandma got lots of interesting mother's day gifts, a sump pump, a lawn mower, flowers, etc. this was probably the one that meant the most to all of us in the Haywood family. The memories off all six children growing up in that house, getting married, and having children of their own is tied up in that bell. (pictured above with Grandma, Mom, Marvin, Melvin, Dohn, David, and Steve)Now most of the grandchildren have children. But Grandma has her collection of bells and the old school bell tops the list.
When Grandpa died and all six children were married and moved out Grandma sold the house and moved to Columbus. The old school house cum Grandma's house was turned into a dentist office and other office space. The school bell stayed, the outhouse was knocked down, and the sawmill encroached ever closer. This year for mother's day, some how, my uncles were able to purchase the old school bell, sand blast it, paint it, and have it put on an oak mount to give to Grandma. While Grandma got lots of interesting mother's day gifts, a sump pump, a lawn mower, flowers, etc. this was probably the one that meant the most to all of us in the Haywood family. The memories off all six children growing up in that house, getting married, and having children of their own is tied up in that bell. (pictured above with Grandma, Mom, Marvin, Melvin, Dohn, David, and Steve)Now most of the grandchildren have children. But Grandma has her collection of bells and the old school bell tops the list.
-- Stephanie
1 comment:
What a touching entry! Thank you, Stephanie, for sharing your memories, made all the more precious because both your mother and grandmother face life-threatening illnesses.
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