Grammie

One high school summer I went to stay with Grammie.  She had a cute little apartment closer to where I was working, and I jumped at the idea of a little bit of freedom.  I look back now on that time and love the moments we spent together.  We talked about her crochet and the afghans she was making.  She showed me her quarter jars from the back of her closet, where she was saving money for her next cruise.  We hung out in the tiny dining room and watched the big old TV.  We sat at the little kitchen table and laughed over dinners. 

We didn't get as much time as either of us wanted, since we were both working - many times different shifts.  Grammie was very proud of her independence.  She loved the little apartment, which was on the second floor of a home in a nice little neighborhood.  I loved it too, but I didn't know how much.  I was all into being a teenager.  Summer job, boys, music, getting ready for college - important, yes, but still not-so-much in the big scheme of things.

I wish I had paid just a little more attention to those days, to that time.  I wish I had written and taken pictures back then, so I could remember better.  I didn't own a camera, and don't have any notes about ANYTHING from that time, but I wish I did, somehow.  The good news is that the more I think about Grammie and that little apartment, the more scenes come back to me of that time.

I hope I am giving my grandchildren memories that they will have when they are older.  Wonderful memories of times together and fun and love.  My Grammie gave me plenty.  I miss her.

Minestrone

I believe I mentioned that my G-Mom was a wonderful cook.  We loved most everything that she made, and one of the favorites that I make to this day is her Minestrone Soup (the grand kids love her potato soup, so I will have to share that another post!).  There are a million variations of this recipe on the internet, but the concept is the same as the soup G-Mom made for us at home for years and years.
 
We had a rainy day here on Saturday, and soup was just the fix.  Mr. Bryant didn't want chicken noodle, and so we made up some rich Minestrone.  We added a little olive oil to a pot and added some onions and garlic to saute.  We cut up carrots and celery and added them along with basil and stirred.  A little salt and pepper went into the pot, and then we added a can of chopped tomatoes and some wonderful white beans (Cannellini).  Shortly I added some vegetable broth that I had in the refrigerator along with some chunks of chicken.

I let the soup simmer for about an hour, and then added some water and rice.  I chopped up about half (maybe 3/4) of a small green cabbage and added it, along with a bay leaf and some spaghetti that I had broken.  Another 30 minutes of simmering on the stove and the soup was ready.  Mr. Bryant added a little bit of grated cheese to his bowl, as you can see below.

Absolutely Yum.  And, in case you were wondering, it is an honest fact that this soup is even better the second day.

I do miss my G-Mom, and know that I am fortunate to have her recipes written in her hand to follow and enjoy.  Love you grammie.

Thinking About G-Mom

Mrs. Hanson, Kimberly Anne, and G-Mom

I have been thinking about my G-Mom. When Aaron was growing up, "great grandmother" was too daunting to learn, so my grandmother, my Grammie, became G-Mom. I am missing her, pretty darn much. As I want through my pictures I found a random sampling to share. Over the next few days I will share some more, as the stories come back to me.

G-mom, me, and Mr. Hanson - in Atlantic City!

Virginia Pearl Smith Costabile was born on March 18, 1916, and grew up during very difficult times in Eastern PA. She was a Catholic and loved the church, although after many years of being with us she became a Lutheran. She had an eighth grade education, and worked hard all her life, taking care of her own family and her husbands parents until they passed away. She cooked and cleaned and always provided incredible meals. She learned to be frugal, kept her home organized and neat, and took great pride in what she was able to provide for her family. And she LOVED to cook. Plus, she was incredibly good at it, mostly. There was always the occasional disaster in the kitchen, but she really was a good, good cook.

Ruth Hanson (Grandma), me, and G-Mom

At one point in time she worked as a cook in an Italian restaurant - "Rizzo's Italian Family Restaurant." Rizzo's is still going strong, although the location has changed and they are now called "Rizzo's Malabar Inn" - and of course, it can't be as good as it was when G-Mom was cooking there. Her tomato sauces were always amazing, and she loved using fresh herbs and finding new ways to make old favorites. I still make her potato soup with "rivels" (homemade noodles) which my grandchildren love, and her gnocchi, which we all love.

Ah, what a crew!
Me, J.D, June, Brenda, Karla, Jay, Gregg, G-Mom, Uncle Mike!
I guess Aunt Nancy is snapping the picture!

She was always a major part of every holiday celebration, making turkey on thanksgiving and roasts on New Years. Of course, we all love our family holidays, so we took full advantage of the great cooking to add to the celebrations!

G-Mom at Christmas

Like many of the folks of her generation, G-Mom was a chain smoker. When her brother in law got lung cancer the doctor told her she had to quit smoking immediately. She did it that very day. She continued to love her gin and tonics for many more years, but didn't have quite as many quite as often.

In the mountains - Mr. Bryant, Uncle Mike, me, Aunt Nancy, Ama, G-Mom

G-Mom lived with Uncle Mike and Aunt Nancy in Florida for a long time after she retired, until the inevitable closeness put a strain on family relationships. Then she came and lived with mom and dad and was with us for the rest of her life. She still worked hard, doing the laundry, cleaning, cooking, taking us shopping to buy something special - generally being a wonderful love in our lives. I think she felt her own worth was all about taking care of us, and she put her heart into it.

Karla Anne and G-Mom

She also loved to play hard! When she was younger she enjoyed bowling, and always loved playing cards - canasta was a favorite. She liked to sit out in the summer and have a drink with friends and family, and loved baseball. She took me to my first baseball game in Pittsburg - and I still love the Pirates! She was a big Steelers fan, and so guess what, I am too. She was always willing to try something new and fun, and being with us all really made her joyful.

G-Mom and Uncle Mike

She had a generous heart and had a generous laugh. She didn't have much money but was always amazingly generous, giving gifts to every single one of us. She loved to share with us. Now, she did get mad and sometimes had a short temper. She would make sharp comments and her tone of voice made it clear that she was not amused. But all in all her love came through in every single moment. She adored her grandchildren (that's me, Karla, and Jay - and Michael, Gregg, and Brenda), her great-grandchildren (ADR, ARR, Kyle, Angela, Trevor, Nick, Mike), and her great great grandson Asa. I am sad that she never got to meet Jaya, but I know she would have adored her.

Here she is with that young Mr. Michael Baughman one Christmas morning. Ah, dearest G-Mom, we miss you much and think of you often.

Our G-Mom