Making the trek from San Antonio to Hobbs, NM was always a treat. Between the beautiful Western landscape and the familiar smell of coffee brewing, visiting the home of my grandparents became something I always looked forward to. I remember Christmases and family portraits in front of the fire place. The air is much drier than it is in San Antonio. My brother and I would race around the house in our socks, gathering static electricity so we could shock each other. I can still see exactly where all the furniture was placed, where pictures were displayed and how quiet and still the neighborhood streets were.
A year or two after my grandfather passed away, Mimi returned to the place where she grew up, Kilgore, to be near her two sisters. I remember the day my father and I moved my Mimi from East NM to East TX. It was so strange seeing that house empty. "You can't sell a house without missing a closet door;" was my father's reply when I asked my Mimi if I could take the entryway closet door where she had been recording the height of my cousins and I for more than 20 years. It was so sad to drive away.
Mimi was great with Gavin. They played with each other on the floor and took naps in her chair. Mimi is my last living grandparent. What I would give for just one more road trip from San Antonio or Lubbock to Hobbs, NM to visit Mimi and Papa. Every morning while drinking my one cup of coffee and eating my bowl of Chex cereal, with one spoon of sugar, I am taken back to that tiny town just eight miles across the NM/TX border. These days I can't seem to hold on to those memories tight enough.
Playing on the floor with Mimi
Gavin taking a nap in Mimi's lap
Grandmother, granddaughter and great grandson
1 comment:
So glad you were able to stop and see Mimi. Your recount of the sights and sounds of their home brought back so many fond memories.
Post a Comment